[Peace-discuss] help make the County Board more open

[Dianna Visek]

Hi All,

Wayne Johnson and I have drafted two County board resolutions which we will discuss at the Policy Committee meeting at 7 pm this Thursday Aug. 6 in Brookens (probably the County Board meeting room). 

The resolutions, which I've attached, are an attempt to address the Board's reputation for going into closed session too frequently and to make it easier to appeal denials of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act.  We need your support because the Policy Committee controls what items are brought to the full Board.  Public participation is at the beginning of the meeting.

The agenda can be accessed from this URL:
http://www.co.champaign.il.us/COUNTYBD/ppaagenda.htm#ppa

At the end of the agenda, under "Other Business", is discussion on revising the County's FOIA ordinance and increasing financial transparency (ie. putting info on the net).  

Discussion about going into closed session doesn't appear, probably because Tom Betz feels it would change the Open Meetings Act, which he says isn't allowed.  We think it can be made more stringent, and I will be arguing for that point in my statement.  If the Board doesn't like our ordinance, then they need to figure out another way to be more discriminating about going into closed session.  They have a bad reputation on this point.

I don't know if they allow public participation at the time an item is being discussed or just during public participation at the beginning of the meeting.

During the evening, the only open doors are on the north side.  Don't go in the gym door.  The door to the meeting rooms is closer to Washington St.  There's access to the parking lot from Lierman Ave.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 367-5027.

Thanks, Dianna


      
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