Sunshine Week Puts Emphasis On Your Right To Know

“Because you have the right to know…” is the theme of Sunshine Week being observed this week by this newspaper through the Mississippi Press Association and the Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information.

You have a right to know

• whether government business is being performed in an open and public manner;

• if public servants are working on your behalf;

• how your tax dollars are being spent;

• deliberations and votes in government that affect citizens;

• decisions made by school boards that affect your children’s education;

• about incidents of crime in your neighborhood;

•about who is contributing money to political candidates.

Know your rights

• to full accountability from government;

• to attend government meetings where public policy is discussed;

• to inspect and copy public records.

Open government promotes good government.

Local government meetings are held:

Yalobusha County Supervisors, first Monday at 9 a.m. and possibly additional recessed meetings. Meetings alternate monthly between Water Valley and Coffeeville;

Water Valley School Board of Trustees, first and third Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at the central office;

Coffeeville School Board of Trustees, second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the elementary school library.

City of Water Valley, first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m.  at City Hall;

City of Coffeeville, first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

City of Oakland, first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

Water Valley Planning Commissioners, third Monday night of each month when items are scheduled on the agenda at 7 p.m. at Water Valley City Hall boardroom.

Please help us recognize Sunshine Week because open government promotes good government and you have the right to know.