When Fulton County residents come to budget hearings to share their opinions about how their money will be spent, the clerk to the county commission usually comes along to take notes. Before commissioners vote, the clerk shares comments from across the county.
So when a staff member for commissioner Bob Ellis told the clerk not to bother coming to a pair of Monday meetings, his fellow commissioners were a little miffed.
“That’s unprecedented,” said Commissioner Emma Darnell. “I want to be able to look at the record and see what was said. That record is extremely important.”
Fulton Chairman John Eaves said the board should wait to discuss the need for note-taking until Ellis, who had already left for a hearing, was present.
Because only one commissioner attended the budget hearing, interim county attorney Jerolyn Ferrari said, it was not technically an open meeting and the clerk did not need to be there.
Jonathan Coulborn, the staffer who told clerk Mark Massey not to come, said he thought Ellis could answer the questions on his own. He questioned the need to write every inquiry down.
“It’s not required,” Ellis said. “It’s a listening session, to hear concerns on the budget. I think it’s much ado about nothing.”
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