What Are We Doing?

The future of transparency (August 6, 2016)

According to your report, Apple Valley Town Spokesperson Kathie Martin said a full transparency report (of costs arising from the Town’s hostile takeover of Liberty Utilities) will be presented to the Town Council sometime this month (Missoula’s win, Apple Valley’s gain? Daily Press, August 5, 2016). Where have we heard that one before?

Oh, that’s right … the Town has repeatedly promised timely, up-to-date transparency reports for more than a year (Town to make offer for Apple Valley Ranchos, Daily Press, May 27, 2015).

Since then, we have received two opaque and error-filled transparency reports, accompanied by a bodyguard of lies about what is in those reports.

To put it another way, if the Town of Apple Valley were being transparent, we wouldn’t need to take Martin’s or anyone else’s word for when the next transparency report would be dribbled out: The information would be in the hands of the public already.

As it is, the Town has spent tens of thousands of dollars keeping these and other public records away from the public.

Residents of Apple Valley deserve true transparency, and it’s high time we demand it. We’re never going to get it from the current crop of demagogues. Come November, we need to elect some council members who are ready, willing, and able to inform the public fully and accurately.

— Greg Raven is Co-Chair of Apple Valley Citizens for Government Accountability, and is concerned about quality of life issues.

Published: Daily Press, August 14, 2016