In today’s BOCC webcast, Commissioner Schwab once again admonished that the BOCC’s open mic segment was not to be used for political campaign purposes. Shortly thereafter candidate Rowland led off with a little campaign number that could have been titled, “I’m Transparent And You’re Not.” He seemed to think that every word uttered between commissioners among themselves constitutes county business, and he should always be notified a day in advance when the commissioners think an aside among each other could be in the offing. The more relevant question this brings to mind is, “What made Mr. Rowland so paranoid?” An exigent security concern is probably never going to make it to an agenda for a public meeting where he can input and dialog about the most transparent solution.
Jim Duvall was next up in the non-political political category and he thanked Commissioner Schlegel for “posting a list of everyone who’ve been requesting open records. That makes it easier for us to coordinate so it’s actually a very positive thing.” Us? A coordinated group? I thought this was all about transparency for the people at large and pursuit of the greater good. Now I find out there’s a coordinated group behind this effort. Well burst my bubble with an open record request!
Lastly, in the non-political political category came candidate Jill Duvall. Perhaps miffed over the publication of her extensive use of the Open Records Act – count ‘em, 24, more than anyone else – she took umbrage over the “fishing expedition” characterization in a blog post below and shared by Commissioner Schlegel on FB, as well as language indicating that open record requests are being used for the personal benefit of the requesters. If she’s miffed over embarrassment, I would be too.
After carefully disclaiming any hint of illegality in Commissioner Schlegel’s 2010 campaign, and carefully disclaiming any hint of illegality in Elbert County’s selection of an accounting firm, she heaped suggestions of impropriety on both. Apparently her fishing expedition brought up facts insufficient for her to claim some illegality, but good enough to justify her hurling a few political mudballs. You never know what you’re going to catch in an open records request, but I probably would have thrown these bottom feeders back in the water.
She did bring one last insight to the BOCC meeting that needs some exploration. She said, “We now have a situation that makes me extremely uncomfortable. There’s too much chance that specific internal information could have been, or might be, shared with those who should not have access to this knowledge. I see the very real possibility of a conflict of interest when county business knowledge might be gained by this partner company of Miller and Nyquist.”
What “internal information” of Elbert County’s could she be talking about? Would that be something discoverable by an open records request? Who should not have access to government’s knowledge? Is there such a thing as internal information in a transparent government by and for the people? Isn’t our government ruled by objective laws that are out in the open for everyone to see? Does candidate Duvall have some twisted notion of a government secreted away from the people, operating with internal business knowledge that no one knows about? Where could she have acquired such paranoid notions?
Both these candidates – Rowland and Duvall – have some paranoid demons to wrestle with. Well, better late than never I suppose, but it might be better if they did it offline out of the context of their political campaigns.