‘Polling’ bad option for Quitman commissioners

By Patrick Johnston

Published: April 14, 2009 in the Eufala Tribune

A Quitman County commissioner half-jokingly asked us last week to give the county some positive press.

That’s not hard to do. There’s a lot going on for Eufaula’s neighbors to the east – from a new high school that will open this summer to a planned marina that would positively affect this rural Georgia county for decades. And we certainly cannot forget about EMS coverage which should begin in a matter of weeks. It’s not coincidental that so much good news is happening in such a small county. We commend residents and elected officials, from Sheriff Steve Newton to the county commission, for their hard work. Quitman County has a bright future.

However, our job at The Tribune is not just to report good news. We’re to report all of the news, and also to address concerns as warranted.

One such concern regards last week’s commission work session. Commissioners were discussing the county’s purchasing policy with Sheriff Newton in reference to a financial request he made last month. Newton needed several thousand dollars to finalize the purchase of a drug dog for the county. He needed the money by a certain time, or else a deputy who was in Arkansas training with the dog would not have been able to return home with the animal.

Newton attempted to contact County Manager Larry Clark and Commission Chairman Richard Morris to receive approval for the money. However, the sheriff had to wait until commissioners met again before formal approval was given. Newton was not happy with the delay.

We understand why he was upset, especially since his department was working on a tight deadline. However, commissioners were OK in following protocol and waiting to vote on Newton’s request at the March meeting.

But Morris said something at this week’s meeting that concerned us. He told Newton that if a similar circumstance occurs in the future, he could call commissioners and “poll” them instead. A formal vote would then take place at a following meeting.

Morris said that was allowable in emergency situations. However, we don’t think Newton’s request qualifies as an emergency situation. We also don’t think phone polling is a viable option.
We’re not alone.

“‘Polling’ members of a public agency circumvents Georgia’s open meetings law,” stated Hollie Manheimer, Executive Director of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation, in an e-mail to The Tribune. “The law mandates public meetings on most public business and mandates that votes are to be taken in public.”

Emergency meetings can be called if needed in very narrow circumstances. Quitman County, like most other counties and municipalities, have called those type of meetings before. But those meetings should be limited. And phone polling is certainly not a good option.

To their credit, Quitman County’s commissioners have been open to residents’ concerns and requests. We’ve attended many meetings where residents have voiced their concerns and disapproval with commissioners. We’re willing to believe that commissioners want to run an honest and open government. Phone polling – outside of the public’s eye – is not one way to do that. As we’ve stated before, sunshine is the best disinfectant. Commissioners would do well to let the sun continue shining.

Read more editorials, columns and letters to the editor in the midweek edition of The Tribune avaliable Tuesday, April 14.