An attorney

for the Georgia Press Association believes the Fayette County Commission

has broken the Open Meetings law.

Attorney David

Hudson said the violations occurred when the County Commission voted on

items concerning legal issues in executive sessions in 2001 and 2002.

"This

vote must be open. There is no exception that allows that type of decision

in closed session," Hudson said.

The question

over the county's executive session dealings started when Tyrone Councilman

Ronnie Cannon asked Fayette County Solicitor Steve Harris to investigate

the County Commission's actions.

Cannon started

his quest to try and find out when the County Commission decided to sue

Tyrone, and couldn't find the action in any official minutes from the

county.

Harris ruled

that county officials did not violate the state's open meetings law when

they voted multiple times in executive session at commission meetings.

Commission

Chairman Greg Dunn has also said the county didn't break any laws.

"Harris's

ruling is consistent with how we do business. We are just following our

attorney's advice on the matter," he said.

The councilman

maintains the County Commission violated the open meetings act 21 times

in 2001 and 10 times so far this year by voting in executive sessions.

County attorney

Bill McNally's also maintains the county always operates in a lawful manner

and didn't violate the law.

Cannon said

he was forwarding all his information to the Attorney General, and is

not doing his quest because it's an election year.

"It's

just the right thing to do. The county should not be able to get away

with this," he said.