Promoting Open Government and Transparency

This is an article from the Oshkosh Northwestern that highlights the importance of "transparency" and openness in our local government process. The Wisconsin Attorney General, J.B. Van Hollen is promoting seminars around the state to inform local officials and citizens about the Open Meetings and Public Records laws.

Can we hope that a member of our BOE will choose to attend one of these and promote this process which, I believe, has been forgotten here in the ECASD?

Maria

Editorial: AG continues push for 'Open Government' awareness
September 12, 2007
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is doing the right thing in
continuing the office's "Open Government" seminars, open meetings held
around the state to educate local officials and citizens on the ins
and outs of Wisconsin's Open Meetings and Public Records laws.

Van Hollen, the first Republican state attorney general since 1991,
continues a noble tradition that encourages people to get acquainted
with two powerful, citizen-focused laws. He also rejects would could
have been an ugly partisan move: Ditching these Democratic-launched
meetings that date back to the 1990s all-together.

The attorney general's office will host six Open Government seminars
around Wisconsin starting Sept. 18.

There are two things that Van Hollen and his staff can do to improve
their turnout and quality.

First: Get tough and push local government representatives in
attendance, whether they are from school, town, city or county boards,
always "err on the side of openness" when confronted with a decision
to close a public meeting or reject an Open Records request.

If past Open Government seminars have suffered from anything, it has
been repeated questions from galleries packed full of local officials,
grilling AG staff on what suspect tactics could legally pass in
efforts to enter into "executive session" or to reject public requests
for electronic and paper documents.

Trust us – The Northwestern has sent reporters to these seminars in
the past. They've heard the tortured logic from mayors to municipal
attorneys.

The meetings devolve into "How-Can-We-Get-Away-With-This" explorations
as town, village, city and county officials and attorneys raise hands
and scenarios, citing when they or their governments have been
confronted with the decision to keep things open or slam doors in
faces. . The AG's people can always do more to make "err on the side
of openness" a mantra for all.

Hopefully, our state open government experts in the Department of
Justice won't mind adopting a little swagger during these meetings. If
they get lip from public servants angling to warp the law to public's
disadvantage, they shouldn't hesitate to get stern and remind said
public servants who they serve.

Second, Van Hollen and his staff need to make sure everyday citizens
are equally aware of the Open Government seminars and feel equally
welcome to attend.

The seminars are free, so that's a huge bonus. But, as previously
noted, they are often crammed by local government officials.

It's important to make sure our elected leaders and public staff are
up to speed on important transparency laws.

Let's make sure the people who expect open meetings and ask for
records have plenty of awareness and seats to attend, too.

Final Thought: Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen take simples
steps to help further the cause of "Open Government" seminars in
Wisconsin.