Editorial Roundup: Indiana

KPC News. Aug. 22, 2021. Editorial: Keep public participation civil For the first time in a long time, the public is taking an interest in government meetings. That’s a positive development, although the result hasn’t always been so positive in practice. Government boards are required to meet in public meetings in accordance with Indiana’s Open Door Law. This gives any member of the public the opportunity to sit in and observe. Usually that’s a right that’s not exercised, as often the only member of the public at many local meetings is a journalist, like the many reporters from KPC Media Group covering the happenings in your communities. People generally only show up when they’re upset about something happening in their county/city/town/school, which has been the case recently as citizens have wanted to take the opportunity to weigh in on topics ranging from COVID-19 to school curriculum. Many of the people showing up to public meetings to speak do so with decorum, calmly and respectfully expressing their questions, concerns and opinions to elected officials. But many is not all, and, increasingly both locally and nationally, some have chosen to come to public meetings to shout, scream and be otherwise disruptive of the process. Passions can run high, but speakers should remember that elected officials serving on city councils or school boards are their neighbors, people who have stepped up to try to serve in the best interest of their community. Certainly members of the public would not enjoy it if elected officials stood there screaming at them, so it puzzles why people think it’s OK when the roles are reversed. While the opportunity to attend and observe public meetings is a right, the opportunity to speak is not. Open Door Law does not require that a government agency allow public comment. Public comment periods at meetings are a privilege afforded to the community. Make no mistake – we do not suggest that any government agency withdraw public comment. Comment periods at meetings are one of the best opportunities for citizens to communicate with their elected leaders directly and that opportunity should not be curtailed or eliminated because they don’t want to hear criticism from their constituents. But, technically, they don’t have to. And, if members of the public choose to be disruptive, unruly and/or abusive, we suspect more might choose not to. The simplest course of action is to, therefore, approach public comment with civility. Know and abide by the guidelines boards have set up for taking comment. Be respectful. Make a point and allow others to make theirs. If you feel your concerns have not been addressed, you can always return to speak again at another meeting, or to seek out a separate audience with officials who can discuss concerns in more depth. And our newspapers welcome letters to the editor on topics of local interest. Ultimately, if you feel your current representatives don’t represent your interests or those of the community, consider running for office yourself. Elections allowing the public to choose their leaders are the cornerstone of a representative democracy. ___ Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Aug. 22, 2021. Editorial: A continuing upward trend: Census figures show area’s impressive decade of growth – and challenges lying ahead A decade ago, we learned from newly released census data that Fort Wayne and its metropolitan area grew while rural areas stagnated. Republican lawmakers, eager to maintain their Statehouse majority, set quickly to work redrawing Indiana’s electoral lines while Democrats worried about gerrymandering. The more things change, the more they stay the same.