Public has right to know all that government does

Two recent closed-door meetings involving elected officials prompts this reminder about government: There are very few things the public sectors does that justify secrecy. We are well aware that Ohio's open meetings law, the so-called Sunshine Law, spells out when government officials can conduct business in private, but even a cursory reading of the statute makes it clear that openness is the rule.
We have written numerous editorials reminding elected officials, in particular, of their responsibility to conduct as much business as possible under the gaze of the press and the taxpayers. The Vindicator went so far as to sponsor a public forum for area government officials organized by the Ohio Attorney General's Office. The goal was to instruct participants on the finer points of the Sunshine Law and Ohio's Public Records Law.
While the forum has paid dividends in changing the attitudes of officials with regard to the public's right to know, there are lapses -- as demonstrated in Youngstown and Boardman.
On Wednesday, three members of Youngstown City Council, Artis Gillam Sr., Mark Memmer and Paul Pancoe, met in private with Arlene D.T. Bahar, the clerk of council, to discuss her employment status. She was ultimately fired by a 4-3 vote of council. However, there was no public notice of the closed-door meeting of the finance committee. State law requires such notice, even though the discussion of personnel matters is one of the exceptions in the Sunshine Law.
Black eye
Why is serving public notice important? Because it reassures reporters and the citizenry that the reason for the closed-door meeting is entirely legitimate. Given the black eye the public sector in the Mahoning Valley is nursing as a result of the convictions of elected officials, judges and others stemming from government corruption, any private meeting of officeholders is viewed with suspicion.
Councilmen Gillam, Memmer and Pancoe should know better than schedule an executive session without giving the public prior notice.
In Boardman last week, township Trustee Kathy Miller held a meeting of a committee responsible for selecting a project that would be submitted to the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments for funding through a grant. The three committee members, who were appointed by the trustees, were joined by officials of the township, Eastgate COG and the Mahoning County Engineer's Office. There was no public notice of the meeting, nor was a notice sent to The Vindicator.
During the session, trustee Chairwoman Robyn Gallitto "stopped by," according to Miller. The third trustee, Elaine Mancini, did not attend.
But Mrs. Mancini raised a question this week as to whether such committee meetings fall under Ohio's Sunshine Law. She suggested that they do, and she's right. That means such panels must conduct business in the open.
Miller is pushing for the creation of 11 committees to deal with various issues in the township. The meetings of each one will have to be publicized and open to the public.
To their credit, Miller and Gallitto have seen the light and now are committed to informing the public of all committee meetings, which will be open.
Any public official who questions the benefits of open government should consider this: Secrecy breeds suspicion, and suspicion breeds contempt.