The commissioners did not answer yesterday's question about how to define success for harm reduction policies. Here is today's question:
Dear Commissioners,
There’s a growing perception in this county that when residents send thoughtful, substantive emails—especially on issues involving legal rights or policy concerns—they either receive no response at all or get a defensive reply that doesn’t actually address the question, and then the conversation simply stops. Whether that perception is fair or not, it’s out there, and it’s eroding trust. What specific steps are you taking to ensure that citizen emails are answered directly, respectfully, and with follow-through, rather than dismissed or allowed to fade away once the initial reply is sent?
Privacy without accountability breeds distrust; accountability without privacy breeds fear. Good governance requires both—clearly defined, lawfully applied, and publicly understood.
Wonderful article, thank you for bringing us to light. I can only pray that our CC commissioners will listen and implement the safeguards afforded to us and make the proper changes.
The commissioners did not answer yesterday's question about how to define success for harm reduction policies. Here is today's question:
Dear Commissioners,
There’s a growing perception in this county that when residents send thoughtful, substantive emails—especially on issues involving legal rights or policy concerns—they either receive no response at all or get a defensive reply that doesn’t actually address the question, and then the conversation simply stops. Whether that perception is fair or not, it’s out there, and it’s eroding trust. What specific steps are you taking to ensure that citizen emails are answered directly, respectfully, and with follow-through, rather than dismissed or allowed to fade away once the initial reply is sent?
Good Governance Daily Proverb
Privacy without accountability breeds distrust; accountability without privacy breeds fear. Good governance requires both—clearly defined, lawfully applied, and publicly understood.
Good Governance Test
When privacy is invoked, a well-governed body should be able to answer:
1. What specific statute authorizes this confidentiality?
2. Is the scope limited to what the law requires?
3. Can we release aggregate or redacted information instead?
4. Have we explained this clearly to the public?
If those answers are transparent, privacy enhances legitimacy.
If those answers are vague, privacy appears as concealment.
Wonderful article, thank you for bringing us to light. I can only pray that our CC commissioners will listen and implement the safeguards afforded to us and make the proper changes.