Open Meetings Act

RCW 42.30.010: Legislative declaration:

The legislature finds and declares that all public commissions, boards, councils, committees, subcommittees, departments, divisions, offices, and all other public agencies of this state and subdivisions thereof exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of this chapter that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.

The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.

Except in Ruston... How many more predetermined decisions will we have to witness before our Ruston council members understand this principle? We'll see another on Monday when they appoint one of their friends to the vacant council seat. They've made sure we don't even get to protest since they won't allow public comment or any public interview of candidates.

It's the norm for the council majority to arrive at the public meeting with clearly scripted votes. One will make the motion, another will second. If he's lucky, Council Member Hedrick will get a quick comment, which is difficult since no one knows what the issue is in advance (other than a couple of words on the agenda). Then the group all votes in unison. Back in the old days when the public could comment before the vote, we would often hear scripted support of their action from their friends in the audience.

We saw it last Monday when Council Member Alberston made the motion and Stebner seconded the authorization for the two of them to meet privately with a mystery "former employee" to discuss allegations against the mayor.

Just my thoughts for today. What are yours? ~ Karen