Missourians deserve good government at the local and state levels, and the root of good government is openness, transparency and accountability.
Citizens have been hampered for too long, however, by a state Open Meetings Law that is too loose, allowing too many closed-door decisions on what is done in the public’s name and with the public’s money. That will only change when state legislators rise above the calls of special interests and do the right thing in enacting open-meeting reform.
They have the chance to do so this spring:
n One bill, HB 1445, has several good ideas, requiring better keeping of minutes in closed sessions, limiting the people who can be in those closed sessions, tightening up the “pending litigation” loophole for closed sessions, and opening up records and meetings of the Missouri Ethics Commission. It also requires Sunshine Law training for elected officials, raises the penalties for violations and would let a judge invalidate closed-door decisions in which officials didn’t follow the rules. That might actually get the attention of elected officials who treat the law dismissively.
n HB 1444 would require greater public notice on meetings about economic development issues such as commercial improvement districts and tax increment financing. That bill also specifies that public comment be taken when such a proposal is offered.
n HB 1699, would create a loophole to keep more documents away from the public.
n HB 1769, could require a “verbatim audio recording of any closed meeting.”
Think of how much more we would know if that last idea had been in effect 10 months ago when the Blue Springs City Council was working to extricate itself from a messy lawsuit over a controversial retail development along Adams Dairy Parkway. Deadlocked council members got clear of the mess when they met in closed session and one member changed his vote. But we’ll never know what was discussed in the 25 minutes the council was behind closed doors. The minutes – released three weeks after the fact – include a motion, a second and a vote. That didn’t take 25 minutes.
This is just one example. Citizens deserve better. They deserve public officials who take seriously their responsibility to keep things open and readily accessible. A strong state law is the only assurance that will happen.
