NC Open Government

From the Salisbury Post (5/19/10): The Rowan County Board of Commissioners re-affirmed its support of the Economic Development Commission's role in business recruitment during its meeting Monday.

From MyFox8.com (5/8/10): Officials of a North Carolina Indian tribe are defending a closed meeting to discuss details of a deal with a gaming consultant that leaders hope will help the tribe earn federal recognition.

From the Winston-Salem Journal (5/7/10): The N.C. secretary of state's office is trying to fine lobbyist Don Beason $111,000, but the public would know nothing about the action had Beason, himself, not revealed it in a court filing.

From the Raleigh News and Observer (5/6/10): A group of Wake County residents filed a lawsuit this morning accusing the Wake County school board of violating state law by restricting public access to a March 23 meeting in which a resolution was passed calling for community schools.

County officials in only 25 of North Carolina's 100 counties provide all four public documents that are requested of them, according to the results of a research project conducted by communication studies students at Campbell University (CU), an institution 30 miles south of Raleigh.

Several civil rights groups on Friday asked the Wake County Board of Education to reconsider a proposed policy that would prevent members of the public from criticizing school board members during public meetings.

"Whereas the public bodies that administer the legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative, and advisory functions of North Carolina and its political subdivisions exist solely to conduct the people's business, it is the public policy of North Carolina that the hearings, deliberations, and actions of these bodies be conducted openly."

From the Fayetteville Observer (4/24/10): Fayetteville City Manager Dale Iman wanted to hold some preliminary budget talks this month with elected officials away from the glare of television cameras, reporters or anyone else.

From the Wilmington Star-News (4/18/10): State education officials are finally working to make it tougher for incompetent or immoral teachers to keep getting jobs in North Carolina. But even as they propose requiring more information in the teacher licensing process, they advocate keeping those facts secret from the public.

From the Morganton News-Herald (4/19/10): One lawsuit filed in 2009 against the Burke County Board of Education will be dismissed, but local attorney Stephen Schoeberle is going ahead with a second.