On Sunday, January 7, we reported the City Council Annual Retreat is scheduled for January 26 & 27. But, other than those two dates no other information about the time, location, streaming access, recording or an agenda was available on the city’s website. Raleigh City Council Retreat, who knows where, who knows when?
When we asked if the details were available, we were told the mayor has to officially notice it as a special meeting before it can be posted on the website. But, as we told you, the meeting is already posted on the city’s website. Just without any details. You can see what the posting looks like as of Thursday, January 11 below:
Clicking on the image will take you to the entry in the City Events Calendar
In addition to being told the mayor has to officially notice the meeting, we were told that the notice would likely take place at one of two City Council meetings scheduled to be held on Tuesday, January 9.
Those meetings never happened as threats of extreme weather caused their cancellation. The next City Council meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, January 16. It appears the earliest the mayor may formally notice the Council Retreat will be at one of those meetings.
We were also recently informed when checking on the accuracy of other information published on the city website that city staff has 48 hours after a City Council meeting to update the City’s Events Calendar. So, it’s possible the details for the Council Retreat may NOT be published until Thursday, January 18, a short 8 days before the first day of the Council Retreat.
We believe the fact that the Council Retreat has been published on the City’s Events Calendar with the dates and identified as both the City Council Annual Retreat and a City Council Meeting qualifies as formal notice of the meeting and it is past time for the details of time of day, location and virtual attendance opportunities to be given to the public so interested parties can have adequate time to make plans.
Livable Raleigh Editorial Team
Our initial report can be read here.
“We’ve been waiting patiently for the details to appear on the City’s Events Calendar so we can add the information to our calendar and publicize this important event. With less than three weeks to go before the retreat is scheduled to occur, the City’s Events Calendar still does not give us the time, the place, the agenda or even an indication as to if the event will be live-streamed or recorded for those who cannot make it to the undisclosed location.“
You may recall council had similar problems with their winter retreat last year as well.
“Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin really stepped in it at the first City Council meeting of 2023. It was announced that Day One of the council’s retreat, an annual event of team-building and setting their collective direction for the year, will be held at an undisclosed location in Durham that has no ability to live stream the event for public access. Worse yet, the venue can’t even record the event for viewing after the fact. So much for improved community engagement!”
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