Sunday, March 14, 2010
Learn your rights -- and use them
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Today marks the beginning of Sunshine Week, a celebration of open government, the importance of public information to a lively and active democracy, and the role of the Freedom of Information Act in guaranteeing citizens' access to government documents.
While an annual celebration and recognition of progress is important, it should also be a time to recognize that there is still a long way to go before governments learn to function in the open. Sunshine Week is only one week of the 52 weeks each year in which freedom of information and public participation must be exercised in order to keep them healthy.
In 2008, I began exercising my own open-government muscles in Christiansburg when I had questions about a developer's request to locate a townhouse development in the core area of the Cambria historic district.
After having problems finding information on past conditional-use requests and basic town documents, I requested copies of the town code, the charter, the comprehensive plan and the minutes and agendas from town council and the planning commission. I was interested in how the town had handled such requests in the past and whether the requests were in line with the comprehensive plan and the zoning ordinance.
As I looked into FOIA and learned more about open government and public information, I decided to post all of the information I received online. The town had charged me $1,200 for the documents, and I thought I would share freely, even if the town would not. At the time, comprehensive plans and town and county codes were posted on most of the surrounding jurisdictions' Web sites, but not on Christiansburg's.
Now, nearly two years later, I'm still waiting for some of the documents I requested. The collection of papers I received from the town included multiple copies of some documents but left gaps between others. Since I started this adventure, the town has launched a new Web site, and some of the missing documents are now available there.
Prior to starting myvaresources.com, I had never built a Web site, never used a scanner and, to be honest, rarely had paid attention to or been involved in local government. Sure, I paid attention to national races, but local government hadn't really been on my radar screen. I doubt my experience was all that much different than most people's.
As I read through the town materials, though, I started blogging and further researching the issues I found.
In July 2008, I began audio recording both the planning commission and town council meetings and posting them on my Web site. I realized, as I attended meetings, that many people couldn't attend because of conflicting work hours, the inability to physically make it to the meetings or a reluctance to come out to a meeting at night.
In response to a number of blog readers and older friends who said they wished they could see who was speaking, I started video recording in January 2009.
I knew nothing about audio or video recordings when I started, but, as with the Web site, I learned. Now, in 2010, I track some state information as well.
Despite occasional bouts of exhaustion, a symptom of lupus, I have missed very few meetings in the past two years. While I may not be able to do this forever, I feel even more strongly now than when I started that citizens should, for the health of our democracy, have full access to public documents, whether at the local, state or federal level.
Who knows where I'll go from here, but a moment of curiosity two years ago has grown into a passion for open government and a firm belief that we all need to pay more attention. Democracy and the efficacy of government is, after all, ultimately our responsibility.
Every citizen of Virginia has the right to access public documents. Unfortunately, FOIA often falls victim to partisan politics. As changes in elected officials occur, you can count on new limits or expansions in FOIA to develop as well. It is important to make sure FOIA remains a viable tool for citizens and the media if people are to be kept informed and have an open and responsive government.
Local newspapers like this one, the Virginia Coalition for Open Government and the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council are great watchdogs over our FOIA rights, but each of us individually can help. Learn about your rights under FOIA and use them.
Carl Lindstrom, of Christiansburg, won the Virginia Coalition for Open Government's 2009 Laurence E. Richardson award for individual citizen contributions to open government.
