Transparency, etc.

Terry, I'm happy to help however I can regarding documentation of meetings and information about obey creek and staff meetings. I'll talk with our town staff and attorney today. -Lee 

On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 12:07 PM, Terry MAGUIRE <tmaguire@newspaper.com> wrote:

Dear Lee,

I am awaiting a response to my last e-mail to you.

Once you have done that, please tell me that you will support me in seeking access to all meetings, records, information, exchanged, considered or in any other way brought before the Town of Chapel Hill by the developer of Obey Creek or his agents or representatives.

Please respond as soon as you can. This is going to get very messy and lead to a lot of unneeded unhappiness if you and the other Council members do not act courageously and correctly in the name of transparency and good government.

Regards,

Terry

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 12:02 PM
To: 'Sabrina Oliver'
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Dear Sabrina,

I am afraid that you are triggering a very nasty fight over Obey Creek. It is needless.

But to allow the developer to meet freely with Town staff with no public presence, access, or reporting is simply intolerable.

Others, I expect, are likely to agree when I lay it all out, and an unfortunate dispute is, as I said, needlessly in the making.

What an awful reflection on Town government to allow such coziness to be cloaked in complete secrecy.

Regards,

Terry

From: Sabrina Oliver [mailto:soliver@townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 11:41 AM
To: Terry MAGUIRE
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Mr. Maguire:

Staff meetings are not open to the public. Staff meetings that include developers or their representatives are not open to the public. And there is no public records entitlement to the subject matter of staff meetings or staff meetings with developers or their representatives.

Sincerely,

PARTICIPATE! Join us on social media.

www.townofchapelhill.org/socialmedia

Sabrina M. Oliver

Communications and Public Affairs Director

Town of Chapel Hill

405 Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

(919) 968-2757

(919) 967-8406 (FAX)

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 1:44 PM
To: Sabrina Oliver
Subject: FW: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

PS

I would also like to know if any of those staff meetings include the developer or any representative of the developer. And I would like to know the subject matter of all contacts between the developer, or any representative of the developer, and Town staff since the 5 November 2012 Town Council meeting.

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 5:08 PM
To: 'Sabrina Oliver'
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Dear Sabrina,

Are those staff meetings open to the public? If so, when is the next one? If not, why not?

Cheers,

Terry

From: Sabrina Oliver [mailto:soliver@townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 3:30 PM
To: Terry MAGUIRE
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Mr. Maguire:

This matter is a work in progress and we are meeting as a staff to discuss what are the appropriate steps to take in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the Town Council. 

Sincerely,

PARTICIPATE! Join us on social media.

www.townofchapelhill.org/socialmedia

Sabrina M. Oliver

Communications and Public Affairs Director

Town of Chapel Hill

405 Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

(919) 968-2757

(919) 967-8406 (FAX)

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 9:00 PM
To: Sabrina Oliver
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Dear Sabrina,

If the Town is doing any work whatsoever that involves anything to do with retaining a consultant to work on Obey Creek, then, by definition, there ARE answers to my questions. If you can assure me that no one in Town government is working on any aspect of retaining such a consultant, then you will be correct.  Which is it?

Cheers,

Terry

From: Sabrina Oliver [mailto:soliver@townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:34 PM
To: Terry MAGUIRE
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Mr. Maguire:

There are no answers to your questions at this time because the process outlined by the Council is underway. I’ve included a link to the November 5 meeting so you can view/hear the Council’s discussion on the Obey Creek and Glen Lennox sites.

http://chapelhill.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=1662 Click on Item 9 in the agenda box below the video box. It will take you to the beginning of the discussion by the Council of the Obey Creek and Glen Lennox item.

	Sabrina M. Oliver Communications and Public Affairs Director Communications and Public Affairs Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Chapel Hill, NC 27514-5705 Phone: (919) 968-2757 Cell: (336) 264-0495 Fax: (919) 967-8406
Help create a new Comprehensive Plan at www.townofchapelhill.org/2020.

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 11:23 AM
To: Sabrina Oliver
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Dear Sabrina,

This is NOT a response to my questions. Clearly, the questions I raised are ones that the Town will not answer, and so I am afraid we will need to take all of this to another level. Such a shame to force me and others into a fight for what ought to be fully transparent.

Regards,

Terry

From: Sabrina Oliver [mailto:soliver@townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 11:04 AM
To: Terry MAGUIRE
Subject: FW: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Mr. Maquire:

In response to the following questions:  As part of this, I would like to know who comes up with the names of the potential consultants? Will suggestions be solicited from outside the staff of the Town of Chapel Hill? Will the developer be entitled to suggest anyone? Will this be the subject of a request for proposals from consultants? Must the developer approve of the choice? Does he get to comment on the possible choices? And, finally, will all meetings involving the consultant who is selected and the developer, or his agents, be publicly noticed and open to any member of the public who wishes to attend?

