Today's News

The Freedom of Information Act: It sounds so powerful, as if muttering the term will grant you immediate access.

Unfortunately, that is not always the case with Freedom of Information Act, more commonly referred to as FOIA.

FOIA is to the federal government what the state’s public records law is to North Carolina, with several exceptions, that is.

The president, most notably, is exempt from FOIA. So are his cabinet and immediate staff.

So is Congress, both House and Senate. Even the Supreme Court is exempt from FOIA.

CALABASH—Town commissioner Jody Nance says he did nothing improper last week when he voted for his sister to serve on the town planning and zoning board.

Mayor Anthony Clemmons, whose brother chairs the P&Z board, says the same thing on Nance’s behalf.

Nance said Monday he didn’t feel it necessary to announce at commissioners’ March 8 meeting that Sonia Climer is his sister prior to voting for her to serve one of three vacancies on the P&Z board. The vote for Climer was 3-2, with Clemmons casting a tie-breaking vote.

You, as a member of the public, have a right to attend an open meeting.

It’s the law.

As defined in North Carolina General Statute 143-318.10, official meetings of public bodies are open to members of the public.

A public body is defined by N.C.G.S. 143-318.10 as “any elected or appointed body, committee, commission, board or other group that is composed of two or more members who are authorized to exercise legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative or advisory functions.”

CAROLINA SHORES—As a town committee investigates costs, a resident questioned why the town wants to have a park and gazebo.

Resident Jim Parsch, speaking at the town board of commissioners meeting last Thursday, said it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money.

He said he doesn’t believe people are going to use the facilities and that it ought to be something that’s put on the ballot and voted on.