EDITORIAL: Public’s right to know upheld in for arbitration

When you’re dealing in public money, the public has a right to know where it’s going and any deliberations as to how it got there. That’s what the Georgia Open Meetings and Open Records laws are all about. Former Bibb County School Superintendent Romain Dallemand has brought his case against the Bibb County Board of Education to arbitration as he was required to do under his separation agreement. Dallemand contends the board broke that agreement and is claiming $10 million in damages.

The American Arbitration Association sought to have the hearings closed to the public, saying the Georgia Open Meetings Act did not apply. The Telegraph took the issue to the state Attorney General’s Office and that office disagreed with the arbitration panel’s determination. The panel has now agreed to open the hearings provided there is a quorum of board members in attendance (five).

While we still believe the hearings should be open regardless of the number of board members in attendance -- and we will make that case if it comes down to that -- all board members should make every effort to attend these hearings, particularly the ones who voted to accept Dallemand’s separation agreement.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "EDITORIAL: Public’s right to know upheld in for arbitration ."