How does Jeff Gahan score using these "5 Best Practices for Open Local Government"?

"Open government"?

"Culture of transparency"?

"ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS AS OPEN AS POSSIBLE"?

Deep within the bowels of the mayor's down-low bunker, they'd be laughing at these open government practices, emanating three or more years ago from the state of Utah.

But they're not giggling, because they're entirely unaware that notions like these even exist -- and that's why they need to be sent packing.

Photo credit: The article.

5 Best Practices for Open Local Government, by Noelle Knell (Government Technology; April 6, 2012)

1. Local governments should establish a dedicated open government webpage, providing a searchable repository for all public information, accessible in three clicks or less.

2. Online information needs to be collected, generated and maintained in a digital form and made available on the open government webpage in a timely way.

3. All electronic communications made with government supplied equipment, including emails and instant messages, should be considered public records.

4. Elected officials and senior administrators should post their schedules publicly, maintain open settings on social networking sites and commit to a culture of transparency.

5. Governmental bodies should make all public meetings as open as possible by posting agendas and meeting materials in advance, streaming live meeting audio or video, posting recordings within 48 hours and allowing remote participation.

The Tribune on open doors and "Resources for Results."

Today the Tribune jumps in with both feet:

Committee considers New Albany-Floyd County school closures

Here's an extended excerpt from the beginning of the article, which I'm assuming was written by Tara Hettinger.

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Resources for Results to give recommendations to NA-FC board in the fall

(NO ACCESS BEYOND THIS POINT ... The Evening News and Tribune attempted to go to the latest Resources for Results meeting Monday. However, New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. Superintendent Dennis Brooks escorted a reporter out, saying the meeting was not open to the public. He said since the committee was created by him, the open-meetings law, which requires them to be open to the public, does not apply. When a reporter was escorted from the meeting, Brooks said that the minutes were public and available in his office. As of press time, the minutes had not been provided to the paper. Dave Rarick, director of communications for the corporation, said the minutes may soon become public. If so, they will be on the corporation’s Web site, which is www.nafcs.k12.in.us. An inquiry has been made by The Tribune to the Hoosier State Press Legal Association about access to future meetings.)

Secretive. Covert. Sneaky.Those three words have reverberated within many parents and residents living near Silver Street Elementary School — one of the schools being considered by a committee for closure.

That committee, Resources for Results, was started in May 2006 by Superintendent of New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. Dennis Brooks. He said he asked school employees, current and retired, school board members, parents and other community members to dedicate their time for about two years to look into ways to better use the resources the school system has.