Not sure if you watched the bizarre testimony from Parks Board members and the ‘Patsy III’ at the city council meeting last night, but they certainly don’t have a clue what open meetings and open government is about. One of the reasons I chose NOT to testify last night is because I knew it was going to be ludicrous display of ignorance when it comes to transparency in government, and they did not disappoint.
Besides Councilor Erpenbach claiming the board members will be berated in videos because she has been (to tell you the truth, I have never attended a Parks Board Meeting, and only know the names of two of the members, and the videos we have posted so far has never questioned the discussion of the members, but more the actual parks staff).
But the Parks Board Members made it about ‘them’ in their testimonies. Besides the fact I found it a bit ironic that the same people who say they are afraid of talking in front of public cameras, stood in front of cameras at a public meeting to tell us they are scared of those cameras, they missed the entire point of recording the meetings. It is for their benefit protecting them from decisions they may make from bad advice of staff. And if you don’t think Parks Staff can cook up a good BS casserole, just watch the advocational sessions before the pool vote, where they concocted more stories then you can shake a dolphin at.
But it is really about something bigger. Serving the citizens of this great city on a volunteer government board should be taken seriously, and just because you are not elected, you are appointed by an elected official (the mayor) and open and transparent government should be of highest concern. In fact a simple question on the board application form could be added, “Would you be comfortable with being recorded during your meeting proceedings?” If you answer NO, then guess what, you don’t get the job.
Open government isn’t about THOSEÂ who serve, it’s about WHO you serve, the public. And we have a right to know how our money is being spent, whether that is advisory or not. This is our government, we own it. It seems very elitist to me that a board member may think they are so important due to their ‘volunteerism’ that they don’t have to tolerate open and transparent government or any kind of oversight. I would say to those who want to serve that are opposed to those basic democratic ideals to simply not apply and take up a membership in Toasters.
As for the mayor, as an elected official to VETO this, well that’s just plain stupid. And if he decides to run for higher office, he will be reminded quite often of his intolerance to transparency.