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Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com

Published - Friday, March 21, 2008

DOA is A-OK

By Daily News editorial board

Though no votes have been cast, though no official decisions have been made, a recent proposal to have certain sized feedlots circumvent the public input process was declared DOA (dead on arrival) by county board chairman Dwyane Voegeli and the rest of the county commission.

And DOA is A-OK.

What hung in the balance was the public’s right to have input on feedlot operators and farmers who wanted to increase the number of animals on a property. While that may seem like an insignificant, even informal thing, it’s not.

In 2006, Winona was the second largest county in Minnesota in terms of agricultural receipts. That’s no small number, nor is agriculture in the county a minor issue.

With our economy and so many people’s livelihood hinging on agriculture, the public should have a say. In a place like Winona County, livestock and agriculture are very public issues.

That’s why it’s so good to hear Voegeli’s support along with fellow commissioners’.

Good for Commissioner Marcia Ward, who commented that Winona County, in addition to being a strong agricultural county, is also a place of strong opinions. That’s a good thing.

In this case, strong opinions are just another way of saying citizens take their civic responsibility seriously and they get involved. We’re always urging public participation in government, and Ward realized that you can’t simultaneously urge involvement and restrict input.

Good for Commissioner Jim Pomeroy, who stood up for government transparency. Publicly elected officials are constantly being accused of clandestine meetings and secret agendas. Any effort to bring transparency and accountability are welcome.

And give the commissioners credit. Being an elected official isn’t easy. It would have been a lot easier for the commissioners to choose the path of least resistance — to rubber stamp the

proposal that would have short-circuited public comment. Admittedly, by keeping public comment as part of the process, there

will inevitably be disagree-

ment and dissention, but out

of that same uncomfortable

sometimes-cumbersome exercise might also be consensus, compromise and the seeds that will mature into stronger community roots.

We support the commissioners’ decision. Last week’s directive wasn’t just a move to continue the public input process, it was a vote in support of honesty, accountability and good government.

By Darrell Ehrlick, editor, on behalf of the Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and online editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com.