County commissioners revamp security measures for meetings

WADESBORO — In response to the Commissioners’ meeting held on September 19, additional security measures have been taken to keep commissioners and citizens safe during public meetings. At the behest of Chairman JD Bricken, County Attorney Scott Forbes began the October 3 commissioner meeting by providing clarification on security measures legally allowed to ensure proper decorum and safety for all.

“Many citizens have expressed concerns about our last meeting, and I think y’all are all aware there were some concerns, therefore I have asked Attorney Forbes to research the protocol for maintaining order at our board meetings,” said Chairman Bricken, addressing his responsibility for the safety of his fellow commissioners and gathered citizenry.

Referencing statute 143-318.17, which provides guidance on the proper legal procedures for ensuring decorum in an official meeting, Forbes outlined, “Person who willfully interrupts, disturbs, or disrupts an official meeting, and upon who being directed to leave the meeting by the presiding officer, willfully refuses to leave the meeting, is guilty of a class two misdemeanor.”

Forbes further cautioned, “It would be within your authority [Chairman Bricken], actually you are required because you are the authority to keep order in the meeting, and in that [statute] is giving you authority to ask people to leave if they are disruptive. This is when you have already asked them to leave, this gives the authority for an officer of the law to arrest, and as it reads here, is guilty of a class two misdemeanor.”

“I just needed some clarification because I didn’t know, and hopefully I won’t need to know, but I just wanted to make sure that I understood my role,” Bricken stated.

Another concern where Bricken sought legal clarification from Forbes stemmed from citizen feedback he received regarding the length of time a citizen is allowed to speak before the board, and what steps may be taken to ensure that all citizens addressing the board adhere to time requirements.

“The three-minute rule in my legal opinion is set forth by the statute and is required by law. This section is put there for informational purposes, any abuse of that by a citizen, could be and probably would be, a disruption of the meeting. It would be within your authority to then ask them to leave the podium or even have them ejected from the meeting,” Forbes advised the board.

Disagreeing with Forbes on semantic grounds, Bricken noted his preference for escorting disruptive citizens from meetings rather than ejecting them.

In order to assist speakers with their time management, a stop clock is now visible for those addressing the board from the podium. County Manager Leonard Sossaman and Forbes have been charged with setting the stop clock for public addresses.

Picking up where he left off, Bricken recapped, “The last meeting went a little too far, I don’t think anybody can deny that. I just wanted to make sure that I understood my role, and of course I wanted to make sure that everyone understood.”

Another security measure that Commissioner Priscilla Little-Reid brought attention to later in the meeting is the installation of a new security camera.

“I just noticed that bulb up there… the one in the ceiling right here… what is the purpose of that right there?” inquired Little-Reid.

Responding to Commissioner Little-Reid’s inquiry, Forbes answered, “There have been some concerns with potential security. That is just a recording device,” said Forbes, gesturing towards the freshly installed camera.

“It records the activity in this room, it does not feed live, it records I believe every thirty days, if it is not saved it will over-write itself, just like in a courthouse. It is not to be broadcast but it is for a security device… I suggested it, and it was approved and came up,” confirmed Forbes.