Acting on a request from their chairman, Hamilton County commissioners agreed Wednesday morning to start posting the commission's agendas on their website.
Chairman Randy Fairbanks noted that most people can only see what's on commissioners' plates if they come to the commission on Wednesday and pick up a printed copy. That's a high hurdle for working people, he said. Giving people an option to view the agenda online would mean they could possibly arrange to be present if there's a vote on something important to them.
"The public needs to understand our process," he said. "There's just a small window from the time the agenda is ready and we talk about it."
The commission holds its agenda and voting sessions on alternate Wednesdays, so the public has a week to ask questions before commissioners vote. Commissioners get access to the agendas on an internal website on Tuesday afternoon.
County Mayor Jim Coppinger said staff can arrange to post the agendas but the process is for commissioners to get them first so they can answer the public's questions.
Commissioner Greg Beck noted that most commission votes are routine authorizations for previously budgeted spending. He noted there's a notice process for potentially controversial items such as zoning.
"Most of this is housecleaning. To disturb that would be a lot of trouble for nothing, because things are running very smoothly as they are," he said.
Commissioner Jim Fields said posting the agendas make sense, but he and Beck also noted that commission rules allow the public to comment from the floor on voting day.
Still, he said, "It seems posting on the web would be simple; I don't see any downside to it."
Commissioners Joe Graham and Sabrena Smedley both spoke up for greater transparency. Smedley acknowledged that the public often doesn't fully understand commission procedures.
"I hope most of us are having community meetings or forums and reaching out for feedback, that's something I value," she said. But "anything we can do as a body to show the taxpayers and our constituents we are being as transparent as possible I would greatly support."
Coppinger said his staff would start next week posting the agendas online after the morning agenda session concludes.
Contact staff writer Judy Walton at jwalton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416.