These concerns are so compelling and the public so insistent that they be addressed that more and more government records are put beyond the reach of the public and press. Bit by bit, our freedom-of-information laws, a vital tool for keeping the public alert and public officials accountable, lose their force.
So much attention is paid to the battles over access to records that the contending parties often overlook the vital other half of open government: open meetings. In fact, open meetings are much more of an everyday concern for most Virginians. It is the freedom to attend meetings, to speak up at such gatherings and to have a voice in their own affairs by which they measure democracy’s dimensions in their own lives.
Just a few of the dozens of dispatches from around the state over the past few weeks illustrate how citizens’ desire to participate meaningfully in their own governance can be thwarted.
” After a closed-door session during the March 10 meeting
of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors resulted in a controversial
vote on race-conscious policy, more than 200 people turned out for
an April 6 meeting.
” In Frederick County, the board of supervisors caused a
rumble when it approved new bylaws giving the chairman authority to
cut off speakers deemed “demeaning, inappropriate, or out of
order,” to expel anyone considered disruptive and to issue an
oath of honesty to speakers.
” Henry County and Martinsville officials were chastised by
the local newspaper for possible violation of the state open
meetings law when they held a closed-door meeting on area economic
development that involved only two elected officials each from the
board of supervisors and the city government.
” At a recent Lancaster County school board meeting,
questions were raised about the implementation of a
“consensus agenda” in which several items could be
lumped together and passed without full discussion.
Similar examples could be plucked from local government meetings all across the nation. In the last few decades, public meetings have become so raucous, activists so forceful and the public’
Government officials charged with our security strive to keep information about vulnerabilities to attack from falling into the wrong hands. Ordinary citizens want personal information kept from prying eyes.
These concerns are so compelling and the public so insistent that they be addressed that more and more government records are put beyond the reach of the public and press. Bit by bit, our freedom-of-information laws, a vital tool for keeping the public alert and public officials accountable, lose their force.
So much attention is paid to the battles over access to records that the contending parties often overlook the vital other half of open government: open meetings. In fact, open meetings are much more of an everyday concern for most Virginians. It is the freedom to attend meetings, to speak up at such gatherings and to have a voice in their own affairs by which they measure democracy’s dimensions in their own lives.
Just a few of the dozens of dispatches from around the state over the past few weeks illustrate how citizens’ desire to participate meaningfully in their own governance can be thwarted.
” After a closed-door session during the March 10 meeting
of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors resulted in a controversial
vote on race-conscious policy, more than 200 people turned out for
an April 6 meeting.
” In Frederick County, the board of supervisors caused a
rumble when it approved new bylaws giving the chairman authority to
cut off speakers deemed “demeaning, inappropriate, or out of
order,” to expel anyone considered disruptive and to issue an
oath of honesty to speakers.
” Henry County and Martinsville officials were chastised by
the local newspaper for possible violation of the state open
meetings law when they held a closed-door meeting on area economic
development that involved only two elected officials each from the
board of supervisors and the city government.
” At a recent Lancaster County school board meeting,
questions were raised about the implementation of a
“consensus agenda” in which several items could be
lumped together and passed without full discussion.
Similar examples could be plucked from local government meetings all across the nation. In the last few decades, public meetings have become so raucous, activists so forceful and the public’s business so urgent that many local officials have gotten more aggressive and creative in developing policies to keep their agenda focused, their work more efficient, the costs down — and their lives more comfortable.
Closed sessions often go beyond personnel and legal matters. Virtual meetings by telephone, fax and e-mail often skirt the spirit, if not the letter, of the law. Public business is conducted during “retreats” or professional gatherings remote from the community.
In some communities, citizens face a maze of barriers to their participation in pubic meetings: time limits, topic limits, prohibition of “negative” comments or mentioning officials by name. Violation of these rules in some states can get a person thrown out of a meeting or even jail.
Certainly, the tolerance of local officials can be challenged by the lack of civility on the part of some citizens and activists. But efforts to keep things civil and orderly must be tempered by the knowledge that local meetings are where democracy is most tested. They should work hard to allow some latitude for the voters who put them there and the taxpayers who foot the bill.
There are a number of things that can be done, short of cutting speakers off in mid-message or throwing them out of meetings.
Among them:
” Publishing the agenda well ahead of meetings and minutes
immediately after.
” Easing the process for getting issues on the agenda.
” Keeping closed sessions to a minimum and narrowly
focused.
” Making room on the agenda for citizens to discuss
unscheduled issues.
” Arranging for the broadcast of meetings on the public
access cable channels.
And most importantly: developing an understanding and tolerance for citizens who may not have ever spoken before fellow citizens but have roused themselves from their easy chairs and made their way to city hall or the county building to see if this thing called democracy really does work.
— Paul McMasters
President,
Virginia Coalition for Open Government
s business so urgent that many local officials have gotten more aggressive and creative in developing policies to keep their agenda focused, their work more efficient, the costs down — and their lives more comfortable.
Closed sessions often go beyond personnel and legal matters. Virtual meetings by telephone, fax and e-mail often skirt the spirit, if not the letter, of the law. Public business is conducted during “retreats” or professional gatherings remote from the community.
In some communities, citizens face a maze of barriers to their participation in pubic meetings: time limits, topic limits, prohibition of “negative” comments or mentioning officials by name. Violation of these rules in some states can get a person thrown out of a meeting or even jail.
Certainly, the tolerance of local officials can be challenged by the lack of civility on the part of some citizens and activists. But efforts to keep things civil and orderly must be tempered by the knowledge that local meetings are where democracy is most tested. They should work hard to allow some latitude for the voters who put them there and the taxpayers who foot the bill.
There are a number of things that can be done, short of cutting speakers off in mid-message or throwing them out of meetings.
Among them:
” Publishing the agenda well ahead of meetings and minutes
immediately after.
” Easing the process for getting issues on the agenda.
” Keeping closed sessions to a minimum and narrowly
focused.
” Making room on the agenda for citizens to discuss
unscheduled issues.
” Arranging for the broadcast of meetings on the public
access cable channels.
And most importantly: developing an understanding and tolerance for citizens who may not have ever spoken before fellow citizens but have roused themselves from their easy chairs and made their way to city hall or the county building to see if this thing called democracy really does work.
— Paul McMasters
President,
Virginia Coalition for Open Government