"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among
the people, who have a right and a desire to know; but besides
this, they have a right, indisputable, divine right to that most
dreaded and envied kind of knowledge, I mean of the characters
and conduct of their rulers." - John Adams quote in the
preface to OHIO SUNSHINE LAWS, An Open Government Resource Manual
You may be wondering why Loveland Magazine is up in city council’s grill all the time.
Calls and e-mails to Loveland Magazine from many readers, encourage digging deeper into what is on the whole video from the January 8 Loveland Council meeting. Loveland Magazine has made a public records request for the video. After the city council meeting of January 8, and most of the public had gone home, the City Web Site continued to broadcast live footage from the council room at City Hall. (City Refuses to Release Portions of Council Video)
Ohio Supreme Court Justice Charles Zimmerman said in a ruling from the bench in 1960:
"The rule in Ohio is that public records are the people's records, and that the officials in whose custody they happen to be are merely trustees for the people; therefore anyone may inspect such records at any time, subject only to the limitation that such inspection does not endanger the safety of the record, or unreasonably interfere with the discharge of the duties of the officer having custody of the same."
What will Loveland Magazine do with the video if it is provided? We do not yet know, but we will listen intently to what was said about the responsible citizens who attended the meeting.
The public can be assured that if they were the subject of the conversations, Loveland Magazine will not publish their names or reveal their identity.
Loveland Magazine is your watchdog. Loveland Magazine takes very seriously the job of helping our elected officials do their best in supporting, representing, helping, and leading the citizens of this great city. You encourage us to do so.
There has never been such a clamoring to dig deeper as during this past week.
In fact, it’s not just our job, but your
job, too. We must collectively hold our elected leaders
accountable for their handling of city affairs and promoting a
welcoming and participatory culture. Failure to do so, will
allow the more timid citizens among us—someone with a request or
a need or a good idea—feel he or she will not be taken
seriously, be disparaged, or worst of all, will not be heard
over the din of procedural requirements, bickering by council
members, or apathy.
Let’s Make It Better!
Have you ever spoken at a city council meeting or otherwise interacted with the city? If so, tell us about your experience—good or bad.
Please use the "Comments" button at the bottom of this editorial.
Recent Comments