ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” story. It is an editorial by the editor.
The dictionary on this computer defines backsliding as “relapse into bad ways or error.” I hereby accuse the Wayland City Council of doing just that.
In bygone days, too many council members were socializing in the back room, away from the public and council, chambers, just before regular meetings. Though I sincerely doubt they were discussing the public’s business behind closed doors, the appearance of impropriety can be worse than any potential offense.
To their credit, council members and city officials since 2012 stopped having their little soirees away from the public just before their meetings, at least only three of them were meeting at the same time, which is perfectly legal. But over time, in this case over seven years, they have somehow backslided into the back-slapping meet and greet affairs that the public cannot see or hear.
I counted no fewer than five council members guilty of this “offense” at Monday night’s meeting and though I don’t believe anyone was breaking the law, it made me uncomfortable enough to believe I need to write this.
We should not forget local history in that the seven Dorr Township Board members had to face a recall election in 2011 in which the official reason given was that at least four of them were meeting in the office before the regular sessions began. Once again, I sincerely doubt they were up to no good or even discussing township business, but it could be interpreted as violation of the Open Meetings Act.
Furthermore, after the recall failed, I caught at least two of the ringleaders taking part afterward in a pre-meeting meeting in the office, with at least two other public officials. In other words, they were guilty of doing the same thing for which they had attempted to recall previous officials.
It may be a pain in the posterior to be careful not to have a quorum in private, unannounced sessions, but the warning of the appearance of impropriety applies here again.
Please, publicly elected city, township and school officials — Don’t give your detractors something to complain about, even if you are as innocent as the driven snow. We need to keep the game clean.
With apologies to John Denver, “Sunshine, for your meetings, makes us happy.”
