W‘hy Commissioner Excuses FAIL: I wasn’t raised that way” or “legal advices to not share”

:1. Legal Obligations and Transparency:

• Mandatory Transparency: Emphasize that public officials, including MRID commissioners, have a legal and ethical obligation to conduct their duties transparently. This includes engaging with the electorate and providing clear, truthful explanations for their actions and decisions.

• Public Meetings and Disclosures: Highlight any legal requirements for public meetings and disclosures, pointing out that refusal to engage can be a violation of these laws.

2. Ethical Standards:

• Public Trust: Stress the importance of maintaining public trust through open communication and accountability.

Remind the commissioners that they serve the property owners and must act in their best interest.

• Ethical Conduct: Reiterate that misleading the public or providing false statements about legal advice is unethical and can have serious consequences.

3. Consequences of Non-Engagement:

• Legal Repercussions: Warn that continued refusal to engage with the public and failure to adhere to transparency obligations could result in legal consequences.

This might include court orders mandating compliance or other judicial actions to enforce accountability.

• Loss of Public Confidence: Explain that such behavior can lead to a significant loss of public confidence and trust, which is detrimental to effective governance and community relations.

4. Judicial Directives:

• Mandating Engagement: The judge can issue a directive requiring the commissioners to engage with the electorate in a specified manner, such as holding public hearings, responding to questions in writing, or providing detailed reports on their actions and decisions.

• Compliance Monitoring: Set up a mechanism for monitoring compliance with the directive, ensuring that the commissioners follow through with their obligations.

5. Legal and Ethical Training:

• Training Requirements: Suggest or mandate that the commissioners undergo training on legal and ethical obligations, transparency, and public accountability to prevent future issues.

Example DRAFT Demand Language:

“Commissioners, your refusal to engage with the electorate under the pretext of ‘not being raised that way’ and your misleading statements about legal advice are unacceptable.

Public officials are bound by legal and ethical standards that mandate transparency and accountability.

Misleading the public not only violates these standards but also erodes public trust.

We are hereby directing you to engage with the property owners in a manner that is open and transparent.

You are required to hold public hearings, respond to questions, and provide detailed explanations of your actions and decisions.

Failure to comply with these directives will result in further judicial action to ensure accountability.

Additionally, as this is a consistent issue, we recommend you to undergo training on your legal and ethical obligations as public officials to prevent any future occurrences of such conduct.

Your compliance with this directives will be observed closel