The 'meet and confer” negotiations between the police union and the city of San Marcos about the terms and conditions of police work were begun last Thursday morning (3-23-23) at 11 a.m. at City Hall. The meeting was open to the public, but was not available on the city’s cable television channel or on the internet.
Leading up to the open meeting, I tried for several days to find out whether the meeting would be available for those of us who could not attend in person. I contacted one City Council member and tried reaching several city offices by phone. However, I could not contact the City Manager’s office, the City Attorney’s office, or the Human Resources office by telephone. No one answered their phones and no one answered the city’s main number. I was sent to voice mail in each case. My voice mail and email messages were not returned. I finally learned on Wednesday from someone at the City Clerk’s office that the proceedings were not scheduled to be broadcast.
The 'Meet and Confer” negotiations should be of great public interest to most San Marcos citizens. By not making them available by internet or cable, the City has discriminated against all those people who were unable to attend the meeting in person, including some who are disabled, ill, or without transportation. The technology to make the City’s business public is in place. All that is lacking is the interest and willingness by City officials to use that technology to better inform its citizens. Perhaps the City Council will see that future such meetings are available to all interested citizens.
Lamar Hankins
