The Art of Transparency

The Art of Transparency and Honesty in Government

Peoria citizen Judi Smith posed the following question on her Facebook page:

Will you commit to making council meetings places of genuine public deliberation, where residents can see ideas challenged, assumptions tested, and decisions made in the open? 

Woodrow Wilson, who served as the 28th President of the United States from 1912-1921, made a most astute and accurate statement when he was quoted as saying, “Government ought to be all outside and no inside…Everybody knows that corruption thrives in secret places, and avoids public places, and we believe it a fair assumption that secrecy means impropriety.”

The impetus leading into my decision to run for Mayor of Peoria was listening to the negative views expressed by my neighbors and friends. They felt disenfranchised by the lack of transparency by our sitting mayor and councilmembers who have lost focus on the needs, concerns, desires and opinions of Peoria families. It is time for elected officials to listen to what YOU have to say.

Leading a city requires the ability to bring people together around a shared purpose by engaging with the citizens they serve. That is the leadership that I’ve practiced throughout my career – from running departments with hundreds of employees to working side by side with elected officials, residents, local businessowners and community groups. As your next mayor, my pledge is to create new, direct channels that will move beyond the dais and into Peoria neighborhoods.

Community meetings will be held in the north, south and middle points of Peoria so residents can gather information and share concerns and opinions on proposals that affect their neighborhoods and quality of life, including commercial development, initiatives and general plan amendments.

City council members conduct Work Study Sessions that are primarily used for staff to brief council. While residents are permitted to attend the study sessions, they have never been allowed to provide public comment. I believe this is a lost opportunity. Allowing public comment will enable Council and staff to include the public’s opinion in their briefing. It should be part of what council considers when learning about an issue. A second work study session could be held as a follow up to include changes made to the project based on comments by council as well as the public. It may slow down the process a bit but it would be a more open and transparent approach to government for the people. All this can happen prior to an official council meeting where a vote is taken.

City council meetings will include the opportunity for each council member, including mayor, to voice their opinion on any given topic, provide for citizen statements and engage in Q&A sessions for clarity on the issues at hand prior to council’s vote.

We will leverage modern tools for full transparency through real-time project dashboards that will provide live updates on infrastructure projects; allow citizens to weigh in on budget priorities to ensure that resources go where the community wants them; provide timelines for project completion; and post videos of all Council meetings and Work Study sessions.

In support of common-sense, a solid vision, and for residents to have a say in our city’s future, I believe we can achieve greatness through the cooperative efforts of city staff, elected officials, and especially, Peoria citizens.