Newspaper project focuses on Iowans' attitudes about open government

Other stories in this report:

Public information board proposal to get full airing

Despite attention to openness, problems exist

Iowans in poll favor more effort into providing access

Fight over Riverdale security video ends with payout

Last year the North Liberty City Council was working on a policy for dealing with open records that included in an early draft the following:

“By providing the requested information, the City cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any specific information provided in response to an open records request, nor the appropriateness of the context in which it is used.”

The section was removed; a good thing if you think a city should keep and distribute accurate and complete records. A few other portions in the draft were removed, too, after the city took input from the state ombudsman's office and also from Lori Lindner, editor of the North Liberty Leader, who raised concerns with city officials about the policy's initial draft.

Keeping all city attorney communications secret was changed to the more practical -- and legal -- city attorney communications that are protected by state or federal law. Requiring an appointment to exam public records was changed to the more flexible: needing adequate notice.

The goal for the policy that eventually was adopted in late July, North Liberty's city attorney, Scott Peterson, said, was having something that was sound and practical for keeping the city fully consistent with Iowa's open records law.

The episode is an example of how city councils and the citizens they serve wrestle sometimes with having transparent government. It also is an example of how a local newspaper was able to serve its traditional watchdog role and help government be more effective.

The Gazette and several other newspapers across the state have produced several stories on how Iowans view openness in their government. Mock surprise -- Iowans favor openness. But beyond that obvious conclusion, a survey conducted by the Iowa Freedom of Information Council reveals that Iowans embrace the notion of openness on their own, and don't think it is just a matter involving journalists.

The news organizations involved in the special report, running in several daily papers on Sunday, Jan. 29, but also available to weekly newspapers that want to run any portion of it, are the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, Iowa Newspaper Association and the following newspapers: The Gazette, Burlington Hawk-Eye, Des Moines Register, Dubuque Telegraph-Herald and Lee Enterprises' Mason City Globe-Gazette, Muscatine Journal, Quad-City Times, Sioux City Journal and Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.

The report's timing coincides with interest open government advocates have in legislation being considered to establish an Iowa Public Information Board, an oversight board that would have the power to resolve disputes citizens and their governments have over access to public information.

The news value in these news stories is that they tell you about your right to know what government is doing and how strongly you feel about that. But a report about being transparent must include the fact that news organizations in Iowa have a motive for sharing this information, as well. That is because many of us in this business, myself included, have lobbied for passing legislation that creates  the oversight board.

Gov. Terry Branstad supports the oversight board and Democratic and Republican leaders in both the House and Senate express no problems with it finally passing this year after kinks get worked out in the House, where the legislation currently exists. Branstad and House Speaker Kraig Paulsen made a point of bringing this up when meeting with The Gazette Editorial Board on separate occasions in January.

Plenty of information from the people who govern you is available and with far better ease than ever thanks to the Internet. Any mention of North Liberty's example with its open records policy also should note that the city is among several in Iowa that post a massive amount of information on websites. Council briefing packets, agendas, reports, how-to information – all are there at your fingertips. North Liberty's site goes so far as to have video of its City Council meetings.

One of the stories in the newspapers' report shows that many people working in government wish the public took more interest in what they do.

But disputes come up in which the public, and also those in government, want answers to questions about Iowa's open records and open meetings laws. When these disputes emerge, we find in that Iowa Freedom of Information Council survey that you want more effort into holding open meetings and making government documents accessible.