Sunlight, they say, is the best disinfectant.
We hope that Maysville City Commission agrees.
For the second time this year, residents of Maysville and Mason County were sent reeling following the unexpected death of an elected leader — first Judge-Executive Joe Pfeffer and now Mayor Charles Cotterill.
Replacing Pfeffer fell to Gov. Andy Beshear and we were not privy to the process. But finding a new mayor now becomes the responsibility of city commissioners and we should, we would argue, be fully aware of how that process will work, warts and all.
On Monday, commissioners will meet in closed session to select a new mayor to replace Cotterill who died last week. They may choose one of their own or go outside the ranks of city hall in their search. But we will likely never know everyone who was considered for the position.
While commissioners may very well be within their legal rights under Kentucky’s Open Meetings laws to go behind closed doors to discuss naming a new mayor, although we think even that is questionable, that doesn’t mean they should. Discussions on who and why or why not should be made within the public domain, not closeted away from the eyes and ears of voters and taxpayers.
Having worked with city commission and its members for many years, we have the utmost respect for what they do on a day-to-day basis. They carry a lot of responsibility in their positions, perhaps never more than they will with this decision. We know they are truly working in the best interest of the city and the citizens who call it home. In that spirit, we hope they will change their minds and conduct the entire process in the open.
To Commissioners Victor McKay, Andrew Wood, David Cartmell and Ann Brammer, we ask that you do the right thing and let the light shine in.
