The Fayetteville City Council adopted an ordinance Tuesday restricting non-disclosure agreements for city employees.
The ordinance prohibits city employees from entering into NDAs that would limit disclosure of public records or public business, but allows for NDAs with review and written approval from the mayor and city attorney.
Council Member Sarah Moore brought the ordinance in response to the opening of a drone manufacturing facility in Fayetteville earlier this year and concerns about NDAs signed by some city leaders.
During Tuesday's meeting, Council Member Teresa Turk said she hopes the ordinance will address those concerns going forward.
"I think the issue with Swarm Aero and the NDAs, it's something that I don't believe that I ever really thought about much of, and I don't think many, many of the public did either until this happened," Turk said. "So, I think just the more transparency that we've been able to create here, I think is good for Fayetteville. And I think it gives us some more thought as we go forward."
Under the new rule, NDAs would also need to be retained by the city for up to five years, or until the project has gone through the public process.
The council voted 6-2 to adopt the ordinance.
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