Televise City Council workshops

When Wichita City Council members talk, the public needs to be in a position to listen. That’s why council member Sharon Fearey was right to call for council workshops to be televised on cable Channel 7, just like the regular Tuesday morning meetings televised from the council chambers. In theory, workshops consist of progress reports and informal discussion but no official action. But too often, the council’s big issues are largely hashed out in these regular workshops, making the final vote at the bench seem like an undebated afterthought. It’s also a problem that since 2004 the council has been giving its blanket approval to consent agendas at such workshops, without public comment or a TV audience. True, most of the items are routine. But last year, the council used such an untelevised meeting to approve a $75,000 settlement in a sexual harassment lawsuit. And rather than spend $50,000 to make the boardroom where workshops are held camera-ready, the workshops should be moved to the council chambers, where there is also plenty of seating. Yes, that might mean shots of council members at the bench chowing down on sandwiches. More important, it would mean more visible city government.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

9 Comments

  1. Dennis
    Posted August 7, 2006 at 2:42 pm | Permalink

    Any time any elected body can find a way to conduct its business in private it will do so. Irritating as hell.

  2. Ben Huie
    Posted August 7, 2006 at 2:48 pm | Permalink

    You don’t understand Rhonda – the objective of the Council is LESS openness, not more!

  3. TRACY
    Posted August 7, 2006 at 3:00 pm | Permalink

    I think we could come to an agreement that would make the cable company happy.

    If you fail to pay your cable bill, instaed of cutting your service they should televise local gov’t meetings 24/7 on every channel until you pay up!!

  4. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted August 7, 2006 at 3:05 pm | Permalink

    No surprise here, as LOCAL government whiners were the ones who killed open government reform and tighter enforcement of the current open meetings laws.

    Something to hide?

  5. Dennis
    Posted August 7, 2006 at 3:16 pm | Permalink

    I don’t think it is having something to hide. From the people in my family who have been in public office, and those I have known, I think it is a matter of ego as much as anything. This applies from membership on the township dog control board to the president of the United States. Something about being elected that turns people into secretive idiots.

  6. kelly
    Posted August 7, 2006 at 8:46 pm | Permalink

    The solution suggested by Ms. Holman – to move the workshops to the council chambers in order to avoid the $50,000 price tag – was in fact suggested by Councilman Brewer. I think his suggestion is a perfect solution that will expand openness while not spending another $50,000.00.

  7. Ralph
    Posted August 7, 2006 at 9:11 pm | Permalink

    I have no problem with the Council workshops other than they don’t keep accurate meeting minutes for review. It’s not like the public is filling the council chambers every Tuesday morning. And, for the record, the use of workshops to this extent was initiated by the Mayor.

  8. GMC70
    Posted August 8, 2006 at 11:31 am | Permalink

    Just a thought:

    Keep in mind what these workshops are: work sessions, where decisions are not made, but ideas are exchanged. While open government and accountability is important and vital, it is also important for members to be able to “think out loud;” to consider all ideas, and ultimately reject many of them. If every idea is recorded and broadcast, fewer ideas will come up for fear that an electorate will seize upon that statement and use it against a member politically, even if the idea is ultimately and rightly rejected.

    If we want to encourage thinking outside the box, broadcasting a brainstorm session is not the way to do it. This is why executive privilege exists, why (in part)lawyer-client communications are privileged, why not EVERY statement, every thought, of every counsel member ought to be broadcast. Certainly decisions and the rationales for them ought to be made in open meetings, and the decision-makers held accountable. But it does not necessarily make for good government to watch all the process.

    Remember the line about sausage?

    That said, I don’t live in Wichita, so what I think on this point really don’t matter, do it!

  9. sotheysaid
    Posted August 8, 2006 at 5:53 pm | Permalink

    If you can afford cable that is nice but not all of us can. I would be a lot better if they were on a local station for their meetings. They should also do at least one meeting a month in the evening so that the working people could attend.