(A) City Council members shall conduct the affairs of the Board in an open and public manner. Compliance with all applicable laws governing open meetings and public records, will be recognized and that doing so is an important way to be worthy of the public’s trust. Local government records belong to the public and not to individual Council members, the Board or city employees.
(B) In order to ensure strict compliance with the laws concerning openness, Council members should make clear that an environment of transparency and candor is to be maintained at all times in the government unit. The city will prohibit unjustified delays in fulfilling public record requests. The City Council shall take deliberate steps to make certain that any closed sessions held by the Board are lawfully conducted and that such sessions do not stray from the purpose for which they are called.
(C) No person shall remove any city property or any record, document, book or paper belonging to the city, from the office or place where it properly belongs without the authority of the custodian of records, except on written order from the City Council, the City Manager or a court of competent jurisdiction.
(2009 Code, § 34.01) Penalty, see § 10.99
Statutory reference:
Inspection of public records, see G.S. §§ 139-1 et seq.