Small Town News

Open process was a model for all

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School board members chose an honorable and prudent path that culminated last week in a completely transparent decision on the choice of a site to try to build a new school. And they provided a model that other local governments would do well to emulate when the time comes.

When faced with a controversial public decision, the natural, human inclination is to take cover -- a choice that leaders of many city councils, school boards and other public agencies often make, hiding behind process and closing their doors.

It's a choice that not only is often illegal -- our state's laws require open decisions and meetings -- it always raises suspicions, warranted or not.

But last Wednesday, the members of the Grand Coulee Dam School District Board of Directors in open public meeting tallied their preferences, painstakingly listing their reasoning against the list of criteria for choosing one of two remaining possible sites. This special meeting took place after weeks of open debate among caring community members, many public meetings, hundreds of comments on surveys and numerous commentaries in this newspaper.

If the school board had simply done what someone suggested and members had just emailed their preferences to the superintendent, (which would have constituted an illegal secret vote) the embers of suspicion would have been fanned in the community, which could easily have led to burning the whole process to the ground.

Instead, by choosing the open path, the school board ensured that everyone's concerns could be heard and considered. If you're someone who wants a certain outcome, just knowing that five reasonable people honestly listened, considered and decided makes even a decision you don't like easier to accept.

The process the school board chose to follow should provide the model for any government organization faced with a controversial decision.

-- Scott Hunter editor and publisher



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© 2010 The Star Grand Coulee, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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