Georgia First Amendment Foundation

THE HARTWELL SUN
June 21, 2007

Shelter vote might come at meeting

By Justin Brimer

Staff writer

Hartwell Mayor Matt Beasley and at least one county commissioner are protesting a hastily called joint meeting to discuss bringing an animal shelter to Hartwell.

The county commission and city council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 21, at the county administration/EMS building to discuss the shelter and "the megaramp if there is time left," according to Hart County Clerk Lawana Kahn.

Beasley said "unless it is an emergency or time is of the essence, the City should NEVER conduct business in a called meeting away from City Hall and where the public will have limited access."

County Administrator Jon Caime said the meeting is just one of the quarterly city-county meetings the two governments decided several years ago to hold to discuss joint issues.

"This is one of those meetings," so there is no particular agenda, Caime said.

However, there is a distinct possibility there will be a vote on the location of an animal shelter, and Beasley is not happy about that.

City councilman Mike Gordon did not deny the vote might take place, and said because the meeting is called, officials can vote on issues.

"If there is an opportunity to take action, then we'll do so," he said. "The location of the shelter "may be one of the items we take action on."

Beasley said because council members called the meeting without his prior knowledge, they can "do anything they want. They've positioned themselves so they can take action" - action he says the city is not ready for.

He said he probably will go to the meeting site, but not sit in on the meeting.

Hart County Commissioners Chairman R.C. Oglesby said if a quorum, three members is present, commissioners can also take action. But he said he does expect commissioners to do so at this meeting.

The city requires a quorum four council members to be present to be able to vote.

Beasley said he was very concerned a vote of the city council would take place if a quorum is present at the meeting.

The officials are considering at least two sites for the shelter: the public works building on Fairview Avenue and city-owned land behind Quality Foods.

Oglesby said he will not vote for the shelter to be built in a residential community like that on Fairview Avenue.

Gordon says he welcomes residents of those two areas to come to the called meeting.

Hart County Commissioner Joey Dorsey said he does not feel comfortable discussing the shelter at a meeting called so quickly.

"I don't believe in doing business that way," he said.

"I don't think this is really ready to be voted on. No studies have been done on this," he said, " and we still have not looked at expanding the existing shelter in Lavonia."

He said residents should be given more than a two-day notice about a meeting.

The City of Hartwell's charter states: "Special meetings of the city council may be held on call of the mayor or three members of the city council."

The Georgia Open Meetings law states meetings can be held upon 24-hour notification through the legal organ and by prominently posting notices of the meeting.

In an explanation of the open meetings law by the state attorney general's office through the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, prior to all meetings, including emergency meetings, "the agency holding such meetings must make an agenda of all matters expected to be considered available upon request and must post an agenda at the meeting site as far in advance as possible within two weeks prior to the meeting."

The county submitted an announcement of the meeting Monday, June 18. The city announced the meeting around midday Wednesday.

Reprinted from The Hartwell Sun, June 21, 2007.

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