Staff – September 14, 2024

In an April 2024 report, we discussed a case before the North Carolina Court of Appeals that resembles actions taken by the Currituck County Board of Commissioners. On September 11, 2024, the Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the case N.C. Citizens for Transparent Government, Inc. and Kevin Drum v. The Village of Pinehurst, John Strickland (in his official capacity as Mayor), and Jane Hogeman (in her official capacity as a Council member).

The complaint against Pinehurst mirrors the situation in Currituck County, where commissioners allegedly engaged in covert actions targeting Commissioner Paul Beaumont in January 2024. Both cases revolve around extensive email exchanges between commissioners, constituting an unadvertised meeting—a potential violation of North Carolina’s public records law.

At the heart of these cases is the court’s interpretation of the term “simultaneous communications,” which remains undefined in the statute. The plaintiffs are asking the court to clarify its meaning.

The outcome of this case could set a significant precedent. If the court rules to define “simultaneous communications,” the N.C. Citizens for Transparent Government, Inc. and Kevin Drum v. The Village of Pinehurst case will move forward, opening the door for Blackwater Reports Inc. to file a similar complaint against Currituck County.