On Sunday, I was pleased to see the MNM article “Let the Sunshine in”.

The article states:

“Sunshine Week is an attempt by the newspapers of the United States to highlight the need for openness in government and how that laws we have can help citizens learn about what their government is doing.

Transparency in government is not a natural occurrence, even when that government is a democratic one, even when all those who run the government live in the same small community.”

I do think it is important that we all work to open up government. We are constantly reminded that local government is closed to the public.

When I first moved back to Marshall four years ago, I was shocked that the City Commission meetings in Marshall were not televised. During the previous 15 years, I had lived in three cities in California and all had their commission meetings televised.

I was even more surprised that Marshall’s City Commissioners were fighting against televising the meetings. It appeared they did not want the public to see the Commission in action.

Thanks to the leadership of Commissioner Partee that got changed and now the public can view the meeting.

This does prove that things can be changed and we should constantly work to open up government. I strongly believe that the best form of government is open and transparent government.