The letter from Acting City Manager Ed Wyatt offering the Operations Center for the Boys and Girls Club is very revealing.
While we all want a viable and sustainable Boys and Girls Club, the citizens of Henderson have been left entirely out of the loop. When this happens, trust is lost, controversy swirls, and support for the Boys and Girls Club could suffer. If the city is going to be benevolent to the Boys and Girls Club, why do it in secrecy?
Here is what the law demands.
“A public body may hold a closed session only during an official meeting for which it gave proper public notice.” Question: When was the meeting held to make this decision and was it properly held?
“A public body may hold a closed session to discuss matters related to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area served by the public body.” Question: Since the Boys and Girls Club is a non-profit and will not pay taxes is it legal for a decision like this to be made in private without citizen awareness?
“A public body may hold a closed session to establish negotiating positions or to instruct its staff/agents about negotiating positions to be taken on certain types of contracts. The body may consider and discuss the public body’s position on the price or other material terms of contracts to acquire real property (but generally must disclose prior to the closed session the location of the property and identities of the parties to the proposed transaction) by purchase, option, exchange or lease, as well as the amount of compensation and other material terms of employment contracts.” Question: Has the public been informed at all of this transaction?
“The public has the right to see written minutes of closed meetings, once the situation that prompted the closed meeting has passed.” Question: Will the city release these minutes since this appears to be a done deal?
Elissa Yount
Henderson