Opinion - Feb. 11, 2010

Public records searches

Citizens have the right to know, and, just as important, they have the right to find out.

Throughout the state, municipalities and other government organizations are faced with citizens seeking information. The inquiries often cause those public entities difficulties in collecting all the information requested. Extra payroll, extra time and extra expense are all part of it.

As with anything, some searches of public documents are sincere and in the best of faith, representing citizens seeking information and details about their government. In other cases, the right to public records is abused. Often the requests amount to nothing more than fishing expeditions and harassment.

The problem of over zealous, ill focused and even mean spirited records searches have long plagued local governments. So serious have the disruptions been that at least one entity has sought relief from the legislature.

Tough.

Citizens deserve open government, and governmental agencies are required to provide it.

No legislature or legislator should do anything to hamper the free flow of information. Local governments need to accept this as part of their responsibilities.

It is one of those issues that protects all, not just those in the majority or those on the so-called “right” side.

Election lessons learned

The Colfax School District levy election is over. Initial results indicate the levy proposal may fail.

The election holds some lessons.

First, campaigns and elections are dynamic. The mail-in system now used in Whitman County gives a couple of weeks to cast ballots and return them. In this election, after the ballots were mailed out, a few citizens publicly voiced concerns over the levy proposal, and some voters lamented that they would change their votes if they could. Amazingly, they had the opportunity to do just that when corrected ballots were sent out. Lesson number one: Don’t commit to a vote until all the information is in.

Second, a vote can be affected by citizen comments. This election seems to have been impacted by letters to the editor. Years ago, a letter from a few farmers killed one of the grandstand proposals for the fairgrounds. The writers simply stated that given some hammers and nails they could fix the aging grandstand and save the taxpayers the expense of a new one. Lesson number two: Individual citizens can make a difference.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher