Local government needs transparency. Period.
While it’s important to have transparency in big government, there are a lot more checks and balances on a federal level than there are at the local level.
That’s where a local newspaper comes in.
Right now, we are celebrating Sunshine Week, which is meant to shine a light on the importance of public records and government transparency. Without local newspapers trying to get to the bottom of certain issues, there aren’t a lot of “watchdogs,” so to speak.
Throughout our three-county coverage area at Tallapoosa Publishers Inc., we cover a wide variety of local governments. From the bigger cities like Wetumpka, Tallassee and Alexander City to the smaller towns like Jackson’s Gap, Camp Hill and Coosada, there are tons of different governments we work with. We cover county commissions as well as town and city councils.
Some are much more easily accessible than others.
We give props to those who post their agendas online prior to the meetings — these are typically signs of a more transparent government. We also give props to those who are regularly in touch with our reporters and editors, showing they are willing to work with the public.
See, journalists are truly just a service to the public. We work for the readers — the taxpayers.
Although we are not elected, it is our job to cover and write about the important issues affecting our towns and communities.
Without the elected officials’ cooperation though, it becomes very difficult — if not impossible.
We are often given story tips that prove extremely difficult to investigate due to public officials being close-lipped. As journalists, we are simply messengers and without a message to deliver, it’s extremely hard to do our jobs.
That’s where Sunshine Week comes in. It’s key to reiterate the importance of local government transparency, especially when public notices are on the table for being cut from newspapers. Currently, certain items, such as public hearings on rezoning and annexations, must be published by local governments in the county newspaper of record. But those are threatened to be moved to an online-only platform, making them even more difficult for citizens to access.
Ultimately, a newspaper is here to serve those citizens and without public records and transparency, we can only serve our readers but so much. It comes down to: If there’s nothing to hide, then why not be open about what’s going on in local government?
We continue to urge public officials to work with local journalists, even on a small scale. Community journalism is, at its finest, the most important type of public service, and we need local officials to understand the media is not “out to get anyone.” We are simply here to serve the citizens who elected them.
Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached at 434-962-9420 or via email at lizi.gwin@alexcityoutlook.com.
