Transparency
The right and the means to examine the process of decision making is called transparency.
In politics, transparency is used as a means of holding public officials accountable and fighting corruption.
When a government's meetings are open to the press and the public, its budgets may be reviewed by anyone, and its laws and decisions are open to discussion, it is seen as transparent, and there is less opportunity for the authorities to abuse the system for their own interests.
With the 2014 elections on the near horizon we need to examine the issues surrounding county budgets gone wrong, wasteful spending, and the start of a corporate welfare tax incentive program. Any human process left unobserved will become chaotic and stray from its original purpose. Open and transparent government process shines the light of public scrutiny on what would otherwise degenerate into a back room good-old-boy one time only today special done deal.
State HD 31 Representative Jason Murphey conducted an interim study regarding the need for reform in county government, the committee approved a proposal to require county commissioners to follow the state's training laws in order to be eligible for re-election. They also approved a proposal to look at the consolidation of county administration, place county spending online for all to see, and place term limits on commissioners. I support all of these initiatives and have a few ideas of my own .
Just from a plain old citizen’s viewpoint I am for transparency and openness in the conduct of all government proceedings. Most people would agree with that statement. Most would agree except that sometimes those who hold administrative authority in politics tend to see private low key targeted discussions as a means to quickly implement their desired actions. The ends justify the means. So there is a tendency for all governments to become more secretive in establishing unseen processes, actions, and proceedings.
To counter this tendency, I believe the individual citizen should have free and open access to all the records of county government actions, all actions. We should employ all modern voice and video technologies to preserve and provide these meeting records electronically. Too often meeting minutes are audio recorded, then that recording is transcribed to written notes that then becomes the document of record and the original record, the recording is... well, not kept for review. Unfettered insights to these proceedings are necessary to provide citizen oversight of all processes that shape and influence our local government actions. Open access and transparency is the citizen’s only control in reducing the likelihood of government corruption, bribery, cronyism, and just good old boy malfeasance.
Lets record all government meetings and make them available and open to public review. Our ability to understand how our local county government actions are decided and what decisions transpire at the meetings needs to improve, I intend to make that improvement.
Marven Goodman
Candidate for Logan County Commissioner
State HD 31 Representative Jason Murphey conducted an interim study regarding the need for reform in county government, the committee approved a proposal to require county commissioners to follow the state's training laws in order to be eligible for re-election. They also approved a proposal to look at the consolidation of county administration, place county spending online for all to see, and place term limits on commissioners. I support all of these initiatives and have a few ideas of my own .
Just from a plain old citizen’s viewpoint I am for transparency and openness in the conduct of all government proceedings. Most people would agree with that statement. Most would agree except that sometimes those who hold administrative authority in politics tend to see private low key targeted discussions as a means to quickly implement their desired actions. The ends justify the means. So there is a tendency for all governments to become more secretive in establishing unseen processes, actions, and proceedings.
To counter this tendency, I believe the individual citizen should have free and open access to all the records of county government actions, all actions. We should employ all modern voice and video technologies to preserve and provide these meeting records electronically. Too often meeting minutes are audio recorded, then that recording is transcribed to written notes that then becomes the document of record and the original record, the recording is... well, not kept for review. Unfettered insights to these proceedings are necessary to provide citizen oversight of all processes that shape and influence our local government actions. Open access and transparency is the citizen’s only control in reducing the likelihood of government corruption, bribery, cronyism, and just good old boy malfeasance.
Lets record all government meetings and make them available and open to public review. Our ability to understand how our local county government actions are decided and what decisions transpire at the meetings needs to improve, I intend to make that improvement.
Marven Goodman
Candidate for Logan County Commissioner
Think YouTube Record of Proceedings
-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Szqx2oLO9g For example: If the NSA can just decide to keep all those telephone records on all citizens then we should find room to store the peoples documentation video record authorizing (or not) the NSA to take such an action. |
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Maintaining and upgrading our transportation infrastructures, roads and bridges, is an important and legitimate function of a limited government. In my travels across the county, visiting in excess of 1000 homes and meeting our constituents the topic of road surfacing almost always comes up. It seems in past elections promises were made that certain roads would be paved if you would elect the candidate promising to do the paving. The initial paving begins the initial obligation of funds because we also need to budget for periodic preventive maintenance to protect our investment.
