Committee eyes improvements to making local govt more accessible

Related links
* Nelson addresses commissioners in February

* Open Meetings Act

* Maryland Public Information Act

Nelson's goals
Cumberland resident Marc Nelson Jr. goals for the committee include, among other things:

- Get county government to post and distribute its agenda several days in advance rather than only two;

- Have county government provide agenda-related documents to the public and online before the meeting (much like the Allegany County Board of Education currently practices).

- Become proactive in providing information and documents to the public, rather than sluggish and seemingly reluctant.

- Develop a method which promotes accountability of and fosters cooperation from county staff in responding to Public Information Act requests.

Committee eyeing improvements
to open government to meet May 4
* 5:30 p.m. at County Office Building on Kelly Road

By Kevin Spradlin
PhDispatch.com
MOUNT SAVAGE, April 30 -- In February 2009, Cumberland resident Marc Nelson Jr. traveled to Annapolis to videotape a meeting of all four members of the District 1 legislative delegation.

The lawmakers intended to discuss during the meeting, conducted in Senator George Edwards's office, the commissioners' opposition to proposed legislation that would extend the period of time in which Allegany County residents have to petition code home rule bills. It was a spin-off from the county commissioners' controversial transfer of road patrol duties to the newly expanded Bureau of Police from the Sheriff's Office.

From the start, Delegate LeRoy Myers Jr. objected to the videotaping. Myers, who had received private legal counsel on the matter, asked Nelson to leave. When Nelson refused, Myers walked out of the meeting. Delegate Wendell Beitzel followed and Edwards, as delegation chair, adjourned the meeting due to a lack of a quorum.

Nelson thought Myers's blanket prohibition on videotaping violated the state's Open Meetings Act. Within just a few days, it was determined he was right. Myers later apologized to Nelson.

On Wednesday, Nelson takes the first official step in hoping Allegany County elected officials become more knowledgeable and more proactive in being open and accessible to the public. A new group formed in an effort to improve communication between Allegany County government officials and the public is set to meet for the first time on Wednesday.

Nelson, who approached the county commissioners with the goal of improving the cooperation of public officials, is on the committee, as well as: Stu Czapski, of the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce; Matt Shipway, operator of the online forum Cumberland Chat; Dan Williams, of the Mount Savage Water Company; and Allegany County Commissioner Mike McKay.

Only his own name, as well as Shipway's, were on a list submitted by Nelson to the commissioners for consideration. However, McKay and fellow commissioners Bill Valentine and Creade Brodie Jr. announced the committee members on Thursday during a public works session.

Nelson said he was originally looking for people who simply "took an interest" in following local government. Shipway, Nelson said, "has done more than anyone else in the county as far as getting input from the public. A lot of people express their opinions there."

While expressing surprise that McKay opted to be on the committee rather than simply attend meetings, Nelson said that could later become advantageous to the goals of the committee.

"It's hard to ignore the recommendation of the committee if they're coming from one of the commissioners," Nelson said. "So, that's good."

Nelson was raised in Baltimore and always had an interest in state government. It wasn't until he moved to Allegany County in early 2008 that he started following the impact of - and access to - local government.

"I was used to opening up the paper and reading what this guy said, what this guy said ... When I started paying attention to local government, I found out there was a lot you didn't know and couldn't know."

Nelson cited the county police controversy as an example.

The process of that transition occurred "entirely outside the public's view," Nelson said. "All the sudden, it was there. Nobody knew what was going on or why."

When newly elected Allegany County Sheriff Craig Robertson appointed a five-member committee in December to advise on the transition back to a single county police force, Nelson felt those meetings should be open to the public. That position was refuted by the county. The committee met in closed session from January through March.