There Ya Go
Last month was a big one in Balaton, our fine neighbors to the west.
But did anyone know? A city clerk was hired to put some water on an incessant fire that had been burning most of the summer.
But did anyone know? The city council set a preliminary levy — 3.59%, which should come as good news to residents, considering most area cities are above that number.
But did anyone know? Maybe you did? Maybe you were at these special city council meetings. Or maybe word of mouth landed on your ears.
Maybe you knew? We didn’t. This bothers me on a number of different levels, one of which I’ll get into here. I get paid to report the news — in Tracy, Garvin, Amiret, Milroy, Walnut Grove, the Shetek area and, yes, Balaton.
When Balaton’s paper closed a few years back, I made it a point — in some ways, a priority — to pick up that slack. I love Balaton, and considering it’s in our coverage area, I do my best to cover news there — the good, the bad and the ugly. Unfortunately, because of all I have going on in every town around here and because we’re such a small staff, I physically can’t make it over to Balaton as much as I would like.
And I certainly can’t be there to cover big news when I don’t even know it’s happening.
This makes me look bad, and don’t worry, I can do that on my own. What’s more, it makes it appear as if I don’t care enough to make the 12-mile drive from Tracy to do my job and serve our Balaton area readers.
Nothing could be further than the truth. But the Headlight didn’t know about these meetings.
This is what happens when small towns lose their newspaper, and it’s a tragedy. Big word, I know, but unless you go to all these meetings — which, let’s face it, most would rather visit the dentist — you likely won’t be able to keep up with what your leaders are saying and doing, what decisions they are making, what votes they are casting.
I’m not here to report on rumors, or to just cover splashy news that makes bold headlines, I’m here to deliver all the news, but with little to no transparency — or simple communication, for that matter — that’s mission impossible. And we all know how simple it is to communicate these days. Hell, even a simple phone call will suffice. Am I being bitter? Damn right, I am.
I have the utmost respect for members of the Balaton City Council for stepping up and running for a council seat. It’s not easy these days. City council members sacrifice their time once or twice a month to do a thankless job, one that makes them targets of criticism — some of which can be nasty — from their fellow residents and their neighbors. That’s one reason no one wants to serve anymore. But with power comes responsibility, and one of those responsibilities is to be transparent and willing to let the media know of things like special meetings.
Decisions that affect taxpayers need be made openly and spread publicly, not stealth-like.
According to Minnesota’s open meeting law, an entity doesn’t have to alert the media for a special meeting as long as it has it posted somewhere in public. So, this isn’t about the law. This isn’t even about a courtesy. This is about openness and transparency. Councils better have both, because if they don’t, trust me, they will be called out on it. And not just by some scoop a dozen miles away.
Not only am I mad, I’m offended in the sense that I feel I don’t have the respect of some city officials, whom I assumed I had a professional relationship with. Maybe they don’t trust me. Perhaps I’m looked upon as just another nosy reporter who swoops in when the going gets tough for a headline. Let me set that record straight: I cover news — as I said, good, bad and ugly. I’m fair and accurate, albeit not perfect. And I care. I can be trusted.
Covering Balaton news falls on me. 100%. I take that responsibility seriously and without regret. But I don’t need obstacles.
Nothing good happens when a newspaper closes. Communities lose their connection to the town in which they live and love. Residents become oblivous at no fault of their own. Newspapers are not just another business in town, they’re a lifeline. Journalists are watchdogs looking out for the communities they cover. We are storytellers. We are fact-checkers. And we do it for you.
If you think Facebook sends the important messages … please. Facebook is cute, but it’s nowhere near as omniscient as you might think. And neither it, nor websites like Tracy’s “Concerned Citizens for Tracy,” deliver vital news that affects you as residents and taxpayers. But that’s a different story.
I attended Monday’s city council meeting in Balaton for two reasons: To cover it, and to voice my thoughts to any council member who would listen. Tara “eagerly” volunteered to cover Tracy’s council meeting that night to allow me to hit Balaton’s. I thought it was important for me to let them know how I feel. I thank the two councilmen who listened and, hopefully, took what I said to heart. Will it make a difference? Who knows, but I don’t regret doing it. Becoming the news is a cardinal sin for journalists, so I didn’t plan on writing about that.
Then again, this was personal.
