Sparks fly at Walnut Cove Board meeting

(By Cathy Long, The Stokes News) - Although the Fourth of July has come and gone, the monthly meeting of the Walnut Cove Board of Commissioners, held on August 3, started and ended with fireworks.

Immediately after getting approval from the Board for the consent agenda, Mayor John Hodgkin reminded the Board about the purpose of closed sessions. According to North Carolina general statute, elected boards may go into closed sessions to discuss personnel matters and other very specifically defined topics. Hodgkin stated that one of the main purposes of closed sessions was so the town manager could report to the Board about any personnel issues, as it is the responsibility of the town manager to supervise all town employees.

Hodgkin noted that it is important for the public to know that any board representing the public interest operates while observing open meeting laws. He said that Commissioner Sharon Conaway had often requested that the Board go into a closed session, especially to discuss unsubstantiated reports about the performance of one employee.