Technology and open meetings

While this is an editorial from the Standard-Examiner in Ogden, Utah, it focuses on issues that have global implications for how government functions around the nation. Thanks to Doug Gibson for allowing me to post this.
Joel Campbell
FOI Committee

Keeping up with open meetings

Monday, June 25, 2007

The technology boom -- with its e-mails, text messages, blogs,
e-bulletin boards -- has expanded communication so far that past
generations might have placed ideas such as World Wide Web, e-mail and
blogs in the realm of science fiction.

Nevertheless, informational technology is here, and still growing. One
result: millions of teens and pre-teens who know far more about IT than
their parents and grandparents.

The Ogden School Board -- like other elected boards -- has members with
different IT skills. The convenience of IT-based communications comes
with a warning: It may be easier for officials to unwittingly break the
Utah Open Meetings Act. The act was passed before the boom in
technology. It requires that government officials provide access to
meetings and decision making. Elected groups cannot meet secretly in a
quorum. There should also be 24 hours notice for a meeting.

So what happens if members of an elected body swap several e-mails
regarding policy? Or if an official starts a blog and circulates his or
her opinions? What happens when an e-mail is forwarded to dozens of
persons, or hundreds? Or an e-mail is responded to with a "reply to all"
click? Has it become part of an agenda? If so, was the public given
proper notice and access?

We mentioned the Ogden School Board not to insinuate that it is breaking
any open meetings laws, but to applaud it for being concerned about
making sure that the Utah Open Meetings Act is complied with in the age
of information technology. As reported by the Standard-Examiner's Amy K.
Stewart, attorney Brad Smith -- who joined the board in January -- plans
to meet with Utah legislators to make sure the board's use of IT
complies with the Open Meetings Act. He strongly believes that the IT
boom's impact on open meetings should be tackled by Utah's lawmakers.

"The Open Meetings Act needs to catch up to the 21st century. Technology
has moved forward faster than the law can keep up," Smith told Stewart.

We certainly agree with that statement, and hope all elected bodies
follow the Ogden board's example and bring themselves up to date on the
Open Meetings Act. We like another idea of Smith's, too -- to start a
blog where board members can post their ideas for the public to consider.

There are many great sources out there to assist elected officials with
the Open Meetings Act. Besides legislators, there are media lawyers and
organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists. Taking
the time to consult with them is a wise move that can prevent future
headaches for many an uninformed public servant.



Your information source: http://www.standard.net