To address those questions, I am providing the link to the two certified resolutions regarding both the Glen Lennox site and the Obey Creek site:

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER AND TOWN ATTORNEY TO DEVELOP A PROCESS FOR INITIATING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS FOR GLEN LENNOX SITE (2012-11-05/R-11a) (PDF)

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER AND TOWN ATTORNEY TO DEVELOP A PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS FOR OBEY CREEK SITE (2012-11-05/R-11b) (PDF)

Sincerely,

	Sabrina M. Oliver Communications and Public Affairs Director Communications and Public Affairs Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Chapel Hill, NC 27514-5705 Phone: (919) 968-2757 Cell: (336) 264-0495 Fax: (919) 967-8406
Help create a new Comprehensive Plan at www.townofchapelhill.org/2020.

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 1:42 AM
To: Sabrina Oliver
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Dear Sabrina,

Thank you. By what date do you expect to have answers?

Has the final text of the resolution from the Town Council meeting last week on Obey Creek been released?( Until it has been approved AND MADE PUBLIC, I don’t believe the Council or the Town staff has any authorization to proceed on any matter related to it.)

Cheers,

Terry

From: Sabrina Oliver [mailto:soliver@townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 10:52 PM
To: Terry MAGUIRE
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Mr. MaGuire, I’ll forward these questions along with the others.

Sincerely,

	Sabrina M. Oliver Communications and Public Affairs Director Communications and Public Affairs Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Chapel Hill, NC 27514-5705 Phone: (919) 968-2757 Cell: (336) 264-0495 Fax: (919) 967-8406
Help create a new Comprehensive Plan at www.townofchapelhill.org/2020.

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2012 4:57 AM
To: Sabrina Oliver
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Dear Sabrina,

Thanks once again. As part of this, I would like to know who comes up with the names of the potential consultants? Will suggestions be solicited from outside the staff of the Town of Chapel Hill? Will the developer be entitled to suggest anyone? Will this be the subject of a request for proposals from consultants? Must the developer approve of the choice? Does he get to comment on the possible choices? And, finally, will all meetings involving the consultant who is selected and the developer, or his agents, be publicly noticed and open to any member of the public who wishes to attend?

Much appreciated,

Terry

From: Sabrina Oliver [mailto:soliver@townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2012 4:53 PM
To: Terry MAGUIRE
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Mr. MaGuire:

I am in receipt of your request. I will get back to you once I have gathered answers to your questions.

Sincerely,

	Sabrina M. Oliver Communications and Public Affairs Director Communications and Public Affairs Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Chapel Hill, NC 27514-5705 Phone: (919) 968-2757 Cell: (336) 264-0495 Fax: (919) 967-8406
Help create a new Comprehensive Plan at www.townofchapelhill.org/2020.

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2012 4:01 AM
To: Sabrina Oliver
Subject: FW: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

PS

In addition, I would like to know how the consultant for Obey Creek will  be hired? How will that person be selected? From what group? Who makes the choice using what criteria? And, very important, what is the budget for the consultant and any other expenses that the Town might incur in pursuing this matter as a result of the resolution on 5 Nov?

Thanks again.

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2012 4:48 PM
To: 'Sabrina Oliver'
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Dear Sabrina,

Thanks. I cannot begin to tell you how unacceptable that situation is, for so many reasons. It is no way to run the Town of Chapel Hill, its Council, and most important, its top decision-making body. And I am sure it is a giant embarrassment to many of you.

Clarify one thing for me (I am out of the country)? In addition to Ed HARRISON and Lee STORROW, which other Council Members voted in favor of the resolution on Obey Creek? Please provide me with a copy of the final resolution, as approved.

I wasted far too long watching the video; it is an extremely inefficient way to learn the details of what was decided, and the resolution I am requesting is a good example of it just not working at all – I never saw the final resolution on video – only indecipherable discussion among the town’s lawyer and Council Members over a something on another screen that was not included in the video.

I could write the minutes in an hour. Why doesn’t someone ask for volunteers?

And, while I am writing, I want to know who will hire the consultant who is to be retained on Obey Creek? The Town? Some joint entity with the developer? And for whom does the consultant work? Only the Town? For the developer too? The developer pays and normally that’s who people think has employed them. How will this work?

Thanks,

Terry

From: Sabrina Oliver [mailto:soliver@townofchapelhill.org]
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2012 4:03 PM
To: tmaguire@newspaper.com
Subject: RE: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

Mr. Maguire:

Please use this link to view the meeting. You can click on the agenda located beneath the video box to advance to agenda item you are interested in. http://chapelhill.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=1661 The meeting materials can be viewed by clicking on the item in the agenda located on the right on the video page. This is the record of that meeting that is available immediately. You may also view all additional materials submitted for the meeting by clicking on the drop down arrow beside the “Documents” box.

The minutes will not be completed and approved by the Council for weeks. This is due to the length of the meetings we have and the lack of resources. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,

	Sabrina M. Oliver Communications and Public Affairs Director Communications and Public Affairs Town of Chapel Hill 405 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Chapel Hill, NC 27514-5705 Phone: (919) 968-2757 Cell: (336) 264-0495 Fax: (919) 967-8406
Help create a new Comprehensive Plan at www.townofchapelhill.org/2020.

From: Terry MAGUIRE [mailto:tmaguire@newspaper.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2012 3:14 AM
To: Info - CAPA
Subject: Minutes - 11/5/12 Council meeting

When will minutes of this meeting be available?