Mississippi Open Meetings bill dies at hands of Blackmon

The Associated Press is reporting that Canton Attorney and Chairman of Judiciary A Committee in the State House has killed a bill that would have strengthened Open Meetings laws. No doubt Blackmon was hoping to protect his fellow Cantonians on the Board of Alderman who could care less about open meetings. Recent attempts by the group Canton Quality of Life to publicize proceedings in City Hall have Mayor William Truly publicly worried about ridicule in this Madison County Herald report.

Truly said the camera caught city officials off guard, especially since they did not know Cockrell.


"We walk in, and the video camera is already running," he said. "There was an individual who had no badge of identification. This is a gentleman who no one knew. We had no idea of his intent.

"His intent could have been to put us of Facebook for the purpose of ridicule.

"We welcome transparency. We would just like to know who you are."

Apparently Truly wants to be transparent to only a select few. Mayor, let's face it, Cockrell's video couldn't make the proceedings any more ridiculous than they already are.

The amendment that Blackmon didn't like and decided was worth killing the bill said when a public meeting is improperly closed, a fine would be paid by an individual officeholder rather than with tax dollars.


Thanks to Blackmon, Mayor Truly and his band of happy aldermen can be as secretive as they want without losing any of their own money.
 
So, the taxpayers don't get to listen in AND they get to pay the fine. Fine, fine job!