They”re not there yet. But they took a step in the right direction.
The Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau is looking into hiring an official board attorney — eschewing the work, whether paid or unpaid, by attorneys that happen to be seated on its board. The CVB got itself into a little hot water last week over an effort to pay attorney David Sanders for legal work he did while a board member — an ethical no-no.
Sanders, and fellow board member and attorney DeWitt Hicks, have offered legal advice to the board in the past, and the board has contracted out for specific legal work. But what the board has lacked is an attorney versed in state open meetings law — one unconnected to the board who can offer impartial legal advice.
The board should have hired an attorney long ago. Over the past decade, the CVB has drifted away from the very ordinance that governed it — a fact that went unnoticed until Lowndes Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders dusted off the old charter a year ago. A board attorney would have kept the CVB on track over the years.
Since then, the Legislature has approved, and the governor has signed, a new ordinance governing the CVB. Old members have rotated out; new members have joined.
Now is beyond the time for the new board to get a primer from a competent attorney on how to run a public meeting, and when to enter executive session.
As we said, this should have happened weeks ago. But, better late than never. This isn”t a matter to languish in committee — the CVB needs to find an attorney before it gets itself into even more ethical — and possibly legal — trouble.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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