Time together and time to spare, Time to learn, time to care, Someday, somewhere

    Before I became a lawyer, I was a writer.  I love to write.  It’s ingrained in every fiber of my being.  So I thought blogging would be easy.  I truly didn’t realize that it takes the time it takes.  Having this blog for several years now has given me an appreciation for those who blog daily.  They must have no lives. I do.  And lately, life has gotten in the way.

    But it’s time to add this blog back into my routine.  So I’m going to make a concerted effort in the next few weeks to do that, and get back on track.  I’ve not quit blogging — just needed time to find the balance it takes in life.

    And yesterday provided me the fodder I needed to re-start.  A paper called with a question about a town’s board that held a closed meeting under the real estate exception.  What were they discussing?  The proposed annexation of land.  They cited exception 2 in holding the closed meeting.  The reporter was curious because every other town nearby had discussed this in open session.

    Clearly, this town needs someone on the board who has a copy of a sunshine law book in order to read that exception.  There’s no way annexation can be considered the “lease, purchase or sale” of real estate, and certainly there’s no exchange of money involved, which is a key element in using that exception.

    You’d have thought some board member would have wondered why they were meeting in closed session when every other nearby council held this discussion in open session.  And, here’s a sad story — reportedly the city attorney made the statement that it’s not a violation of the sunshine law if the board doesn’t “knowingly” violate the law.

    I’m hoping the reporter misunderstood what the attorney said.  If not, someone reading this blog needs to get this city attorney to the municipal attorneys’ summer meeting and be sure he or she attends the sunshine law programming.  Someone needs some educating!