It turns out that Mayor Nutter's promise of an "open and transparent" City Hall comes with a few disclaimers.
Earlier this year, Managing Director Camille Barnett told us that she would be holding regular "PhillyStat" meetings to track the performances of city departments. These sessions, she said, would be open to the public and the press.
But apparently, not right away. It turns out that PhillyStat meetings have begun, but the press has yet to receive invitations.
Mayoral spokesman Doug Oliver said these aren't official meetings, just "dress rehearsals." He said Barnett is currently holding a round of preliminary meetings with each department, to give heads a feel for the process, before opening them up.
"We're still in the planning process of how PhillyStat will work, how 311 will work," Oliver said. "It is our expectation that when PhillyStat meetings officially begin, the meetings will be open to the media and the public."
Oliver said that official PhillyStat meetings are tentatively scheduled to begin mid-April. We'll keep you posted...