How We See It: Decatur Case Reflects The Power Of Transparency, Open Records Law

We likely haven't heard the last of the recent dust up over in Decatur, where questions about the way money got spent at the local housing authority office led to the resignation of its executive director and a closer examination of the books by officials from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

But, we do know this: Without public access to agency meetings and records, it's quite possible the questionable activities that led to all that might never have been widely known.

Here's what happened: Last month, the staff of NWA Media's Westside Eagle Observer got wind of some concerns regarding the Decatur Housing Authority. The authority, funded by the government and managed by a public board, operates an apartment complex with 34 subsidized units for low- to moderate-income residents.

Among the concerns were the arrest in August of the authority's director, Debbie Weston, for taking an authority apartment resident's dog and refusing to return it. There were also concerns about whether the agency's money had been spent on work at Weston's house and for her legal defense against the theft accusation.

An Eagle Observer reporter attended a meeting of the housing authority board, which is his and the public's right under the state's Freedom of Information Act, and heard some of the questions raised. However, there were clear efforts to discourage the public's attendance: The doors to the location of the meeting were locked and the reporter had to knock to gain entrance -- a no-no according to the FOI.

The newspaper staff also used the FOI to obtain documents in which Weston admitted to spending the authority's money on her home, but also justified the action as compensation for unpaid vacation days.

Those documents also revealed Weston had used authority money to hire an attorney for her criminal case because she said she was acting in her role as executive director when the arrest occurred.

All of that was enough to generate a couple of newspaper stories and a visit to the Decatur office by HUD officials higher up the food chain. Finally, Weston submitted her resignation on Oct. 2, but HUD officials continue to look into the matter. We trust they'll get to the bottom of it in short order.

Meanwhile, it's important to note the service done for the community by the local newspaper and, more significantly, the role that Arkansas' broad and generous sunshine law played in exposing the story. Providing the public with access to the inner workings of government at all levels is one of the most effective checks against unethical, irresponsible or perhaps illegal behavior by government officials. While we find most people who work in government to be fine folks with honorable intentions, the possibility of something going wrong is always increased when no one is looking or, worse, when information is hidden from the public.

Sunshine is the best disinfectant for bad, inept or corrupt government. That's why laws like Arkansas' Freedom of Information Act are so important.

-- The Benton County Daily Record