From the Warren Record (2/4/09): The following comments were originally intended to be shared in full during the Citizens Comments portion of Monday's county commissioners' meeting. The writer was prevented from completing her statement due to time constraints and asked that it be published as a Letter to the Editor.
For the people in attendance today that are not familiar with me, my name is June Gibbs, and I live in River Township. I was proactive to help in the community for the animal shelter construction in 2006 and volunteered my efforts so the citizens can achieve more in a team effort yet keeping the facility within budget.
After the construction of the facility I did file complaints to the county manager and commissioners regarding the operation of the facility two years ago. I was accused by the county manager at that time of trying to shut the shelter down. Far cry, for I had worked effortlessly for years in getting it built.
In April 2007, I requested public information regarding the standard operating procedure, in which I was denied by the county manager and had to ask for help to obtain this public information. Again, in August 2007, I attempted to exercise my right to (tape) record an animal advisory committee meeting, and again I was denied, and it was in clear violation of state law.
In good faith on Jan. 16 of this year, I attempted to contact the county manager and commissioners regarding the ongoing shelter investigation and information that I had that could be of interest to the county. I also once again attempted to view public records. For example, Standard Operating Procedure, which is merely taking a book off a shelf for me to view, has not been made accessible to date. Nor have I received any return calls per my request except from (Commissioner Ulysses) Ross, who invited me to come to this commissioners’ meeting.
I did receive e-mails from the county manager on excuses for delaying the viewing of public records. My concerns today are with the admission of the county manager through e-mail to me that was sent also to all the commissioners that e-mails are being deleted, not archived. These e-mails are public records, and the deletion of these e-mails appears to violate N.C. General Statute 132-3, Destruction of Records Regulated.
The timing of deleting e-mails while investigations at the state and federal level are ongoing is concerning. Let alone the deliberate attempt to delay me to start viewing public records.
So , what are you the commissioners going to do about this? Are you going to attempt an investigation on the county manager? Are you aware on what and whom the state and federal agencies are investigating?
What statement is this making to the citizens in our county that have the right to public information? Are there other taxpayers in our community that attempted to obtain public records and have been denied?
Letter to the Editor