QUESTION: I had conversation with a member of the Graham city council [prior to Tuesday morning’s meeting] about the proposal to move the park. When I asked about what would take the place of the current park, I was told, “We’ve already had a few people show interest in the property and we’ve seen some very impressive renderings of the building that would be put in its place.”
This raises major red flags about government transparency. If renderings for a new development already exist, why hasn’t the public seen them?. . . It feels like the council intentionally delayed this to create a “last minute” crisis, allowing them to push through an unpopular plan and satisfy a backroom deal with a developer.
ANSWER: The Alamance News asked several council members after Tuesday morning’s meeting about the reader’s question.
The most forthcoming initially was councilman Bobby Chin, who acknowledged that he had seen drawings of a proposal building to replace the park. He pointed to painting on the wall in the city council chambers by the late Jim Hays of the former Soda Shop building, a three-story retail building, and said it looked like that.
Asked who had done the drawings, or on whose behalf, Chin responded, “I’d prefer not to say.”
Mayor pro tem Ricky Hall said he had not seen such drawings.
Council member Bonnie Whitaker refused to respond to the newspaper, saying, “I’ve been misquoted in your newspaper, so I’m not saying anything to you,” as she stormed off.
THE PUBLIC ASKS: Have a question about a matter of public record? Call The Alamance News at (336) 228-7851; write to the newspaper at P.O. Box 431, Graham, NC 27253; or e-mail alamancenews@mail.com.
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