The road to better community involvement

By Kevin Lee and Carrie Lee Freeport

Dear, Editor.

We are hopeful.

Over two years ago, the Winneshiek supervisor board meetings were attended by very few folks. Today the house was packed to overflow. Not only attendance is huge compared, but online viewers are very numerous.

The majority of three supervisors have three or four times voted against recording the meetings officially as a county and were opposed to enhancement of sound and availability of recordings.

Volunteers have stepped up and done a stellar job of recording and posting the complete meetings on YouTube that can be viewed at will!

There was trouble with the gallery hearing the spoken word around the board table. Three of the supervisors tried to stifle a better audio system in the annex. Luckily, a statute had a directive to make sure even the hard of hearing can clearly hear the board.

Scaled up transparency of the board of supervisors exposes the inner workings and even potential violations of process from happening. In short, it may increase the voter’s capacity to vote with knowledge of the incumbent good or bad.

The board of supervisors has been held to an elevated standard with many folks being able to view the meetings. One of the supervisors has even accomplished accreditations and enhanced their professionalism to be specific to a county leader/supervisor.

Shirley Vermace is the only Certified County Supervisor in Winneshiek County, a certification awarded by the Iowa State Association of Counties and have two certificates from the National Association of Counties from their Professional Leadership Academy for two 13-week classes completed.

Good local government is transparent. We may be on the road to better community involvement in the decisions made every week in Courthouse Square.

Thanks,

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