Accessibility vital during order to stay at home
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee issued an executive order last Friday, giving much-needed relief and guidance on how governing bodies may conduct meetings electronically in light of a need to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The order contained several key provisions TCOG sought, including governing bodies be allowed to conduct “essential business,” make reasonable efforts to provide live electronic access to the public and provide the public with better notice of the meeting agenda and how the public can access the meeting. This order lasts eight weeks, expiring May 18.
At all times, but most especially during times of crisis, trust and credibility are the government’s most precious assets.
Now is the time for governing bodies to implement available technology as quickly as possible to allow live access and public participation in meetings.
Now is also the time for governing bodies to post agendas of upcoming meetings on their website, with links to board packet information.
Some governing bodies in Tennessee post agendas to their website now; several do not. These notices of meetings and agendas need to be available in a public place in enough time before the meeting so citizens have a chance to see it.
If a government does not have a website, the answer is simple. They should create one or find a partner who will post such information on a website for them. They also should take active steps to publicly advertise their meetings.
Instead of asking what is the least required in sharing information with the public, approach it another way:
What is the most that can be done?
Governing bodies with less of a transparency culture need to learn quickly
The Governor’s Executive Order No. 16 covers all governing bodies in Tennessee, from the smallest to the largest, the most rural to the most urban.
Those that already have a culture of providing enhanced access to meetings will easily make the leap to electronic meetings that allow full participation by the public.
If you live in a community where electronic access to public meetings is not good over the next few weeks, reach out to your governing body to see what you can do to help. Let them know there are tools available. Advocate for quick adoption.
Government shouldn’t take up business that can be reasonably delayed. Just as citizens are being asked to defer non-essential business, so should governing bodies.
The governor’s order allowing electronic meetings acknowledges that governing bodies must continue to carry out “essential functions, including, but not limited to, considering annual budgets or special budgetary items in response to COVID-19 or measures providing regulatory flexibility or other means to treat and contain COVID-19.”
Much of their business in the next few weeks will be of high interest to many members of the public, including individuals and businesses. For all other business — now is not the time to take advantage of the public’s inability to attend and participate at public meetings if those decisions can reasonably be postponed.
Deborah Fisher is Executive Director of Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.