Open Meeting Issues?

Was the last-minute meeting Lane County held to vote on releasing allegations against Commissioner Rob Handy on the morning of May 3 an open meeting? Handy has said the allegations themselves were timed not only to hurt him in the election, but also to detract from the recent revelation that his opponent Pat Farr was convicted of drunk driving.

Though the handwritten note that stemmed the allegations was received by John Brown months ago on Feb. 21, he and attorney Alan Thayer waited until shortly before the May 15 election to release the information, Handy says. According to the R-G Thayer and Farr are good friends. The decision itself to release the information happened at rapid speed — perhaps scheduled too quickly for anyone who didn’t know to check email early that morning to attend?

The email received by the press giving notice of the “emergency meeting” was time-stamped 7:42 am May 3. The meeting was held at 9 am and consisted of the conservative majority of the board — Commissioners Sid Leikin, Jay Bozievich and Faye Stewart and County Administrator Liane Richardson. The vote was 3-0 to release the information. Neither Handy nor fellow progressive commissioner Pete Sorenson was there.

By 9:45 am, Richardson had already composed and sent out this email to county staff:

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