Be transparent: Tell the public

In Arkansas, we are blessed with a very strong, very well-defined Freedom of Information Act. Not all states in our nation fare as well.

In America, towns, cities, counties, states are managed by people elected by registered voters living within the boundaries of that particular area. As such, the officials are representatives of the general populace and are accountable to them. Meetings of those bodies are public meetings and their business is public.

This week, is "Sunshine Week," a week to celebrate public access to public business.

Publishing an agenda is one clear sign of a desire to be transparent. Public officials conduct business at public meetings from an agenda, a list of the items of business they wish to consider. The TIMES regularly contacts public entities in its coverage area requesting the agenda of the next meeting in order to publish that information for the readers. Some entities do not release an agenda prior to the press deadline for the issue of The TIMES prior to the regularly scheduled meeting. When an agenda is received, it is published on Facebook and on Twitter to inform people of the business at hand.

Public officials err when they believe they know more than the people to whom they are responsible. They should always consider themselves servants of the voters and as such, accountable and transparent to the public. Public officials should keep the residents informed about the business at hand.

In small towns, people have a tendency to be accustomed to the status quo, to say "we've always done it this way," to enjoy the good-ole-boycmethod. But, ignorance is not an excuse for avoiding or breaking the law. People in power can, over time, believe they have a right to doing things their own way and disdaine people, whether from the public or the press who ask for information.

A public official in Pea Ridge recent accused a media representative for being a "bully" for asking for public information.

"Since the nation's founding, free speech has been crucial to a well-functioning democracy. An important part of free speech is the ability of employees of the government, as well as other entities funded by taxpayers, to tell the public through the press what's going on. When leaders block that avenue, they hurt democracy and potentially let problems fester," wrote John Hughes, president of the National Press Club, and David Cuillier, chair, Freedom of Information Committee, Society of Professional Journalists, in an editorial for Sunshine Week.

The Arkansas FOIA was established so all residents of the state could access public records. It is not exclusive to members of the media, the press, but the press is often the link for the public to inform them of public meetings, events and business.

When public officials are not forthcoming with public information, they ultimately hurt the entity which they purportedly serve. For those honest officials who recognize the great responsibility they carry, there should be nothing to hide from the public.

We encourage all government agencies to release agendas, even partial agendas, by Monday preceding the meeting date for publication in The TIMES. We recognize the need to add to that agenda as last-minute business arises. The transparency displayed will engender trust from those represented and inform the public of the business enacted on their behalf.