Serving on a school board or city council is public service at the purest form — no compensation, time consuming and subject to critical scrutiny. A WEEK from Tuesday, April 2, is Election Day.
The importance, however, is difficult to diminish, and it is a feather in Humboldt’s hat that nine people are seeking three at-large positions on the USD 258 Board of Education. Also, many people have made themselves available throughout the county for city and school positions.
Members of local governing bodies make decisions that affect the lives and pocketbooks of their friends and neighbors just about every time they meet.
Decisions that sometimes tantalize, sometimes sting, come from selflessness and an eagerness to make their little corner of the world better. The caveat is to keep all they do in perspective, and make decisions in a transparent atmosphere so constituents are well informed.
That’s where the media enters the equation.
Few people attend a school board or city meeting. Most depend on the Register, or another media outlet, to relate information and decisions.
Because of that no one should be more keen on following laws regulating open meetings and open records than members of governing bodies. They should avail themselves of every opportunity to refresh their knowledge of the law, and should close a session to public view only when all requirements are met, even as a last resort.
Voting to go into executive (or closed) session carries with it great responsibility, and should never be done lightly and in precise manner set out by the law.
Citizens then have an important role in governance, by not only voting but also having taken every opportunity to learn about candidates and positions they have taken.
In a democracy, an informed and active electorate is the most important cog in the process.
Bob Johnson
Democracy involves all
