A few thoughts on commissioners, transparency

A few thoughts on improving transparency as the new board of Bonner County Commissioners takes the helm. Commissioners have met privately to set the agendas for their upcoming regular weekly business meetings, in the past. Of dubious legality, this practice should end, with their agenda-setting meetings duly agendized with minutes taken; and they should be open to the public as well, in accordance with Idaho's open meeting law.

As done by other jurisdictions, the informational packets provided to commissioners for their business meetings should be posted well in advance of those meetings online. These packets typically include staff reports, recommendations and other documents pertinent to the decisions being made.

Besides their “business” meetings, commissioners conduct any number of “special” meetings on a weekly basis during which important matters are often discussed and decisions are tentatively made. If at all possible, video of those meetings should be made available online. County commissioners are perhaps the most important of all local jurisdictions, with the authority to establish taxes, create new laws and make land use decisions that set the future course of our county and affect all of our day-to-day lives.

MIKE BROWN

Kootenai