Sunshine Law not license to dredge up a soap opera
This letter is written in response to your “Secrets and Surprises …” editorial in the Sunday, April 20, publication.
The County Commission’s Budget Committee did not discuss in private, nor orchestrate in secret, the termination of its budget director. The budget director’s performance and tenure was placed on the meeting agenda so that it could be discussed in public pursuant to the “Sunshine Law.” The Budget Committee did not withhold the agenda as you stated in your editorial; but gave it to the budget department in ample time for its normal publication on Friday afternoon, April 11, in preparation for the Tuesday, April 15, budget meeting.
I did not refuse to say why I recommended the budget director’s termination. On the contrary, I openly stated my reasons in front of the Budget Committee, county commissioners, and public.
In my industrial career, I, as a corporate executive, have also been dismissed from a large publicly traded corporation for the same reason that I stated at the budget meeting. There were no corporate board members demanding answers nor were there any irate stockholders. Much to my chagrin, my termination was tolerated very well.
I did complain in regard to having to discuss this issue in public, and I did apologize to the budget director and everyone who was forced to witness the public tenure discussion; not because of my arrogance but because I know from first-hand experience the embarrassment caused to the budget director and the public.
I know it is a necessary evil of management to have to take away a person’s source of income. It is the most difficult item you will ever have to do as a manager. It is more difficult and devastating for the person who must go through the process of self-examination and doubt after losing one’s position.
Throughout my industrial career, I have had “hiring and firing” authority. My boss(es) did not want to know all the mistakes and missteps my employees had and they certainly did not want me broadcasting them to the public to invite needless lawsuits. They placed me in a position of trust to do what was necessary without looking over my shoulder to “micro-manage” me.
The “Sunshine Law” is an open meetings law. It does not require the dredging of an official’s personnel file nor the potential defamation of a person’s character just to satisfy an insensitive media in their pursuit of a “soap-opera” story. It is interesting to note that the media can go to great lengths to hid the secrecy of their source from the public; however, they attempt to broaden and construe public information law at every convenience.
I would encourage each citizen to get more involved with knowing “what kind of person” your representatives are and what kind of issues they are reviewing by attending commission, committee and council meetings and visiting with your representatives. This method will ensure your trust and/or distrust of your representative, and you can vote accordingly in the next election.
I would not encourage you to rely on published “media” opinions whether or not they are under the “so-called” Freedom of Information Act, especially those designed to propagate additional profit motives.
Glen Hasse,
District 9 Maury County commissioner
Open mouth, insert foot
Whether we like it or not, most folks tend to form opinions based on what gets into the media. They also form opinions based on information that has been prevented from being in the media as well. One wonders why folks are trying to cover things up. And while I agree that attending council meetings would give someone a more “personal feel” for their representatives, the facts shouldn’t be blocked from the media due fear of a soap opera coming out of said facts. The truth is the truth and it shouldn’t be hidden under the guise of wanting to save someone’s character. Those who have chosen a public life have done so with the knowledge that they will be under a public microscope.
The city, county has been sued numerous times over various things…it’s time the city / county become an open book if we wanna save tax payer dollars in the long run! Let the reader decide if a soap opera exists!
Once all the facts emerge about this problem, you’ll see why all the secrecy. When things like this arise it seems like a conflict of interest to report everything. If you tell it all, you risk a lawsuit. If you don’t tell enough, it looks like a conspiracy. The proper way to handle this would have been to just say, you’ll see the facts in a few days. Also, the Herald is notoriously inflammatory about things that haven’t fully developed yet. There again, that goes back to media ethics, which I don’t think they quite understand. Either way, the situation was handled incorrectly on all sides…
Look at the history of the Maury County Commission to see what’s true.
When the last budget director had an issue with the county mayor, the budget committee met the county mayor in secret. They would have met with the budget director in secret had the meeting not been discovered by the media.
The County Commission has been against a move in the General Assembly to broaden the Sunshine Law. They passed a resolution to that effect. Why? Because they want to conduct business just as private companies do –IN SECRET! Mr. Hasse uses the corporate metaphor because he believes the county’s business should be done just as a private enterprise. That’s what they all think down there. They believe the GOVERNMENT IS THEIR LITTLE KINGDOM.
Why does King Primm act the way he does? Why does he refuse to answer questions? Why does he refuse to explain his positions? Why does he refuse to discuss actions with other commissioners and tell them not to discuss them, too? Because he’s THE KING!
Voters need to teach them it isn’t their kingdom and Primm isn’t the king!