Each year, the Mississippi Press Association conducts its Better Newspaper Contest to recognize outstanding work by state newspaper staffs.
The Daniel E. Phillips Freedom of Information Award is presented each summer to a single newspaper — regardless of circulation size — that best exemplifies the role that newspapers play in holding public officials accountable through the use of open records.
This year, The Dispatch was honored with the award based on its reporting on the city of Columbus’ repeated failures in conducting city business in accordance to state law.
In a span of a few weeks in February of 2014, city councilmen met in small groups to discuss a pair of issues – the city’s plans for retail recruitment and renovations to the Trotter Center. By not meeting as a full body, the council conducted its business out of the public eye.
Nathan Gregory, who covered the city council for The Dispatch at the time, had heard of these arrangements — called non-quorum meetings — and asked to attend to report on them on behalf of our readers, whose taxes fund the decisions made by the council. He was denied access to the meeting. After all informal efforts to appeal to the council to permit the newspaper to attend and report on the meetings, the decision was made to file a complaint with the state’s ethics commission. The paper’s position was that the council violated the state’s Open Meetings Act, which requires all city business to be conducted before the public.
In December, the ethics commission ruled that the city had violated the Open Meetings Act. The city has appealed that ruling in Lowndes County Chancery Court and the outcome has yet to be determined.
The city’s position, unfortunately, has not wavered. In the most recent session of the legislature, city attorney Jeff Turnage asked Sen. Lydia Chassaniol (R-Winona) to sponsor a bill that would have allowed public bodies to circumvent open meetings rules by allowing these non-quorum meetings. Fortunately, that bill died in committee.
Covering our public bodies is rarely a glamorous assignment. It is often tedious, repetitive and much of the work is perfunctory turn-of-the-screw reporting that is easy to disregard. But sometimes important issues are hidden, obscured from public view. In the absence of a good reporter committed to his craft, big issues can go undetected and the public is denied its voice in determining these important decisions.
Of all the roles newspapers perform, there is none more important than serving as the “watchdog of the community.” It is a newspaper’s role to hold public officials accountable for how they conduct the public’s business. It is a role we take seriously, a role that requires vigilance and patience and persistence.
We are proud to have received this year’s Daniel E. Phillips Freedom of Information Award, not only because it recognizes the hard work of our staff, but because of the importance of that role in serving the public interest.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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