Locked Doors at Brooks County Board of Elections monthly meeting

      On, September 20th, the Brooks County Election Board held their monthly meeting. At approximately 5:30 p.m. County Commissioner Lee Larko of District 1 in Brooks County, arrived to attend the meeting. To Larko’s surprise he found the county Administration building where the meeting was held to be locked. 

This meeting was to be a public meeting, but with the doors locked no one was able to enter. According to OCGA § 50-14-1 (b) Except as otherwise provided by law, all meetings ad defined in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be open to the public. (c) The public at all times shall be afforded access to meeting declared open to the public pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section. 

Commissioner Larko stated, “I was quite shocked when I found the door locked for the building. I called the sheriff dispatch to see if a deputy could let me in. After waiting for 15 minutes I called the election supervisor cell phone, only to be able to leave a voice mail. I once again called the Supervisor’s phone at 5:57 p.m. once again only to get voicemail…” 

After waiting and calling the supervisor and sheriff department the Chairman came out at approximately 6:15 p.m. Commissioner Larko was still waiting and met him as he came out to ask him why the door was locked and no public was allowed in. The Chairman replied to Commissioner Larko, “I didn’t lock the door.” Commissioner Larko informed the Chairman that the door had been locked. 

The Supervisor of Elections informed the Commissioner that the doors are locked at 5:30 p.m. so if no one was already in the building then “oh well”. Commissioner Larko stated, “this is a public meeting which anyone and everyone who wants to attend can and should be able to!” 

A report has since been filed with the Brooks County Sheriff’s office by Commissioner Larko and Larko has said that he would continue to be transparent and open to his community and that more would follow. 

BC News and Stories, LLC reach out to talk with the Supervisor of Elections but found he was not in. BC News and Stories, LLC left a message to have him call back but no call, statement, or contact has been made prior to this story. 

According to the National Freedom of Information Coalition on www.nfoic.org/georgia-foia-laws, “Violations of the Georgia Open meetings Act are considered misdemeanors and are punishable by up to a $500 fine. Any person, firm, corporation or other entity may file a suit against a public body or its members if they feel the act has been violated, as long as it is within 90 days of the meeting in question.” 

Further information about the Board of Elections can be found here: http://www.accg.org/library/2011_LLC_Elections_Management.pdf