The choice to take the governors to the governed is commendable. Elected officials should make access to them a priority, for it is the constituency for which they are accountable. County commissioners may not get the same turnout at their next off-campus meeting as they did Monday. That doesn't matter as much as putting forth the effort to be out among those who are directly affected by the decisions they make. Garden City commissioners have resisted calls from residents for occasional nighttime meetings.
Meetings now begin after lunch.
Instead, commission meetings are aired on local access television. While that allows residents to tune it to watch the process, it doesn't allow for active participation. New city commissioners who during the campaign cited improved access as one of their goals should now step forward to lobby for an occasional evening session. Then, those who called for them should be sure to attend. The Pierceville example should not only encourage county commissioners to continue the practice, but should signal city commissioners that their counterparts are onto something.