LAWRENCE COUNTY - (January 19, 2022) - Several years ago a local city council member told me the only time the want to hear from the public is on election day.
What is really sad is this elected person who served several years in government in various capacities really meant what he said.
What is even more disheartening is those seeking votes campaign on a lot of empty promises about caring about the community they serve.
However, the community they say they really care about is dismantled piece by piece and with the lack of open and transparency fail to communicate the slightest hint of their true motives.
This has occurred on all level of government from the local school boards, city council members, county commissioners, and county council members.
To circumvent Public Access Laws the school boards, councils, and commissioners form committees enough to keep the public from knowing anything until that last minute.
Bedford Mayor Sam Craig has at least held most final decisions by a third and final passage during an ordinance change to allow the public to comment; before being passed down on Bedford residents.
Under previous administrations the Mayor and Council members suspended the rules to make sure the ordinance passes the same evening the public as they first became aware of the change.
Kudos to Mayor Craig for at least giving the residents of Bedford an opportunity to contact their council members and his office about these matters.
This year, we are approaching a May primary to select various office holders to conduct our business. Their words ring hollow over the last several years only to get in office and due a bout face and do the opposite of what they say they will do.
The voter apathy has enlarged itself to be, that most residents and taxpayers do not show up to the meetings or are engaged local government.
Most do not attend meetings until a controversial subject comes up for debate.
Until the public becomes more engaged, and demand elected officials to become more open and transparent, the results will be the same.
Facebook comments will not keep them from hiding from you. The get their way becomes no one becomes involved in the formal process of saying this “is not what we like,”