Promising to pave roads for votes seems to be a common campaign tactic used in past county commissioner elections. The problem is there are a lot more voters than roads so trading votes for asphalt can be difficult to deliver, especially with any quality. To pave or not to pave and where to pave is currently decided at the sole discretion of one person, the Commissioner. After some thought I have decided that I will not make any promise to pave any specific road in Logan County District 1.
What I will promise: I will establish a citizen review panel for District 1. The review panel would include those from the different neighborhoods across the district so that all may have a voice.. The purpose of this panel will be to ask the hard questions, reviewing operational details and reporting findings and recommendations back to the District 1 commissioner.
The panel would monitor district 1’s performance in the following areas:
Promising to pave roads for votes seems to be a common campaign tactic used in past county commissioner elections. The problem is there are a lot more voters than roads so trading votes for asphalt can be difficult to deliver, especially with any quality. To pave or not to pave and where to pave is currently decided at the sole discretion of one person, the Commissioner. After some thought I have decided that I will not make any promise to pave any specific road in Logan County District 1.
What I will promise: I will establish a citizen review panel for District 1. The review panel would include those from the different neighborhoods across the district so that all may have a voice.. The purpose of this panel will be to ask the hard questions, reviewing operational details and reporting findings and recommendations back to the District 1 commissioner.
The panel would monitor district 1’s performance in the following areas:
- Adherence to its public commitments
- Open and timely involvement of citizens
- Process of evaluating project alternatives
- Capital and operating budgets and finance plans
- Management of the General fund
- Adherence to schedules and budgets
- Review of State Audit and Compliance performance audits
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Old School Road Construction
Modern Road Construction
AMERICAN TECHNICAL SOCIETY CHICAGO 1917
ASPHALT PAVEMENTS -- Failure of Asphalt Pavement
1. Unsuitable Materials.
2. Improper Manipulation.
3. Natural Causes.
4. Defective Foundation. By unequal settlement a weak foundation will cause cracks and depressions in the surface which will enlarge speedily under traffic. A porous foundation will permit the ground water to rise by capillary action to the underside of the wearing surface where by freezing it will cause cracks and thus provide access for surface water non watertight connection between curbs and street fittings also furnishes a path for surface water to reach the underside of the wearing surface where the presence of water causes rapid decay.
5. Other Causes. Illuminating gas escaping from leaking pipes under the pavement causes disintegration of the asphalt. Contraction caused by the decrease in cementing power through aging of the asphalt results in cracks. Due to an excess of fluxing material there may be rolling and waving of the pavement under traffic. Injury may be caused by fires made upon the pavement or by oil droppings from motor vehicles.
Sheet asphalt pavement usually is constructed under a contract that provides for its maintenance during a period of years five or ten by the contractor. Such a contract stipulates that the condition of the pavement at the expiration of the maintenance or guarantee period shall be as follows. Surface free from depressions exceeding 3/4 inch deep when measured between any two points 4 feet apart on a line conforming substantially to the original contour of the pavement. Free from cracks. Contain no disintegrated material. Thickness not reduced more than 3/4 inch. Foundation free from cracks and settlement.
AMERICAN TECHNICAL SOCIETY CHICAGO 1917
ASPHALT PAVEMENTS -- Failure of Asphalt Pavement
1. Unsuitable Materials.
2. Improper Manipulation.
3. Natural Causes.
4. Defective Foundation. By unequal settlement a weak foundation will cause cracks and depressions in the surface which will enlarge speedily under traffic. A porous foundation will permit the ground water to rise by capillary action to the underside of the wearing surface where by freezing it will cause cracks and thus provide access for surface water non watertight connection between curbs and street fittings also furnishes a path for surface water to reach the underside of the wearing surface where the presence of water causes rapid decay.
5. Other Causes. Illuminating gas escaping from leaking pipes under the pavement causes disintegration of the asphalt. Contraction caused by the decrease in cementing power through aging of the asphalt results in cracks. Due to an excess of fluxing material there may be rolling and waving of the pavement under traffic. Injury may be caused by fires made upon the pavement or by oil droppings from motor vehicles.
Sheet asphalt pavement usually is constructed under a contract that provides for its maintenance during a period of years five or ten by the contractor. Such a contract stipulates that the condition of the pavement at the expiration of the maintenance or guarantee period shall be as follows. Surface free from depressions exceeding 3/4 inch deep when measured between any two points 4 feet apart on a line conforming substantially to the original contour of the pavement. Free from cracks. Contain no disintegrated material. Thickness not reduced more than 3/4 inch. Foundation free from cracks and settlement.