Brown and Green and read between the lines
Is Greensboro Coliseum Director Matt Brown's political relationship to Greensboro City Council candidate Kevin Green off-color?
According to city codes, which permit city employees to be politically active, Brown's possible involvement in Green's campaign breaks the rules only if he engaged in those activities on city time or when using city equipment.
Whether either of those conditions applies in this case are uncertain -- and Brown, who normally does not shy away from having his say, isn't saying anything.
In an e-mail obtained by the News & Record Brown was asked by a printer if he had "dropped the ball" on campaign posters for Green, who happens to be chairman of the War Memorial Commission, which happens to oversee the coliseum.
In another e-mail, Brown asks a local man who was a major proponent of a swim center at the coliseum, Ted Oliver, if he had considered running for the council.
Brown, who has frequently operated according to his own regulations, appears to be at it again. And again, his ultimate goal appears to be to promote the coliseum and to expand his operations there.
Whether expressly prohibited by the rules or not, Brown's activities are ethically inappropriate. What if other city department heads became involved in political campaigns? What if City Manager Mitchell Johnson or transportation director Jim Westmoreland were out recruiting candidates?
Brown needs to back off of his new role as political kingmaker. And maybe the city needs to change its rules to remove all doubt about what's appropriate and what isn't.
This isn't.