A tip of the hat is in order for the Bryan County Board of Commissioners, which voted to become more “user friendly” Tuesday -- though perhaps not in so many words.
But the county commission did make things easier for South Bryan residents who want to attend meetings, and it took a step toward more accessible government in the process, simply by approving the establishment of an additional working meeting each month.
Commissioners will continue to meet in North Bryan the first Tuesday of each month though the time as been moved to 9 a.m. instead of 1:30 p.m. But beginning in August a second meeting will be held on the third Thursday at the new Administration Complex in South Bryan.
Even better, it will take place at 6:30 p.m. so working members of the public can attend. That’s a positive step and one which should help the dialogue between the county commission and those residents who depend upon it for solid and transparent government.
While commissioners could always meet or hold public hearings in South Bryan, they couldn’t vote or work as a board in any place other than the established county seat -- i.e., Pembroke -- without the help of special legislation at the state level.
That took some doing, since it meant the measure had to pass through legal and bureaucratic hoops, but to its credit the County Commission did what was necessary to make it reality and, at the same time, score one for better government.
But the county commission did make things easier for South Bryan residents who want to attend meetings, and it took a step toward more accessible government in the process, simply by approving the establishment of an additional working meeting each month.
Commissioners will continue to meet in North Bryan the first Tuesday of each month though the time as been moved to 9 a.m. instead of 1:30 p.m. But beginning in August a second meeting will be held on the third Thursday at the new Administration Complex in South Bryan.
Even better, it will take place at 6:30 p.m. so working members of the public can attend. That’s a positive step and one which should help the dialogue between the county commission and those residents who depend upon it for solid and transparent government.
While commissioners could always meet or hold public hearings in South Bryan, they couldn’t vote or work as a board in any place other than the established county seat -- i.e., Pembroke -- without the help of special legislation at the state level.
That took some doing, since it meant the measure had to pass through legal and bureaucratic hoops, but to its credit the County Commission did what was necessary to make it reality and, at the same time, score one for better government.