Williams: Blackwell, others, broke state freedom of information laws

Nearly three weeks after four members of York County Council were seen eating dinner at a restaurant by a local reporter following a public budget workshop, one man seeking a seat on council is contending council members are holding, “secret, after hours meetings,” — and says they need to stop.

[media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Gary Williams, who is seeking to oust York County Council Council Chairman Britt Blackwell, told WRHI Thursday that Blackwell’s May 9 dinner at the White Horse with three other councilmen broke state Freedom of Information laws.

Blackwell said Thursday that he and the other council members in question did not break state law, because they weren’t discussing county business.

Williams said that Blackwell is saying one thing — and doing another — when it comes to openness. “Transparency is and will always be the taxpayers’ best defense against and corrupt and inefficient government,” Williams said.

Blackwell said that May 9 meeting isn’t the first time that council members have ever met in a private setting.

State Freedom of Information Laws state that any meeting that constitutes a quorum — in this case four members — must be advertised to the public and the press.

The law specifically states that any social gatherings outside of public meetings may not be used to circumvent the state statute.