[SchoolMatters] Shrinking minutes and degrees of open government

[Brian Wheeler]

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This message is not an official communication of the Albemarle County School
Board. It is a private, e-mail-only newsletter written by Brian Wheeler,
At-Large Member of the Albemarle County School Board. 
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[Want to share some public comments on this message?  See the weblog version
here:
http://schoolmatters.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/10/shrinking_minut.html ]
 
At this Thursday's meeting, the Albemarle County School Board may embrace a
change in governance that is being described as "summary minutes."  That
means, the official published record of our meetings will no longer provide
the public, staff, and future boards details on the discussions taking place
when they occur outside of a formal motion or action item.  The end result,
if this practice continues, is a blow to the public's right to open
government and transparency in our decision-making process.  
 
After talking further to my colleagues who support this, I don't think there
are any bad intentions, it is simply Robert's Rules run amok and a view of
"best practices" that sells the public short.  We should instead try to
figure out what process and resources we need to share more information
rather than less, and on a timely basis, for the public's benefit.  I have
to respectfully disagree with my colleagues who favor this change and I will
vote against this proposal in its current form.  I have given my strong
support for the other recent governance changes we are making as a School
Board (e.g. trying new meeting formats and supporting ad-hoc committee
work).  
....
"As previously stated, the public policy of [the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA)] is that the affairs of government are not intended to be conducted
in an atmosphere of secrecy since at all times the public is to be the
beneficiary of any action taken at any level of government. Therefore, I
would advise public bodies that when there is doubt whether to include a
matter in minutes, it is better to include more rather than less."
A February 2006 Freedom of Information Advisory Council opinion related to
the minutes of the Vienna Town Council 
 
(this post continued online...
<http://schoolmatters.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/10/shrinking_minut.html>
http://schoolmatters.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/10/shrinking_minut.html )
 
NOTE: I found myself with a lot to say on this subject.  So if you want the
details for and against "summary minutes"... please check out the full 2 1/2
pages of this message on my blog (link at top) or by downloading this file
which may be easier on the eyes:
http://www.wheeleronboard.com/docs/Change-to-Summary-Minutes.pdf  Then add a
comment or drop me a note by E-mail.
 
Brian Wheeler
 
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Brian Wheeler
 <mailto:bwheeler at albemarlematters.com> bwheeler at albemarlematters.com
 <http://www.wheeleronboard.com/> http://www.wheeleronboard.com
 
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