Op Ed: Commissioner Hagerty Update on HB 328

Thank you for reaching out to me regarding my thoughts on Montana House Bill No. 328. House Bill 328, as it reads, states: ‘An act providing for increased transparency and accountability in government by requiring certain government entities to record their public meetings in audio and video format; requiring those entities to publish the audio and video recordings to the government website within 1 business day after the public meeting, etc.’

When I ran for my current position as Jefferson County Commissioner, I both heard and personally expressed that transparency was an essential need of local county government. Through, but not limited to, open communication Jefferson County citizens should be made aware and informed of not only the decisions of county government but the process in which decisions are made. It is through complete transparency that constituents are more understanding of decisions, and although some may still disagree with the decision it is my desire for folks to feel more invested in the process in which we make decisions.

As a Jefferson County Commissioner, it is my duty to serve the citizens of Jefferson County, and I achieve this through professionalism, candor, transparency, and accountability. Montana House Bill No. 328 reiterates all the components in which I ran my campaign and will continue to serve the county, that is why I support the Bill and am a proponent that the Tuesday county commissioner meetings should be recorded and timely disseminated to the public. I intend to follow through on the commitments I made during my campaign, and am grateful to Jefferson County Commissioner Chairman, Cory Kirsch, for advising and supporting that.

I am currently working to make these recordings happen, which would allow the public to see recorded commissioner meetings at their convenience. As with most new technological endeavors, there are still some bugs that need to be worked out, however, I look forward to implementing this new process to create more transparency throughout the entirety of the county. As always, please reach out to me anytime you might have questions or concerns.