Ten boards of ethics from local governments get either failing or generally low marks in a report issued by the Buffalo Niagara Coalition for Open Government.
The Coalition release its report (click here) outside Williamsville Village Hall Wednesday. Ten government ethics boards were selected for review: Town of Amherst,City of Buffalo, Town of Cheektowaga, Town of Clarence, Erie County, Town of Lewiston, City of Lockport, Niagara County, Town of Orchard Park and Town of West Seneca.
"We took a look at whether meeting agendas and meeting minutes are being posted online, if there's some way to contact these boards, if the public is allowed to speak at their meetings," said Paul Wolf, president of the Coalition. "Pretty basic items as far as open government is concerned."
Six of the ten boards reviewed received an 'F' grade: Buffalo, Clarence, Lewiston, Lockport, Niagara County and Orchard Park. According to the Coalition, four of the six boards which received failing grades did not respond to their requests for correspondence for the study: Buffalo, Lewiston, Lockport and Niagara County.
The Town of Amherst received a 'C,' while Erie County, Cheektowaga and West Seneca all earned a 'B.'
"It's unfortunate," he said. "These aren't difficult tasks, posting meeting agendas and posting meeting minutes. The real issue is that there's no enforcement of the Open Meetings Law. There's no governmental agency or entity that is responsible for enforcing the law."
Erie County's Board of Ethics gets credit for posting information online including agendas, minutes, audio recordings of meetings and board contacts. Wolf explained he personally contacted the board chair and received a timely response.
"The only criticism we had of them is that their meeting agenda does not state that members of the public can speak at their meetings," he said.
The Town of Clarence's Ethics Board, which got a failing grade, did reply to the Coalition. Wolf explains that while the Clarence board does make minutes available upon request, that falls short of making minutes readily available for a wider public to see. He added that while the Clarence Ethics Board does post its meeting schedule online it does not include a posted agenda.
Two of the boards made changes to their policies before the report was issued, including that of the Town of Amherst. Wolf explained that the Amherst Ethics Board's previously posted agendas have not indicated an opportunity for the public to speak. That board has since changed its website, he added, to make clear that public comment is included.
Did that save Amherst from a failing grade?
"It saved Amherst from a 'D,'" Wolf replied.
