I Repeat: Your Attendance Is Encouraged (W Post)

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/05/AR2006070500655_pf.html

I Repeat: Your Attendance Is Encouraged

By Nikita stewart and Elissa Silverman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, July 6, 2006; DZ02

Will the third time be the charm?

Council member Vincent B. Orange Sr. (D-Ward 5) hopes that at least two colleagues from the Committee on Government Operations will show up today as he makes a third attempt to move forward on a controversial bill that could open most D.C. government meetings to the public whenever a quorum is present.

Here's the problem: Orange, who is chairman of the committee and a sponsor of the bill along with council member Kathy Patterson (D-Ward 3), can't seem to rally a quorum to discuss the legislation.

Twice he and council member Adrian M. Fenty (D-Ward 4) have sat waiting, one committee member shy of the three needed to get a conversation officially started. Council members Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) and Carol Schwartz (R-At Large) have been absent.

Last week at the scheduled meeting time, the absentees were having a private meeting to discuss possible amendments to the open-meetings bill.

Currently, public bodies can meet in private if no "official action of any kind is taken."