The Burke County Board of Education has refused to allow any comments from the public or the media during its emergency-called meeting at noon on Thursday.
In addition, comments were turned off on the live stream of the meeting on YouTube, preventing any public input on the meeting.
Attorneys at the UNC School of Government and with the North Carolina Press Association confirmed to The News Herald prior to the meeting that the board’s emergency meeting is questionable and doesn’t constituent the requirements listed in the General Statute.
Under North Carolina General Statute 143-318.12(b)(2), all meetings, except emergency called meetings, must give at least 48-hours notice to the public. The media and public was notified less than 18 hours about the emergency meeting.
Emergency meetings may only discuss matters that were unexpected and require immediate action, per NCGS 143-318.12(f): “For purposes of this section, an ‘emergency meeting’ is one called because of generally unexpected circumstances that require immediate consideration by the public body.”
The News Herald sent an email to the Board of Education and Superintendent Larry Putnam on Wednesday night stating, “Any action taken at tomorrow’s [Feb. 4] meeting could be found in violation of North Carolina public meeting laws.”
