Editorial: Meetings should be open as possible

Talk about it

Modern technology has made it easier than ever for government bodies to share their discussions with their constituents. Farmington residents no longer even have to leave the house to see a school board or city council meeting. They can tune in on TV, or watch online, either live or later.

It’s a big step toward an open government, and it’s part of the reason we’re so disappointed every time we hear about elected officials moving big chunks of their discussions beyond the camera’s gaze.

The Farmington City Council appears to be taking that step. Council members have talked recently about holding more workshop meetings where they could get in-depth background on some of the issues that come up at regular council meetings. The idea, it seems, is to have the discussion without bogging down the meetings.

That in itself is not a bad idea, but as currently discussed the meetings, whether held on separate nights or before regular meetings, would not be either broadcast or recorded on video. There would be audio recordings for anyone who cared to seek them out at city hall.

The Farmington School Board has gone through similar discussions. We objected a few years ago when a previous round of workshop meetings was held without cameras, and we applauded recently when the board chose to return to a regular schedule of workshops with the cameras turned on.

The kind of background discussion that takes place at workshops -- where council members can ask questions and hash out disagreements -- is often the most vital part of the process. If all residents see is the vote at the televised meeting, they’re missing out on some of the context that might explain why, exactly the decision matters to them.

If council members are going to spend the time and have the discussion anyway, we believe they should make the process as visible as possible.

Tags: opinion, farmington, editorials