Communication

Communication. It is vital to the working of everything…families, communities, businesses, government.

And, the open meetings laws and open records laws enacted by this state really are designed to ensure just that…communication. They are in place so if government leaders forget who their bosses are—the people—they still have to be responsive to them.

There’s been some major breakdowns in communication among Jasper County’s leaders lately.

Two county commissioners had a “town hall” meeting recently. Apparently one or more of the remaining commissioners considered it an affront. There was really nothing at all wrong with it. But, it would have been nice for them to personally inform the other commissioners, and probably would have prevented hurt feelings, and therefore dissension in a group that badly needs to get along and get on with the business of running the county in these difficult financial times.

Those same two commissioners were opposed to attending an out of county meeting, referred to as a retreat. The problem is the retreat was badly needed, and should have been held very soon after they took office. The three commissioners who attended had some good communication in a less formal setting than a meeting. There were members of the public there. But the commissioners talked informally, and made some headway that could well benefit this county. It would have been better if all five commissioners had attended.

Those five commissioners must learn to work together. At the retreat, they agreed a work session was needed immediately on the 2009 budget. It was to be held last night. (In the work session they were looking at Thursday night, but apparently there was a conflict.)

This newspaper found out from a commissioner…not by a notice from the staff that is legally required to be posted. Certainly the notice will be posted in time to fulfill the legal obligation—24 hours in advance. But, if the decision is made, why not publish it immediately? The public sometimes gets the feeling that someone is trying to hide something if the minimum notice is given.

For example, the Jasper County School Board met in a called meeting last Thursday at 1 p.m. The notice for that arrived at the newspaper office at 1 p.m. Wednesday. All five board members were present at the meeting. It’s hard to believe that the decision for that meeting was not made until noon Wednesday. The letter of the law—24 hours notice—was fulfilled, but it certainly appears the spirit of the law was violated.

(The school board chairwoman had talked with a reporter for this newspaper on Monday evening. She said the decision on the interim superintendent would likely be made last week, so everyone knew a meeting was impending.)

But the school board has had a lot more attendance at its meetings lately than the members are used to, and has received a great deal of well-deserved grief, so perhaps the late notice of the meeting was to avoid the public.

Maybe not. But, that is why communication is key. The public never knew how the board was going about hiring an interim superintendent. If it was talked about in open meeting, it was not a well-publicized one.

The board made a decision some months ago to relieve several employees of their duties as a part of “reduction in force (RIF).” That’s fine, but why not use plain English and explain that a RIF is a layoff.

The grief board members have received about eliminating the agriculture program results partly from a lack of communication. When it was announced, and the rationale for the decision explained, many people had questions. They raised their questions in public meetings.

To avoid a back-and-forth discussion and possible argument the board has a policy not to answer questions at a meeting. The superintendent will get back with the person. Well, 100 people are there to hear the questions, and one gets the answers, if one is given.

If the board’s actions are indeed the only way the financial dilemma can be solved, someone needs to do a better job of communicating what has been done in an effort to provide the best education possible for the dollars available. That has not been done.

You can’t make everyone happy…no doubt about it. But, our elected leaders need to do a better job of communicating with the public if they want to give at least the pretense that they are listening to their constituents.

Lastly, the Jasper County Recreation Board…a group of volunteers who oversee the local recreation program agreed some months ago that its regular meeting would be the first Saturday in the month at noon.

So, a Monticello News reporter and two or three members of the commission showed up last Saturday for the meeting. After waiting around for the others for a while, one of the recreation commission members called one who was not there.

“Oh, we changed the meeting. It’s going to be Wednesday.”
How rude and quite possibly illegal. Members of committees named by elected officials are subject to the same laws as the elected officials.

The recreation department has been the subject of much scrutiny and concern in recent months. Changing the governing body’s meeting with no notice does not bode well.

Please, each of you who has agreed to be a public servant, recognize that we know it is a thankless task. But, the public in general will be more trusting and maybe even say thank you, if indeed you communicate.