Transparency

Many City Council meetings now last as little as 20 minutes.  What happens after the meeting?  Council adjourns and goes into what's called an Executive Session.  We had these very infrequently during my term on the city council from 2005-2008, but now they are held after nearly every council meeting.  Personally, I don't see this as an effective practice when it comes to fostering civic engagement and transparency in government.

Executive session rules dictate that decisions should not be made at these meetings, but in reviewing the minutes of these sessions, one can see that council often forms a "consensus" on issues.  I see an ethical issue with this practice.  I will advocate for a more open and honest discussion of the issues at council meetings, where all sides can be heard and residents are more aware of what is happening in our city. 

I also think more can be done to foster community engagement, especially when it comes to the budgetary process.  Take for example the current building addition at City Hall, which will cost taxpayers approximately $8 million.  I fully support having to address the space constraints at the Police Department, as it was an issue 25 years ago when I served as Chairman of the now-defunct Police Advisory Committee.  However, I believe an Open House could have been been held to go over the plans and specifications of the project.  I have heard from many residents who have unanswered questions and didn't feel the process was transparent.  Posting minutes on a website doesn't equate to transparency and now, unfortunately, there are misconceptions associated with the project.  Heck, even Bill's Family Foods displayed their blueprints for weeks and engaged with customers to seek feedback and come up with a great plan for the expansion of their store. I know we can do better on these types of issues and I would make the case directly to residents by inviting their participation.

As a newspaper reporter, I have been an integral component of local government transparency for over two decades and I will bring that same spirit to the Mayor's office.