This past Memorial Day we remembered and honored those who gave their lives in service to their country. In ceremonies around this nation we spoke of the sacrifice these fallen heroes made to defend the country and the freedoms it stands for.
One of those freedoms is our right to participate in the governments we elect by providing public input into and oversight of their activities. For this to function properly the electorate demands that public officials, elected and unelected, conduct their business in a manner that is transparent and open, always making sure the public's right to access is maintained and free of interference.
Recently, a couple of episodes have occurred giving us pause as to whether local officials fully understand this.
May 22 our Medical Lake reporter was denied access to Fairchild Air Force Base while trying to attend a Medical Lake School District board of directors meeting. The reporter had made arrangements in advance to attend the meeting but due to a miscommunication failed to meet up with base personnel assigned to escort him onsite.
We understand Fairchild's need for security and have no issues with that. We also understand why the school district chooses to hold meetings at Michael Anderson Elementary School, which shows support for the district's military families living on base and provide easy access for them.
Unfortunately, on-base meetings like these are a violation of Washington state law. RCW 42.30.030 requires all meetings of governing bodies of public agencies be open, public and allow all persons to be admitted while RCW 42.30.040 stipulates that no pre-condition to attendance to these meetings is allowed.
Having to arrange for an escort in advance in order to attend a public meeting limits participation by any citizen who at the last moment decides they wish to address the governing body or listen to what is being discussed.
The second episode came from one of our Cheney readers, who called the Free Press asking for the names of planning commission members. When told this was public record, the reader said they had called the planning department seeking the names, in order to provide comment on proposed issues, but was denied. The reason given was the department's – city's? – interpretation of state law gave them the ability to withhold these names in order to maintain the commissioners' privacy.
Furthermore, the reader was told that if they had a comment, they should send it to the department director and he would make sure the members received it.
RCW 42.56.230 does list personal information that is exempt from public inspection, but names of individuals serving in a public function is not among them and some personal information can be revealed as long as disclosure doesn't “violate their right to privacy.”
It also doesn't make any sense since the names of public officials are reported in meeting minutes posted online as well as in the pages of your local newspaper. In fact, if you attend these meetings you will see the commissioners' names on nameplates in front of them.
In this case the reader made a call higher up the ladder of civic command and was told the information would be available. That's great, but a check of Cheney's website revealed that while City Council members are named and have city-supplied contact emails, all of the names of members of the city's four commissions are still missing.
To be fair, the Medical Lake School District and city of Cheney aren't the only public entities – including others locally – that have thrown up roadblocks, intentional or unintentional, in the way of the public's right to know about the activities of their public servants and access to public officials.
It's difficult subjecting one's actions to public scrutiny. Believe us, we know.
But public access and governmental transparency are important to the functions of our society, especially when the issues involved may not be pleasant. Citizens are cynical enough as it is about government, cynicism that impacts public participation.
We ask public officials to not make public access harder, but easier. We ask they remember and respect the freedoms many have given their lives to protect.
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