Right-to-Know: November 2008 Archives
"The important thing is that the public's sentiments are taken into consideration when it comes time to vote. If all the discussion is held secretly — never mind that that is illegal — then the people never get their opportunity to be part of "government of the people, by the people, for the people".
By Thomas Caldwell
The Citizen Sunday, November 16, 2008
Something that continues to baffle those of us who work in journalism is the number of people who choose a career of public service but who show not the slightest inkling of what public service means. It soon becomes clear that they are putting their personal interests above the people they ostensibly serve.
When a public official declares with a straight face that he or she will not release working documents because to let the public know what members of the group are saying would hamper the discussion and lead to fewer people agreeing to serve — that official obviously is out of touch. The whole idea of having public meetings is to let people know what is under discussion and how decisions are made.
Thus it was with astonishment that one of our reporters received the news from the chair of
