Guest Editorial of March 14, 2024 by Patty MacLeish

Let There Be Light!

National Sunshine Week is held annually in March to remind citizens of the importance of open government. This year, Sunshine Week is March 10-16. For its part, the League of Women Voters of the Cooperstown Area has been shining light on local government since spring 2023, when it reinstated its Observer Corps after a hiatus of several decades.

The Observer Corps are members of the LWV who attend local governmental meetings, note what happens at the meeting, and report back to the League Board. To date, the LWVCA has Observers attending meetings of the Cooperstown School District; the Cherry Valley-Springfield School District; the Village of Cooperstown Board of Trustees; the town boards of Middlefield, Otsego, and Hartwick; the Watershed Supervisory Committee; and the Otsego County Board.

Observers record what happens and make notes on a set list of items: Which members are present? Were the members prepared? Was the agenda available prior to the meeting? Are acronyms explained? The forms the LWVCA uses have been shared with the governmental board being observed. League observers do only that—observe and report the process and actions taken at a particular meeting. They do not speak at the meetings for themselves or for the League.

Observers help ensure that the issues facing our community are being handled in the open —“in the sunshine”—and that there is transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement that supports good government. The Observers have noted that municipalities use their websites to communicate with citizens. Agendas, minutes, and meeting recordings are by and large available to the local citizenry before and after the actual meeting. Citizens have opportunities to speak at meetings at prescribed times and, through the various websites, the business of the boards is available to all.

I have been observing the meetings of the Village of Cooperstown Board of Trustees since June 2023.

One thing that really strikes me is that the board members all put in a lot of work. The monthly meeting is only a part of what board members do. On the Village Board, each member has at least two other committee meetings to attend and to file reports about. In the case of the Village of Cooperstown, it’s especially impressive as they do not receive compensation.

Sunshine Week, held the week of James Madison’s birthday (March 16), is a nationwide effort to open up dialogue on the importance of transparency in government and freedom of information. According to SunshineWeek.org, Madison—the fourth president of the United States—was a driving force behind the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and presented the first version of the Bill of Rights to Congress. During this week, the League of Women Voters and other “good government” groups encourage citizens to play an active role in promoting open government at all levels.

The national LWV writes: “Journalists, civic groups, libraries, schools, and others interested in the public’s right to know have banded together to help promote this nonpartisan effort to enlighten and empower individuals to play an active role in their government at all levels, and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger. The Sunshine Week initiative originated from the work of several newspapers, and it has grown, in large part, because of the media’s continued support.”

Attending governmental board meetings is a great way to get to know your community and it’s important for citizens to see their government in action. The presence of an Observer Corps member and other local citizens assure that “the sun shines in” on local governments. Any member of the community can attend local government board meetings.

If you would like to join the League and become a member of the Observer Corps, e-mail president@LWVCooperstownArea.org.