Editorial – URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Will Rep. Meredith Vote Against Transparency?

Allyson Dix
Jobe Publishing Inc.

Transparency of our government should be at the forefront of every single elected official’s business. When any elected official seeks to hinder easy access to its business, it is a red flag, and those red flags are waving here in Edmonson County.

State Representative Michael Meredith voted in favor of House Bill 368 on February 20 in the House Local Government Committee. With his support, this bill is advancing to a full House vote as early as February 26.

HB 368 is designed to strip away a state mandate that requires local governments to publish advertising in local newspapers in areas with less than a population of 80,000, allowing them to post things such as public notices, surplus actions, filed ordinances, and other business items onto their government-run websites. This population reference is law because large cities have low cost internet providers and easily-attained, free WiFi.

In Edmonson County and other Jobe Publishing counties, many of our readers lack access to the internet, especially our older generations, nor do they have the time it takes to search every website ran by school districts, councils, commissions, boards, committees, etc.

Local newspapers strive to keep readers informed in their communities. It is a place they have come to rely on to find community happenings and government transparencies, which can sometimes come in the form of legal advertisements.

Supporters of this bill are out of touch with their small community constituents.

We are certain readers of this newspaper can remember that not too long ago we had an elected sheriff who favored an online social media source over Edmonson County’s true news source and the turmoil this caused many of our fine citizens.

We take our commitment to truth very seriously as do the voters we serve and this was fixed.

Allyson Dix is the Managing Editor for Jobe Publishing, Inc.’s Barren County Progress and Reporter for Edmonton-Herald News.