Who's Making Government More Transparent?
Nominate those championing local government transparency.
Do you know people in Summerville who have championed local government transparency?
Summerville Patch is participating in Sunshine Week 2012, which begins on March 11, by promoting the Sunshine Week organization’s national Local Heroes contest. We’ll also be talking up, covering and conversing with you about open government and freedom of information on our site during that week so stay tuned.
This week we want to kick that conversation off with a call to action to you to nominate local open government champions who have played a significant role fighting for local government transparency.
The deadline for nominations is Monday, Feb. 20, so get your entries in fast. The winner will be honored in Washington. We'll share the winners with you.
Here’s a link to the Sunshine Week nomination form: www.sunshineweek.org/LocalHeroes/LocalHeroNomination.aspx
Faced any challenges with government transparency in our town? Share your stories with me at lindsay.street@patch.com and I'll share them with our community.
Gretchen
9:32 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Government is never transparent. It's just like having a PUBLIC HEARING on rezoning. People think they can go there and air their opposition and the elected officials are going to listen. WRONG.... the decision has already been made. TOO BAD... SO SAD !
Richard Hayes
12:49 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Gretchen -- you are right if one has not done work before hand with the public officials and civil servants, and galvanized the local homeowners. However, we in Coosaw Creek have been successful on zoning cases in public hearings to change the minds of our elected officials by working with (in our case) the City of North Charleston, and having support for the homeowners association. But you must do this in the public zoning committee meetings, and not wait to the public hearing with the city (or county) councilman. Because by that time, you are right, the decision is made unless you can bring up strong new evidence. But we have found success working with the city government officials prior to the zoning meetings.
SDR
1:27 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Lindsay, I hope you wont take nominations from government employees or elected or appointed officials.