HomeMy WebLinkAbout062224 email - PUBLIC COMMENT - documents not provided in advance of meetingsALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Commissioners,
Last week (June 17), I noted in my testimony that the PPT presentation used for the hearing on the new Burn Regulation ordinance was not made available to the public in advance of the
hearing. You each disputed my testimony, stating that the PPT was provided.
“The version of the agenda that I see published does have the Powerpoint.” Kate Dean
“No, it was there last week.” Greg Brotherton
“Yeah, I did on Friday.” Carolyn Gallaway
“That’s what I saw when did agenda review this weekend.” Heidi Eisenhour
My testimony was accurate. The 19-slide Powerpoint was not included on the agenda for June 17.
Attached are the screenshots of the information that was made available to the public for the June 17 hearing. As you can see, there is no PPT, just the agenda request and the (B&W !)
draft ordinance.
A PPT, which may have been seen a month ago, was used during the hearing. When any document / presentation is used in the context of a public hearing, where the public has their one
and only opportunity testify on the proposed legislation, it is only proper that all materials to be used in that hearing are made available beforehand. Including a link on the agenda
to a document / presentation costs nothing.
You should not assume that the public has seen all the relevant information to which we are entitled unless that information is explicitly listed and made available.
This week (June 24), a document appears to be omitted from the public-facing agenda. The 11:00 am “Sewer Code update” refers to a draft ordinance to update JCC 13.01 et seq but the only
document available to the public is the agenda request. In fact, it appears that even the BoCC isn’t being given a copy of the proposed ordinance at this time. The fact that only the
ordinance’s table of contents is being provided at this point is not useful. You, and the public, should have access to the entirety of the proposed legislation now, particularly considering
the size of the proposal, well in advance of the suggested July workshop and subsequent hearing.
Tom Thiersch
Member, Washington Coalition for Open Government <https://www.washcog.org/>
==== [RCW 42.30.010 Open Public Meetings Act <https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.30&full=true> ] ==== ==== [RCW 42.56.030 Public Records Act <https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?ci
te=42.56&full=true> ] ====
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is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed and informing the people's public servants of their views so that they
may maintain control over the instruments that they have created."
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