Editor’s note: March 10-16 is Sunshine Week, an annual push for government transparency by media outlets and other openness advocates. To help honor the occasion, Carolina Public Press intern Ben Haines compiled this list.
Below is a catalog of local-government meetings in North Carolina’s 18 westernmost counties that are documented online, with notes on those that aren’t. Our list includes each county’s board of commissioners and municipal governments. (We did not include most municipalities with a population under 500, as the vast majority of those have no official online presence.)
We invite readers to tell us if any relevant information is missing so that we can add it in future versions of this list.
Avery
Avery County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Banner Elk Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Newland Town Council doesn’t stream meetings or provide minutes online.
Buncombe
Buncombe County Board of Commissioners live streams meetings here and archives them here. Meeting minutes are available here.
Asheville City Council live streams meetings here and archives them here. Meeting minutes are available here.
Biltmore Forest Board of Commissioners doesn’t stream meetings or provide meeting minutes online.
Black Mountain Board of Aldermen live streams meetings here and archives them here. Meeting minutes are available here.
Montreat Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Woodfin Board of Aldermen doesn’t stream meetings or provide meeting minutes online.
Weaverville Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Cherokee
Cherokee County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Andrews Board of Aldermen archives meeting minutes from May 2003 to March 2007 here. The archives haven’t been updated for six years.
Murphy Town Council doesn’t stream meetings or provide minutes online.
Clay
Clay County Board of Commissioners doesn’t stream meetings or provide minutes online.
Graham
Graham County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here. A YouTube channel called “Graham Editorial” features videos from the boards meetings here.
Lake Santeetlah has a population of only 71, but Lake Santeetlah Town Council posts meeting minutes here.
Robbinsville has no official website.
Haywood
Haywood County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes going back to 2011 here and videos of meetings going back to July 2012 here.
Canton Board of Aldermen archives meeting minutes here.
Clyde Board of Aldermen doesn’t stream meetings or provide minutes online.
Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen archives meeting minutes here.
Waynesville Board of Aldermen archives meeting minutes here.
Henderson
Henderson County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here. Videos of the meetings are available at the same site, but only for 60 days after each meeting.
Fletcher Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Hendersonville City Council doesn’t stream its meeting or provide meeting minutes online.
Laurel Park Town Council archives meeting minutess here.
Saluda spans Henderson and Polk counties. Saluda Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Flat Rock Village Council archives meeting minutes here.
Mills River Town Council archives recent meeting minutes here and minutes from July 2003 to December 2011 here.
Jackson
Jackson County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Highlands spans Jackson and Macon Counties. Highlands Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Sylva Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Macon
Macon County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Highlands spans Jackson and Macon Counties. Highlands Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Franklin Board of Aldermen archives meeting minutes here.
Madison
Hot Springs doesn’t stream meetings or provide minutes online.
Mars Hill Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Marshall Town Board archives meeting minutes from January to March of 2006 here. The archive hasn’t been updated in seven years.
McDowell
McDowell County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Marion City Council doesn’t stream meetings or provide meeting minutes online.
Old Fort Board of Aldermen doesn’t stream meetings or provide meeting minutes online.
Mitchell
Mitchell County has a notice on its website that reads, “Searchable archives of meetings of Mitchell County Commissioners will be available shortly.”
Spruce Pine Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Polk
Polk County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Columbus Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Saluda spans Henderson and Polk counties. Saluda Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here
Tryon Town Board doesn’t stream meetings or provide meeting minutes online.
Rutherford
Rutherford County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Ellenboro doesn’t have an official website.
Forest City Board of Commissioners doesn’t stream meetings or provide meeting minutes online.
Lake Lure Town Council doesn’t stream meetings or provide meeting minutes online.
Rutherfordton Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Spindale Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Swain
Swain County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Bryson City has no official website.
Transylvania
Transylvania County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Brevard City Council archives minutes of its meetings here.
Rosman has no official website.
Watauga
Watauga County Board of Commissioners archives meeting minutes here.
Blowing Rock Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
Boone Town Council archives meeting minutes here and videos of meetings here.
Yancey
Yancey County Board of Commissioners meeting minutes here.
Burnsville Town Council archives meeting minutes here.
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