Who’s Infringing upon Whom?

May 21st, 2008 at 05:22pm Audrey Haynes

Yesterday I was so distracted by those pretty pink pistols I forgot I don’t vote for Winnebago Board members. I live in Ogle County. And I’m telling you, we need a shakeup in THAT group.

I won’t even START a rant on the courthouse issue; others are taking on that battle. But while one little gem of a decision the Ogle County board made a couple of months ago escaped the public’s attention, it’s still gnawing at me.

According to the official minutes from the March 18 board meeting, board chairman Ed Rice told the group, “Some members of the County Board have felt infringed upon when they are being recorded and not knowing they are being recorded.”

Well, cry me a river. Poor, elected, accountable-to-the-public officials. They shouldn’t have to worry about what they say at a PUBLIC MEETING, should they? I mean, what if they something stupid, something they really MEAN? We can’t have THAT on tape now, can we? (And besides, how does one decide he or she is being infringed upon, anyway? Do they mean they feel their rights are being infringed upon? )

So, rather than deciding among themselves that they should, for example, think before they speak, they decided they will require anyone wanting to record one of their meetings to ask and get permission from the Almighty Chairman before starting to record. Nevermind that the LAW –a/k/a the Illinois Open Meetings Act–states: “any person may record the proceedings at meetings required to be open by this Act by tape, film or other means.” 5 ILCS 120/2.05.
Here are the members who voted in favor of this ridiculous resolution: White, Bowers, Colbert, Diehl, Gronewald, Hopkins, Horner, Huntley, Kenney, Nye, Scholl, Stahl, Swanson and Rice.

Ogle county voters: remember their names when you see them on your ballot.

Audrey Haynes

Entry Filed under: Illinois Open Meeting Act, Ogle County Board