The basic concept behind North Carolina public records law is simple: all government records are “property of the people.” As such, they must be made available upon request for free or minimal cost unless a statute specifically exempts a particular … Read more
As Hurricane Irene barreled toward the eastern seaboard and North Carolina’s coast, local communities and state and local officials braced for a potentially significant hit. Hyde County declared a local state of emergency. Under its declaration it ordered a mandatory … Read more
UPDATE September 2013: During the 2013 legislative session, the General Assembly modified the distribution of Powell Bill funds to municipalities. See S.L. 2013-183. For which of the following projects may Powell Bill funds be expended? 1. The Village of Pothole … Read more
A frequently asked question if there ever was one. It would be nice if the statutes that govern local government activities were consistent and clear about what specific decisions or activities require governing board approval. No such luck. But there … Read more
UPDATE September 2013: In 2013 the General Assembly expanded the scope of the bona-fide-farm exemption in several respects. S.L. 2013 – 347 amends G.S. 153A-340 to provide that exempt activity includes agricultural activity associated with a farm “and any other … Read more
A massive hurricane is bearing down on the coast. Coates County issues a state of emergency declaration ordering a mandatory evacuation and prohibiting alcohol sales (just to be on the safe side). Citizens in the Town of Albert start calling … Read more
Mayor Juanita Beasley was stuck in the checkout lane at the supermarket. She was wondering why she always managed to pick the slowest line when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to find her old high school … Read more
Recently, the General Assembly enacted S.L. 2011-164 (SB 8) to remove the 100-school cap on the total number of charter schools that could be authorized in the State. Before its enactment, SB 8 went through a number of iterations. Several … Read more
The 2011 General Assembly completed its second session last week, the contentious redistricting and veto-override session, and has scheduled its third session of the year for September 12th. At the top of the list of approved topics for the fall … Read more
As summarized in this post, the new annexation reform law requires cities to extend water and sewer services to annexed areas if the owners of a majority of properties in the area request service. The law requires the city to offer … Read more