Where We Stand: Commissioners OK to phone it in
Perhaps those in attendance at the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meeting Monday night would have found a passage in North Carolina's open meetings law interesting.
Commissioner Eddie Maynor requested that the board put into place a policy allowing commissioners to vote at meetings by phone. The request was tabled 3-2. Maynor and Commissioner Doris Luther voted against tabling the motion.
Policy or not, state law already mandates that a public official can take part in a meeting by phone: "An official meeting means a meeting, assembly, or gathering together at any time or place or the simultaneous communication by conference telephone or other electronic means of a majority of the members of a public body ...''
Amanda Martin, a lawyer for the North Carolina Press Association, said she would interpret the law as meaning commissioners participating in meetings by phone also have the right to vote by phone.
Fayetteville City Council members have participated in meetings, and voted, by phone. Members of the Spring Lake Board of Alderman have participated by phone. That's an interesting point since Hope Mills Town Attorney John Jackson is also the town attorney for Spring Lake and, you would think, should be familiar with the open meetings law.
It seems to us, therefore, that it was a moot point when the commissioners agreed to allow Commissioner Bob Gorman to vote by telephone when he is on vacation during the next board meeting.
This is not to suggest that anyone thinks commissioners or other elected officials should make a habit of participating in meetings by phone. But certainly there are times, such as during an illness or vacation, when it makes sense to be allowed to participate by phone.
And state law agrees.