Sometimes, it may seem mundane what occurs and what gets reported out of any number of meetings. But sometimes little things add up. As one politician once infamously offered, “A million dollars here, a million dollars there and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.”

But it’s not just spending that merits attention. How business is conducted is just as important.

For instance, we can look back at last year’s city council meeting where two items not previously on the agenda and not voted on to be included on the agenda and two items were of significant impact and importance to the community.

When our elected officials are doing the people’s business, it is incumbent upon them to let the citizenry know just what business they intend to conduct. 

When the governments and elected bodies act in an open and honest manner, it engenders trust in the people who put them there in the first place. Our laws hold that those officials can discuss matters of personnel, property and pending litigation behind closed doors. It isn’t an open invitation to discuss all matters under the sun outside of earshot. We’re not saying that happens here, but has been known to happen elsewhere and it’s also quite tempting to discuss matters in those executive sessions that should be aired in more public venues. 

Without sunshine efforts, think of all the things that would have continue to transpire at the state level. Even in a big city like Atlanta, the previous administration’s capricious attitude toward Sunshine laws has led to some unsavory outcomes. 

A unabashed thumbing of the nose at the state’s Open Records Act has former City of Atlanta communications director Jenna Garland facing criminal citations in Fulton County State Court. According to her subordinates, she instructed them to delay releasing property requested information as long as possible and then to put it in the most confusing format possible.

As state Attorney General Chris Carr told WSB-TV, “the law needs to mean something.”

The devil is in the details, the old adage goes. The City of Atlanta got into trouble because someone asked about water bills. And it’s why sometimes even the most trivial of information shouldn’t be withheld 

A government, no matter the size of the populace for which it is responsible, of the people and by the people should always be responsible to the people. To that end, open records and open meetings standards must be held high and must be followed.