E-mails by council are shadow meetings

From Sunshine Review

January 11, 2009

[edit] E-mails by council are shadow meetings

"Members of the Olympia City Council have violated the spirit of this state's Open Public Meetings Act by holding a meeting within a meeting.

While individuals were speaking at public sessions, council members were busy e-mailing one another on their laptops — lining up votes and developing council strategies.

If council members have something to say to one another during a council meeting, they should speak up and let everyone hear. Through their e-mail messaging, council members kept the public out of the loop. For a council that talks at length about transparency and openness, the secret e-mailers have certainly not lived up to their promises — or community expectations."

[edit] External links

The Olympian, E-mails by council are shadow meetings, January 11, 2009

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