Editorials

Editorial: Public deserves a spot on Bentonville City Council agendas

Public deserves a spot on City Council agenda

Bentonville Mayor Bob McCaslin, by all accounts, runs an efficient city government. He's been known to remind people he's a retired businessman, not a politician. Of course, he's both, but he clearly wants municipal government to operate with all the efficiency of the business world from which he came.

Unlike many communities, Bentonville's City Council meetings often adjourn 20 or 30 minutes after they start, and that includes the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

Bentonville’s City Council meetings should be a place where the public feels welcomed and where they can play a role in engaging the elected decision-makers of their community.

For Bentonville residents, the silence has lasted much longer than a moment. It is extraordinarily rare for the public to speak at any City Council meeting. Is that because nobody's interested in what city government is doing? We doubt that. Remember, an eight-seat City Council last year had 19 candidates who filed for election. It seems there's a lot of interest. And why not, with the amazing developments and changing atmosphere from a small town to a bustling city. This is no longer the humble little town where Sam Walton opened a 5 & Dime store on the square. It's the city where the world-class Crystal Bridges of American Art draws visitors from all over the world and a retail behemoth oversees its massive collection of stores around the globe.

If there's one thing we've learned about municipal and county government over the years, it's that involving the public is often just the opposite of efficient. It can get downright messy at times, and it does little to speed up the gears of getting things done. But it should never be avoided.

Ward 3 Alderman Bill Burckart says it's time for a change. A new City Council took office earlier this month with a healthy mix of established aldermen and newcomers. A number of candidates in last fall's election suggested it was time for new ideas in Bentonville, a town that has as much potential for explosive growth as any in Arkansas. Fresh ideas certainly should be welcomed.

It makes sense, at the start of a City Council's term, to work out the details of how it will approach the important job of governance. That involves the City Council as much as it does the mayor. So Burckart suggested a radical idea -- give the public an opportunity to speak up at each City Council meeting.

We're sure the mayor means no harm by it, but he sounded a little perturbed at any insinuation the public was being ignored. "In eight years, no one has ever been denied (the ability) to address the council," McCaslin told aldermen.

There is a big difference in "not being denied" and being "invited," and we believe the taxpayers who support local government ought to always feel invited to the discussion. City council meetings in every city are the primary public venue in which city residents can petition their government for action. Sure, residents can speak to the mayor or individual aldermen one on one, and we recommend they do that. And if we want to talk efficiency, sometimes stepping before the full City Council is the most effective way to clearly communicate a message to all eight aldermen and the mayor.

There is no public-minded reason to resist giving the public a place in the regular meetings of the city's governing body. Burckart suggested, and other aldermen supported, adding time for the public to address the City Council. Some suggested a public comment period at the start of each meeting. We applaud the idea.

We also encourage all governing bodies to give the public a chance to speak before a final vote on matters of public policy. Feedback from the public should not be viewed as a barrier to efficient government. Rather, it should be embraced as good government, even if it takes a few extra minutes.

Public officials can never go wrong -- at least in terms of serving the public -- by supporting mechanisms for the people to address the decision-makers they've elected.

Commentary on 01/31/2015

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