By Tom Grote, Editor and Publisher The Star-News
About 60 people attend the second Idahoans for Openness in Government seminar on open meetings and public records held on Nov. 12 at The Holiday Inn Express – The Hunt Lodge in McCall.
The crowd included representatives from more than two dozen government agencies, boards and commissioners, plus a dozen elected officials and members of the general public.
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden led the session and gave a strong endorsement to the concept of open meetings and public records. His statements were backed up by Deputy Attorney General Bill von Tagen, who gave a PowerPoint presentation on both the Idaho Open Meetings Law and the Idaho Public Records Law.
For emphasis, role-playing was done between Bob Cooper, communications director for the attorney general’s office, and Idaho Falls Post-Register Editor Dean Miller. The two, with assistance from volunteers in the audience, acted out hypothetical situations between
reporters, clerks and public officials. Whenever a violation would occur, Wasden would call “Time Out!” and explain the violation. Those attending asked a wide range of practical questions and several stayed after the meeting to ask more questions one-on-one of the participants.
The room and refreshments were sponsored by The Star-News of McCall. The Star-News Publisher Tom Grote, who is also an IDOG board member, was in charge of invitations and provided free public service announcements in his newspaper.
