Been there, done that
Your Ol' Editor has survived many community battles, won most but lost some, and none were more bitter than consolidation of schools.
Rural school consolidation didn't cause much pain, such as Morning Star or Pleasant Ridge coming to town. Not even Youngtown and Aulne consolidating into Marion caused any blood to flow. But the consolidation of the Florence non-unified district into Marion Unified School District produced wounds that are evident today. Reverberations and rancor continue after more than three decades.
It all seemed so sugary simple but became so nasty and bitter. Let's don't let it happen again, now that there's a movement afoot to consolidate unified districts to save administrative costs.
As one who hoed in the vineyards of new open meetings legislation a couple of decades ago, this OE advises caution in re-writing that law and hopes they don't mess it up. The law was never intended to keep a couple of officials from visiting about things in general or meeting as friends. It was an attempt to stop "prearranged" meetings when they discussed public matters in private instead of during open meetings.
And, remember this significant fact, exclusions to the open meetings law were "may" matters. Discretionary. The law didn't say, for example, that personnel must be discussed only in open session. It said "may." The governmental unit can visit with an attorney behind closed doors, or choose to keep the doors open.
Sunshine should prevail. Government should operate in the open. It smells better that way.
Your OE has been concerned about the TEEN board transacting business over the telephone. Since public funds are being spent, all discussion should be open to the public. How does the public attend a telephone network meeting?
The OE has an uncanny ability to write stories that upset everybody on both sides of an issue. Nobody's happy. He has admired those who can seem to take a strong stand and yet not offend anybody. Time magazine is good at that. But it's something your OE didn't learn in journalism school or the college of hard knocks. Last week's story about problems at a Marion nursing home is a good example.
Newspapers don't make news. They merely report what happened. A reporter is an observer, not a participant. Let's not continue to kill the messenger.
— BILL MEYER
