The video of the illegal closed meeting of the Greensboro City Council on Tuesday, April 27 is now available on the city website at http://greensboro.granicus.com/player/clip/4406?view_id=2&redirect=true
That video makes it clear that the City Council work session was in fact illegal and that the city knew or should have known that it was illegal before the meeting started.
The work session, which began at 2 p.m., continued until about 2:26 when the Rhino Times texted City Councilmember Justin Outling and notified him that the meeting was not available on the city website or on the Greensboro Television Network (GTN). The meeting was in fact not being broadcast to the public at all.
Outling contacted City Manager David Parrish, who suggested an email be sent out to the Global Distribution Network to inform those who receive emails from the city how to sign on to the Zoom meeting.
After being notified that the meeting was not available online, Parrish interrupted the meeting and said, “Madam Mayor, might I interject that while we knew that the meeting was not available through Granicus [the city website], we thought that the meeting was going to be able to stream on our GTN site and that apparently was not the case either.”
The problem is that even if the meeting had been available on GTN, it still would have been illegal because the public notification of the meeting said that it could be viewed by the public via the city website (Granicus). There was no mention in the notification that it could be viewed on GTN.
After a 20-minute break, Parrish explained that the remainder of the meeting would have to be postponed until the Tuesday, May 4 City Council meeting.
Parrish said, “And as Chuck was describing to me just a minute earlier, the provision in the state statute that allows us to do these meetings virtually or electronically says we have to describe a set location by which the public is available to view it. Since we have the server issue, that location is not available to us. Our recommendation is that we suspend this.”
The issue is a simple one. When the City Council holds a regular meeting, the location of that meeting by law must be included in the official notification. The City Council cannot announce that it is going to meet in the council chambers at city hall and then meet at the Greensboro Coliseum or in Mayor Nancy Vaughan’s basement. For virtual meetings the public has to be notified of where the meeting can be viewed.
This meeting was actually listed as a “hybrid” meeting, where the City Council and city staff would be in the council chambers, but it was not. This was a virtual meeting, where it appears Vaughan was in her car and councilmembers were in their homes or offices.
When asked by Councilmember Yvonne Johnson if the City Council could go into closed session, Watts said, “We can’t do it because we don’t have the notice. The notice becomes faulty because you don’t have the site available.”
Even after being told that the meeting could not legally continue, Vaughan and Councilmember Sharon Hightower continued to discuss council business until interrupted by Parrish who said, “I would suggest we stop all conversation with more than a majority of you online. The informational item with GCEDA, doesn’t give Chuck and I as much heartburn, but any further debate or discussion would not be advisable.”
With that, the meeting that was never officially called to order, as is also required by law, was adjourned.
Nancy is a befuddled boo-boo. More to come.
E’ry pimp has to reel in his girls every now & then. I don’t think Outling will even claim any of these no mo. B’s be crazy!
In the next election,let’s all subscribe to the bros before hos mantra & this will quickly turn around.
And they thought that they could get away with it!!! What a joke they all are. Greensboro can do better!!!
The laws don’t apply to them. They’re better than us. Until they’re held accountable, you won’t convince me otherwise.
That is without a doubt the stupidest human being I have ever witnessed in an elected position OR so arrogant she thumbs her nose at laws … there’s something rotten in Greensboro and we all know when something rots it rots from the head …
You just can’t beat stupidity!
Nefarious or incompetent? The pattern is clear. Both.
Does this mayor have two brain cells going in the same direction? Stupid is as stupid does. Time to vote these clowns out.
The city council and the GUILFORD county commissioners are a joke. They don’t even know how to run a city or county without lies or cheating.
Interesting….
Is that Nancy or a younger Pelosi picture
Another case of John’s douchebaggery.
You really need to get a job and stop drawing unemployment and living off of us taxpaying conservative who work
Are ye a little erked there Name Star .
Surprise surprise as gomer would say.
Nancy must be just to your liking ..huh
I’ll take a douchebag over a liberal anyday!
Then why do you read it? Glutton for punishment?
Until law-breaking concil members are handcuffed and put in the slammer overnight, this will continue to be business as usual. Is it any wonder why we don’t trust these incompetent boobs?
Who is Nancy’s plastic surgeon?
Making fun of other people’s appearance is not a good idea. Look in the mirror.
Miller you are a triple douche yeah that’s right i said it triple douche
“When asked by Councilmember Yvonne Johnson if the City Council could go into closed session, Watts said, “We can’t do it because we don’t have the notice. The notice becomes faulty because you don’t have the site available.”
Yet, Yvonne and Hightower don’t think laws apply to them. Yvonne amazes me since she’s been on the council for years, seems like decades and if she was clueless about the law on notices of meetings, how in the heck has she been able to stay on the Council? I know why . . . .it’s all about the cash flowing to her “non-profits” and I’d bet she is involved in more than a few as a board member, etc. Remember when the community came to speak to her when she wasn’t Mayor anymore? It was like the peasants bowing to the queen.