Open Government and Open Meetings

The Open Meetings Act is not "new" (1974?) and it's not complicated. Many other county and state agencies around the country have Open Meetings laws and abide by them without the complaining and whining heard from our current County leadership. Just because you disagree with the Open Meetings Act or some other law, or think it's silly or illogical, that does not give you license to disobey said law. You must obey every letter of the law until you get it clarified or changed. That's simple Civics 101 everybody learns in 3rd grade.

I pledge to introduce the following 10-part Ethics and Open Government Plan (ETHOG):

1. County Commission should bind itself by ordinance to the "two or more" rule for meetings regardless of what the State decides to change in the Open Meetings Act
   
2. The County shall create a public area on their web site for Commissioners and the County Mayor to maintain public online diaries disclosing anyone they meet with where County business is discussed.
   
3. Conflicts of interest disclosures must extend to immediate family members as well as the Commissioner.
   
4. Conflicts of interest disclosures must extend to major contributors to previous campaigns (monetary or in-kind contributions that total in excess of $500).
   
5. The existence of a conflict of interest shall require immediate recusal from voting (currently, it is optional)
   
6. Commissioners shall not influence the employment status, promotion, or salaries of family members in County offices, and shall recuse themselves from any relative votes.
   
7. Add Petition for Recall to the Charter (current in progress)
   
8. Add Petition for Referendum to the Charter
   
9. Require all County Offices to be bound to a single, open, publishes policy for travel reimbursements, per diem allowances, travel allowances, car allowances, overtime, bonuses, and extra vacation days or holidays. We must eliminate the concept of "discretion of the officeholder" that allows them to create political machines in the taxpayer's offices.
   
10. Extend the gift restrictions to include no gift over a set amount to an elected official or their family. Any paid expenses (travel, golf, etc) would be defined as a gift subject to the standard.

My candidacy is not just about better and more efficient County governance, it's also about more accountable and more ethical governance, as both are critical to the strength of County Government. You can't have just one- you have to have both.