Meetings of the group seeking a new president of Wenatchee Valley College were open to the public until the group began sorting through specific applicants. The citizens committees seeking Seattle's new police and fire chiefs have operated the same way, welcoming all to its meetings to discuss criteria and to give and receive a thorough public vetting of the issues. In favoring closure, some members of Wenatchee's police chief-search committee expressed concern that they'd be unable to have a frank discussion of individuals' qualifications if the group's meetings were open. The Act addresses that concern. It reasonably and rightfully allows such sensitive discussions to be held in executive sessions, behind closed doors.
Exceptions allowing closure for other reasons also are on the books.
The city contends that the police chief search committee will make no decisions, only recommendations. But if it fulfills its mandate, the committee will have crucial input on the selection of our new chief, in which case the public should be interested in the discussions. If the committee's work is later ignored by the mayor and council, its deliberations will have been as pointless as its closed doors. When the citizens of Wenatchee voted to change their form of government, they did so in part to lift a secret veil. We had a deserved reputation as a city where major decisions were made in back rooms by a group of pals with like minds and kindred interests.