Dear Commerce and Industry Association:

First I'd like to thank you for this opportunity to address the CIA Board. I'd also like to thank the Board for determining at the August 3 meeting that the CIA is subject to the State's laws for open records and open meetings. With open access, citizens can become more well-informed participants in civic affairs. I'd like you to consider having a public participation section at the start of every CIA Board meeting to allow citizens like myself to speak.

I'm also glad that you're meeting more frequently. I hope you continue to meet monthly.
I think that will help you oversee the Executive Director position more closely, and improve communications with the City and its residents.

I want to reaffirm that we are all here because of our great concern for and a commitment to the growth of industry and the improvement in the quality of life in Jefferson. We may have different ideas about how to accomplish that, but with a spirit of cooperation, professional behavior, and respect for the law, we can continue to work together to refine our hometown.

I have spent a great deal of time and effort studying the CIA and the course of Jefferson's economic development activities. My open records requests are a part of this.

I've made these requests in order to become better informed about the function of the CIA. Its activities have been hidden for five years. Citizens have not been properly informed of what it does. I've made these requests carefully, respectfully and within the bounds of what I believe is allowed by State law.

Today you plan to go into closed session as allowed under the statute that reads "Conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved."

As CIA Board members, it's your duty to obey the letter and spirit of the law. You shouldn't be in closed session if the CIA hasn't secured its own lawyer. If that lawyer isn't here in body or in writing, then you can't be in closed session under this exemption. If the conversation wanders, closed session must be concluded. Of course, the law does not require that you go into closed session for any particular reason. I urge you to keep these meetings as open as possible.

As always, I am glad to speak with anyone about this. Please feel free to call me at 674-5200 or at home at 674-3661.

Sincerely,