Going public is best for community

Local media outlets everywhere are the eyes and the ears for the community. In Carroll County, the Comet is that media which more than any other, reports what is happening on many levels of society. The Comet has a fairly wide distribution and is read religiously by long-time residents and former residents. It is the Comet's responsibility to announce events and meetings to you. But to do that, we have to be able to obtain information. One of our office sayings is, "we can't put it in the paper if we don't know about it." Many times (more than you might imagine) news comes walking through the front door. Other times we get a phone call and do a little follow-up and there it is…the next article or story.

One of the biggest obstacles the Comet faces is what is, or is not, going on in your government. Recently, we heard about a meeting being planned by a county office supported by your tax dollars. There was no quorum of government officials planned to attend the meeting, but the topic was of great interest to community members - and again, it was supported by your tax dollars.

"Why would the paper care about that?" was asked when a follow-up phone call was made to confirm the meeting. The reporter making the call mumbled something about the public's right to know and hung up the phone.

Confirmation did not come that day. In fact, confirmation was not announced until the following Thursday - the day after the newspaper was published and put in your mailbox - the day after the public could have, and should have, been notified of the meeting.

The decision to wait to confirm the meeting until it was impossible to notify the public in the most comprehensive way - the public who is funding the meeting and the office the decision was made in - was wrong. It was wrong to exclude the taxpaying public from knowing about and being able to attend the meeting.

There should never be a time when community members hear about meetings, supported with their tax dollars, only after the meetings have taken place.

Community leaders are urged to look at how decisions like this are made. It is not too much to ask leaders to recognize taxpayers receive their news and announcements one time each week. There is no reason, no excuse, for the community to not be fully aware of how their tax dollars are spent.

Nothing good can come from having secrets or keeping information from the public. It is offensive and insulting to be manipulated in this manner.