Published: May 13, 2009 12:12 am         

TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Open process best policy when filling commissioner seat

Public deserves good look at proceedings

TERRE HAUTE — With the departure of David W. Decker from elected office, the urgent matter of replacing him as one of three Vigo County commissioners takes center stage.

There has been no lack of interest in the position. When the deadline for candidate filings arrived Monday afternoon, nine District 1 residents had stepped forward for consideration. On Thursday afternoon, Democratic Party precinct committee members will caucus to elect one of the nine to serve the remainder of Decker’s term, which expires at the end of 2010.

Logic indicates that the robust field of candidates reflects the intense level of public interest in the process of replacing Decker as one of the most important elected officials in Vigo County government. Although voters don’t have direct input into this election, they certainly have a stake in its outcome and should be watching the process closely.

Democratic Party officials should do everything they can to ensure transparency in this election. Party members and voters deserve as much. The party structure has been strained in recent years because of obvious internal fractures that led to the elections of a Republican prosecutor in 2006, and, in 2007, a Republican Terre Haute mayor for the first time in 40 years.

The best way to achieve transparency is to open the caucus to the public and to the press. While party officials are not required to do so, opening the caucus would be a significant goodwill gesture in favor of open government.

Political caucuses are specifically exempt from the Indiana Open Door Law, which governs matters related to public meetings. But a caucus called to choose someone for an elected government position that was initially filled by the voters merits special treatment by party leaders.

The decision on whether to open or close the election caucus is in the hands of Vigo Democratic Party Chair Joe Etling. To his credit, Etling has demonstrated a spirit of openness in these matters in the past. Last year, when Nancy Allsup was selected as county recorder to fill a vacant seat, Etling opened the caucus to the public.

This caucus likely will feature a hotly contested election, but we urge Etling to resist, as he has in the past, any temptation to close the proceedings.