Portsmouth council should reverse anti-citizen rule (VA)

Roger Chesley
10 hrs ago

... the so-called “secrecy rule” has likely cost the city more than $54,600 in legal fees – and counting. That’s not a lot of money ... But no dollars should be wasted.

All of this has roots in the debate over relocating the Confederate monument in Olde Towne. Reasonable people can differ about the site, the history, and whether in the 21st century it should remain in so prominent a spot ...

The city .. declined to give citizens a formal voice in the controversy. Council members ducked when they should’ve encouraged public give-and-take ...

Wright, Cherry, Edmonds, Meeks and Whitaker fined Moody in a letter dated Jan. 12. His “offense”? Moody had posted on Facebook – before an actual meeting in December – that the council would discuss the monument in a closed session ...

http://pilotonline.com/news/local/columnist/roger-chesley/roger-chesley-portsmouth-council-should-reverse-anti-citizen-rule/article_7e68aa2b-bc74-5904-a737-11755a35f11e.html