Mayor Ron Nirenberg

Coronavirus has upended local government, moving democracy online and putting it on hold in some cases

2020-04-13T15:21:43-05:00

By Joshua FechterSan Antonio Express-NewsOriginally published April 13, 2020 Democracy at the local level usually involves elected officials weighing policy within arm’s reach of each other, residents delivering impassioned remarks at a lectern, oblivious to the microphone’s cleanliness, and voters filing into libraries and schools. But the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus has forced elected officials to try to strike a balance between open government and the need for everyone to keep their distance from each another — a key tool in slowing the spread of the virus but not conducive to public participation. “The virus doesn’t care about democracy,” [...]

Coronavirus has upended local government, moving democracy online and putting it on hold in some cases2020-04-13T15:21:43-05:00

San Antonio council’s closed-door meeting on GOP convention a ‘blatant mistake’

2018-05-08T14:14:03-05:00

By Brian Chasnoff San Antonio Express-News Originally published May 8, 2018 San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg opted last week to convene the City Council behind closed doors to discuss whether the city should submit a bid to host the 2020 Republican National Convention. Made in private, the council’s controversial decision not to pursue the event likely violated the Texas Open Meetings Act — regardless of whether the council arrived at that decision by vote, experts said. “Wow. That’s a pretty blatant mistake,” said Bill Aleshire, an Austin-based attorney whose law practice is focused on government transparency and accountability. Read the full [...]

San Antonio council’s closed-door meeting on GOP convention a ‘blatant mistake’2018-05-08T14:14:03-05:00
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