OUR OPINION: Does S-B-C-A-G spell 'keep out'?

12/26/05

Justifying closing the meeting somewhat appeared driven by SBCAG staff rather than elected officials. This is on top of the administration's back-room deal on Measure D's renewal.

No way.

Citizen group after group on Dec. 15 paraded before county leaders to say the latest scheme to extend a sales tax for roads and mass transit isn't going to fly.

The staff of the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments presented a plan that was so complicated it left many people scratching their heads. But it wasn't just confusion that ultimately sent plans for an extension of the Measure D tax back to the drawing board.

It became increasingly clear during the debate that the secrecy surrounding the latest renewal plan bothered many people.

The plan came out of a private meeting with the SBCAG staff and public works directors from the county and cities.

As Sherrie Fisher, general manager of the Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District, noted:

"We have not been welcomed or involved in the recent meetings. This is one of the most important pieces of transportation legislation in our time."

The proposal, which many people viewed as anti-mass transit, caught members of the public off guard.

It was a back-room deal, with even members of the SBCAG board admitting it appeared as such. The board is made up of the five county supervisors and representatives from the eight cities.

So what does the SBCAG board go and do? It refers the matter to the five-member SBCAG executive committee for review. And the committee's Jan. 6 meeting was set to be private, with no members of the public or media representatives allowed.

In the days after the Dec. 15 meeting, the SBCAG administration went and got a legal opinion from the county counsel that, somehow, justified barring the public under the state's open-meeting laws. Why did the staff even take such action to try to keep the public out?

We're skeptical of such an interpretation.

But the law is irrelevant.

The right course to take is to open the meeting. There's no valid reason to lock the doors.

County Supervisor Salud Carbajal, one of the five members of the executive committee, said on AM 1290 last week that he's committed to government openness. The office of Supervisor Joe Centeno, the committee chair, also told us the supervisor favors letting residents into meetings. Mr. Centeno ultimately decided to open the meeting to the public.

Let's hope the other committee members -- Carpinteria Councilwoman Donna Jordan, Santa Maria Councilman Marty Mariscal and Lompoc Mayor Dick DeWees -- also side with government sunshine for future meetings.

The broader question, beyond the Jan. 6 meeting, is the administration of SBCAG.

Justifying closing the meeting -- despite complaints from the public -- somewhat has appeared to be driven by the staff rather than the elected officials. This comes on top of the staff's back-room deal on Measure D's renewal proposal.

A review of how SBCAG is managed is in order.