Red Hat – are Councilors performing their liaison duties?

Musings on the ridiculous process Raleigh used to plan the relocation of the Red Hat Amphitheater.

How is it that the pre-determined outcome of the re-location of the Red Hat Amphitheater (pre-determined as described by Councilor Black quoting Planning Commissioner Bennett during Tuesday’s Council meeting) took the City Council by surprise, noted by Councilor Jones at the meeting, and left them with little to no time for public engagement or a deeper discussion of alternatives for where or how the venue could be kept downtown without closing South St?

We’re asking because there is no legitimate excuse for the councilors to not have been aware of the progress of the project AS IT WAS BEING developed.

Two members of City Council should have been keeping the rest of the council aware of the progress of the project.

Mayor Pro Tem Jonathan Melton is the council liaison to the Raleigh Convention Center & Visitors’ Bureau.

District C Councilor Corey Branch is the council liaison to the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Center.

Since the relocation of the Red Hat Amphitheater is a result of the planned expansion of the Convention Center there is no plausible excuse for Melton and Branch, as liaisons, to not have been in the loop, fully aware of what was happening and keeping the full council informed of what was going on.

The only explanation for believing the council was “surprised” at the last minute about the details of this plan is that Melton and Branch are not doing their jobs.

Are City Council liaison roles actual job responsibilities of the councilors? Or, are they simply “ceremonial?”

It seems to us that if Melton and Branch are not actually performing their duties, it should be a significant factor in their efforts to be re-elected. It should be disqualifying.

If they aren’t doing the job, why should they be re-elected to the job?

Will they claim there isn’t time to do all the work? Will they claim they are burdened with too many roles?

If that’s the case, maybe they should NOT have dismissed the earlier efforts to expand the city council by adding 3 more districts and bring the number of councilors from 8 to 11. That would have allowed each councilor to be assigned fewer liaison roles.

When this council dismissed the idea of expansion, they did so by noting concerns of the extra costs related to 3 more councilors.

But, what is the cost to Raleigh residents of having 2 councilors, Melton and Branch, who aren’t performing their jobs?

Are they liaisons? Or, just lazy?

Food for thought as Early Voting in the Raleigh City Council election is under way.

Livable Raleigh Editorial Team

Previous reporting on this: Red Hat Amphitheater Terrible Planning