Residents deserve business be done in front of them

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September 19, 2009

By Fredie Carmichael / editor The Meridian Star Sat Sep 19, 2009, 10:41 PM CDT

This week was an eventful one in Meridian.

A longtime Meridian Star publisher died. Councilmen voted on a new fire chief and police chief. A local group called for the resignation of two councilmen due to what they believed was a "rush to act" hire.

But among the biggest to me, yet again, was that the Meridian City Council held a closed-door meeting after a packed-crowd turned out to participate.

Ironically, as soon as the pledge of allegiance was complete, councilmen decided to shuffle themselves to a private room, a room not in clear view of the crowd that had gathered, a room that was not privy to the presence of the citizens of Meridian, a room that muted the discussions held so that no others could hear. A room that clearly sent the message that if the concerned citizens of Meridian show, ears perked and opinions ready, "they", the city officials elected by these very citizens, will scurry away.

I was sitting in the downtown offices of The Meridian Star watching the meeting live on television. I was watching because the council was expected to vote on the mayor's new appointments to key positions and I planned on posting the breaking vote results on The Star's twitter account.

Muted in the background as I worked with a copy editor on a new design piece for the front page I watched. Then I noticed as soon as the meeting began councilmen and city leaders were headed behind close doors — again — leaving about 50 or so people in attendance in their seats to wait.

Until that moment, I had no intention of attending the meeting in person since I could watch it live while working. But when minutes after taking their seats I saw them vacate them, I was disturbed. I called my reporter attending the meeting to ask for the manner in which the council had gone about switching an open meeting for a closed one. Based on his report, it didn't sound like they had followed state law.

When going into closed sessions, very specific issues must be at play. In order for the public to be left out, there must be ample reason and justification. They were too vague. "Personnel matters" alone is not enough to warrant what should be a last option. To back up what I already believed, I obtained a copy of state law on the matter. I then walked down the street to the Meridian municipal courtroom to the meeting.

When I covered City Hall back in early 2000, I remembered the make-up of the building. Former WTOK reporter Stan Torgerson schooled me on the place. I knew what was behind the door where councilmen and other city officials had gone.

When I got to the building Tuesday night, I made my way to the back and talked to a few reporters. I felt strongly that the council had sidestepped the state's open meetings law; I also didn't think the reason given necessitated a meeting that would leave the citizens waiting once again.

So, I decided to walk through the closed door. As I entered the door, Pam, the council clerk, greeted me and told me I wasn't allowed back there. I told her I believed the meeting was against the law. I then saw the mayor and chief administrative officer. I told them the same thing, showing them a copy of the law. The new CAO told me to leave, gesturing with his hands.

The mayor took my concerns to the council and city attorney, who were in a small conference room. She relayed my message. The CAO continued to insist I leave. The attorney, very politely, told me he would talk to me after the meeting.

At a standstill, but having made my point, I returned to the crowd of citizens. After the meeting, the council offered to tell me more about the closed meeting and what was discussed in the meeting. But now it seemed my point was being missed. I didn't want to be given details of the meeting because I was a member of the media. I wanted to address the rights of those who were in attendance, the right they had to hear and participate in the discussion that they were being kept from. It wasn't about me. It wasn't about the contents of the meeting, necessarily. It was about the public, many of whom were waiting patiently in the council chambers. It was about state law. It was about a free society. It was about city business being done in front of taxpayers, not behind them. And if they felt they must meet behind closed doors, it was their duty to follow the letter of the law.

The council listened. They vowed to do better, to follow the law as it is stated. Council President Bobby Smith went so far as to vow to completely eliminate the meetings, unless absolutely necessary.

I look forward to those changes ... along with the transparency we've been told is coming.

Fredie Carmichael is editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at editor@themeridianstar.com.

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