At Realneo we have celebrated the legislative passing of the Hauser Amendment. 

But just as Ed recognized that he could never really rest as he inched and sometimes leapt forward in his efforts to save Whiskey Island - because there were always those working behind the scenes to put WI to other uses - so Peter Griesinger knew that our Port Authority, not happy with the reinstatement of provisions requiring that the Port listen to the public regarding their development plans at “noticed” hearings, might work to again free themselves of this requirement. Maybe the Port would even hire their attorneys to go to Columbus to try to obtain an exception from the Hauser Amendment.

   At the Port’s monthly meeting today Peter asked what the Port’s intentions were regarding the Hauser Amendment.  Because the agenda only allotted for a “Public Comment Period – Today’s Agenda Items Only” (italics not added), Peter signed in and wrote in – non-agenda item.(You are expected to sign up before the meeting starts if you wish to speak, so heaven help you if you should be actually thinking during the meeting and come up with something to state or ask.) 

 Although there was mild protest that he was not following the rules when he intended to discuss something not on the agenda, Peter politely did not back down, but instead asked his question.  Port employees and the Port Board looked at one another but no one had an answer for Peter.  So Peter asked if he could expect a written answer.  I believe he was told he could expect something in a few days. 

 The silence seemed to announce clearly that our Port, and probably many other public bodies,  would rather dispense with this transparency in government stuff and get on with their business, which is frequently apparently not our business.

 We’ve all got to be vigilant if we want a real change in behavior of our public boards in NEO.