Up & Coming Weekly

November 25, 2014

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/422861

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 13 of 28

NOV. 26 - DEC. 2, 2014 UCW 13 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM articles in Up & Coming Weekly talking about the City of Fayetteville. Only one article was negative, and that was about the city council and was in support of city staff. Would you consider that a negative editorial slant? And if you believe there is one, please give me a list of articles. 4. Did you consult with any local citizens or your department heads before texting a missive to them to cancel everything in Up & Coming because you are "done with them?" Do you think this was professional? 5. In your words, please define what you view as a government's infringement on the press. 6. In a public meeting you told the city council that your staff didn't see the value in Up & Coming Weekly. If that is the case, why were they upset about the cancellation notice? 7. If money and resources are tight, why would you give up more than $50,000 annually in free print and online space? Does this seem like good stewardship of the city's resources? 8. Are you aware that it is against the law to fail to disclose all information requested in a public records request? And if so, why did you fail to do so? In a written response, Voorhees failed to answer the questions and instead referred all queries to Davis. Davis was also sent a series of questions, which included the following: 1. On Monday, Nov. 10, in the public meeting, Mr. Voorhees said that you and your staff did not feel like the sections in Up & Coming Weekly were meeting your needs and that you were doing a review of media partnerships. What led you to believe that the sections were not informing the public? Do you have specific examples or complaints from citizens or staff about the sections? And what sort of review did you conduct to determine that they were not a good fit? And what in your previous experience qualifies you to make that judgment? 2. Andrew Barksdale, of the Fayetteville Observer, asked you about the situation with Up & Coming Weekly in a public records request. Your written response to him noted: "The city has a limited advertising budget and is in the middle of revamping our marketing strategy. This also limits promotional items and other advertising that we purchase. We are researching multiple options with our budget to best maximize the city's branding and leverage potential reach to our citizens across multiple mediums for the balance of the current and upcoming fiscal year." * If this is the case, what other media outlets were involved in your review? * What were you looking for and at? * What was your standard for judging effectiveness? * What other media relationships/contracts did you cancel? * Further, if your office was in fact conducting a review, why would two of your staffers exchange a text asking. "What was going on with Bill Bowman and Up & Coming?" with the response being, "He, (Bill Bowman) trash talked Ted and the city and not giving fair and balanced reporting on the PWC issue." Response from another member of your staff: "Figured it was something like that?" * On the record, did you in fact conduct an official review (and if so, please provide the data and other media involved) and if not, were decisions based on a perception of a "negative editorial slant?" 3. If the city's advertising budget is tight and you are looking to talk to citizens across a multiple of mediums, why would you give up two pages of free editorial space in a printed publication and an online presence? 4. Mr. Voorhees also indicated in the public meeting that department heads were not satisfied with Up & Coming Weekly. If that was the case, why did city employee Jami McLaughlin say she was "shell shocked" and continue to ask to keep her column? To which you replied, "I understand..." (McLaughlin's request was approved following undisclosed communications between Voorhees, Toney-Small and Davis). And specifically, in regards to Storm Water, Mr. Caison showed utter surprise at being told to cancel his program. Were department heads unhappy? 5. On Oct. 30, following your letter to Stephanie Crider (Up & Coming Weekly's editor), I (Janice Burton, associate publisher, Up & Coming Weekly) sent you an email basically asking you many of the same questions above. You did not respond. * Why did you fail to respond to a media query? * Why didn't you include my email to you in the response to the public information request? 6. Are you and the city staff aware that failure to fully disclose information asked for in a public records request is against the law? And are you aware that there are many correspondences between city employees regarding Up & Coming Weekly that I have record of that were not disclosed by your office? In a written response that was to cover all questions asked to Voorhees and herself, Davis responded: "In regards to your questions to Mr. Voorhees and myself concerning abridging the freedom of the press, in no way has staff with the City of Fayetteville limited the press' ability to report on the city. In addition, staff has gone above and beyond the requirements of law to meet your public records request and we will continue to do so. Up and Coming Weekly has the same access as other members of the public and the media to attend meetings, receive press releases via email, access information via the website and make public records requests. Furthermore, Up and Coming Weekly is welcome to have their publication out for distribution at City Hall. "We continue to partner with Up and Coming Weekly in producing the Downtown Developments section. In regards to our decision to no longer devote staff time to producing FOCUS On Fayetteville, it is our choice how we delegate our resources to best meet the needs of the city, citizens and city departments. "I am happy to meet with you to discuss how we can (move) forward. We can also discuss future advertising opportunities with Up and Coming Weekly." "If you look at all of these responses and lack of responses, there appears to be an element of untruth that runs through them," said Crider. "That's one of the reasons that the Open Records Law is so important — so that there is transparency in government and that the 'sunshine' of open records keeps government and its administrators honest and above board. I am, quite frankly, disappointed in what has happened and what we have seen as dishonesty in our city administration." Bowman and his staff are in the process of filing a civil complaint with the courts concerning the obvious disregard of the Open Records Law by the city, a position that Bowman regrets, but feels necessary in the best interest of the Fayetteville community. "I have always had the utmost respect for our city and its leaders. To be in this situation at a time when Fayetteville is collectively working hard to enhance its image and reputation and solidify its brand is extremely unfortunate," he continued. "The lack of leadership is sad and frustrating. I firmly believe there is much talent, integrity and goodness in the city administration. Unfortunately, at this point, we feel Up & Coming Weekly must take a stand for open, responsible, professional and honest governance. We must also take a stand for the residents of Fayetteville and Cumberland County that we have faithfully served for nearly 20 years. " JANICE BURTON, Associate Publisher. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. "No more info and ads for Up and Coming and Kidsville. We are done with them." -Ted Voorhees, Fayettville City Manager

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Up & Coming Weekly - November 25, 2014