At what point should the public’s business be conducted inprivate?

With the events of the last few weeks, including not only therepeal of the legislative retirement perk, but also, locally, thecity’s recent abolishment of the Brookhaven airport board, it is aquestion the public should ask of its elected officials.

It was during a secret legislative conference committee meetingin the waning hours of this year’s session that six legislatorsdecided to double the retirement benefits for all legislators whileleaving other state employees behind. Likewise, it was during aclosed-door meeting that city fathers decided to abolish theairport board.

Both closed-door meetings created a public stir and placed bothpublic bodies in a negative light. Of the two examples, only thelegislative conference committee meeting is legally mandated. Thecity’s secret meeting violated state open meeting laws, but sincethere are no teeth in the law — short of a lawsuit to reverse thedecision — their actions will go unchecked.

Some legislators lambasted the media for exposing their secret.One alderman criticized us for stirring up negative publicitysurrounding the airport. What else could they say when they havebeen caught with their hands in the cookie jar?

All of this controversy could have been saved by simplyconducting the business of the public in an open manner where nosecrets are kept and everyone knows the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of thepublic’s business.

It is as simple as that.