The Town of West Pelzer and Town of Pelzer will hold a special called joint meeting at 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, August 10). Meeting notices sent to The Journal by email state the only item on the agenda is an Executive Session for Contractural Matters regarding police protection.
The notice states: *The purpose of this meeting is discussion only; no votes will be taken* The meeting will be held at West Pelzer town offices at 3 Hindman St.
If town officials do go behind closed doors in executive session, members of the public and press will not be allowed.
The Journal has some concerns about the meeting not being held in open session, especially since mayors and all councilmembers, town clerks and most likely attorneys of both towns are expected to be present.
“The only people being excluded are the public they represent and the press,” said David Meade, Managing Editor of The Journal.
While SC FOIA laws do allow contractural matters to be discussed in an executive session, SC Press Association Director Bill Rogers said Tuesday the issue sounds more like a policy decision for both town governments.
There has already been discussion by both town councils about providing police protection to Pelzer.
West Pelzer Mayor Blake Sanders and West Pelzer Police Chief Mike Clardy attended a meeting with Pelzer officials in May in which they offered a proposal to provide police protection for Pelzer. No action has been taken by either council on the proposal.
Some of the issues to be addressed in relation to a proposed three year contract are the costs of providing the services, the source of the revenues for paying those costs, and a division of the revenues generated by any fines collected.
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