Wilkes Journal-Patriot: Closed session board vote formally protested

From the Wilkes Journal-Patriot (7/12/10): The Wilkes Journal-Patriot, through its attorney, has formally protested a vote taken by the North Wilkesboro Housing Authority Board of Directors in closed session.

Attorney John Willardson, representing the newspaper, sent attorney Anthony Flanagan of Raleigh a letter, dated July 9, that pointed out that North Carolina’s Open Meetings Law prohibits public elected bodies from voting in closed session.

Flanagan and Jimmy Martin, housing authority board chairman, said the board voted to terminate Keith Deveraux’s current three-year contract as housing authority executive director during a closed session portion of its May 25 meeting. The contract was scheduled to end in August.

Martin said the vote was 6-4, with one member abstaining.

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