Five things you can do to celebrate Sunshine Week

This is Sunshine Week! A national celebration of access to public information.

Cities focus on transparency and open government all year long, so it is only fitting that we recognize Sunshine Week and celebrate that commitment.

Here are five things you can do to promote your commitment to open government, and shed some sunshine on the time and effort city officials dedicate to upholding open government laws.

1. Discuss your city’s commitment to transparent government at council and community meetings. Make sure community members understand that open government is a priority, as well as the time and effort your city dedicates to upholding open government laws.
2. Remind the public about the Open Public Meetings Act and encourage their involvement in public hearings and community meetings.
3. Talk to your editorial board about your city’s support for public records and the challenges posed by a law originally passed in 1972, which has not kept pace with changing technology or current abuses.
4. Revisit your city’s open government policies, such as your retention schedule, and make sure they are followed. Make sure your city’s new officials are trained on the Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act. AWC and MRSC partnered to provide the most current information in these training customized for city officials.
5. Strive to put as much of your city’s data and as many documents as possible on a public website or portal to ensure easy community access.

This week you will also see some interesting articles in the news about open government. Now is a great time to talk about the importance of open government and how we can engage with our communities.