This is a follow-up to a recent Letter to the Editor published in the N&O. Here we are able to provide more details than can fit in a LTE. There is a copy of that letter at the end of this piece. City Councilor Stewart is quoted in the N&O saying "This...
Allowing virtual public comments at in-person meetings would increase citizen participation
First, I would like to address a statement Councilor Stewart made at a recent meeting. She said that it’s the same people who participate in public comment time after time, but this simply is not true. I collected data from City Council minutes for September 4, 2018 to September 7, 2022 for a total of 64 meetings: 32 meetings before Council began meeting virtually and 32 meetings after. You can see this data displayed in the bar graph. During the virtual meetings, participation in public comments increased 17%, and the number of individuals that spoke only once before council increased 23%.
Voting begins. But, not for Raleigh City Council
Early voting has started in North Carolina. Many cities are electing their City Council representatives. BUT NOT RALEIGH. The citizens of Raleigh will have to wait until November to elect their City Council. A full year AFTER the current council's term was supposed to...
April 19, 2022 City Council Highlights
Highlights Meeting was changed to virtual on Monday, April 18, due to Mayor Baldwin testing positive for COVID.Consent agenda approved, including immediate 2% COLA for all City employees and scheduling of June 7 public hearing for Text Change TC-12-21: Accessory...
Raleigh says there will be no additional response despite increasing crime.
From a WRAL report. See link below Police presence on Glenwood South was increased last October after complaints. Even so, six months later, crime continues to increase under the leadership of Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin. At-Large Councilor Melton seems resigned to the...
Raleigh’s Crackdown on Glenwood South Proves Ineffective
Raleigh’s Mayor Baldwin, At-Large Councilor Melton and the current City Council majority took office at the end of 2019. Under their leadership crime is rising on Glenwood South.
City Council Retreat March 4-5, 2022
Raleigh City Council held their annual retreat at Dix Park Chapel. While the meeting was viewable remotely, members of the public were not allowed to attend, which is curious considering Council now requires in-person attendance for individuals who want to speak at...
Video Shows City Council-Condoned Damage to Raleigh Environmental Gem
Clear-Cut Hillside above Azalea Falls FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 15, 2022 Raleigh’s City Council has endorsed more high-density development projects in the last two years than at any time previously in our city. Most of these were approved with few or no restrictions...
More Advocacy Groups Charge City Council with Misrepresenting Them
At the March 1 public hearing to review and approve new District Maps for Raleigh’s City Council, the City Attorney claimed Raleigh is not covered by Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and City Staff claimed that the Advocacy Groups who reviewed the proposed maps...
INDY Reader Misses the Point(s)
We previously wrote about INDY Daily's comments on Raleigh Council's undemocratic actions here: INDY Daily BLASTS City Council's Undemocratic Behavior. One of their readers disagrees with their take on it and writes: "This is not a good take with respect to the...