Open Stewardship at Work
Over the past several weeks, there has been discussion on social media about transparency in government. I certainly understand that people will not always agree with every decision, which is part of representative government. But disagreement and a lack of transparency are two hugely different things.
Since taking office, we have worked to follow a simple philosophy that called Open Stewardship. The idea is straightforward: county government belongs to the people, and the people should have opportunities to know what we are doing, ask questions, voice concerns, and receive answers.
One way we do that is through regular open office hours. Most weeks, my office is open specifically for citizens to visit with me on Monday afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00 and Friday mornings from 9:00 until noon. No elaborate process is necessary. If you have a concern about county government, a question about something we are doing, or simply want to visit, the door is open.
Communication shouldn’t stop at the courthouse door, however. Each week, I use this newspaper column to discuss issues facing Milam County. I also spend time regularly each Wednesday morning on local radio discussing county business and answering questions. We use social media and other avenues as well. The goal isn’t to convince everyone to agree with us, it is to give people information so they can reach their own conclusions.
The most visible part of Open Stewardship has been our town halls. Upon taking office, we committed to holding at least one town hall each quarter and at least one in every Commissioners Precinct each year. In reality, we have far exceeded that commitment. During our first four years, we have held 50 town halls across Milam County. Those meetings provide an opportunity for people to hear directly from county officials and, more importantly, to ask questions directly of us.
We have also expanded that philosophy to major development. Milam County is experiencing significant interest from developers, and residents understandably want to know what may be coming into their communities. That is why we now require developers seeking development agreements with the county to meet with the public through town halls or open houses before those agreements move forward for consideration.
Developers should be willing to stand in front of the people who will live near their projects, explain what they intend to build, answer questions, and listen to concerns. County government should not substitute itself for that conversation.
Transparency does not mean everyone will agree with every decision. It doesn’t mean that every rumor on social media is accurate, nor does it mean government officials are beyond criticism. Quite the opposite. Public officials should expect questions and be prepared to answer them. What transparency should mean is access.
Open office hours. Weekly newspaper articles. Radio discussions. Public meetings. Town halls throughout the county. And requiring major developers to meet directly with the communities they hope to join. We can always improve, and when there are ways to make county government more accessible, I want to hear them. But our commitment remains simple: An open door, Open information, Open conversation, and Open Stewardship of the county we all call home.
