Real Financial Integrity

End to Closed Sessions

Financial integrity is gained when ongoing analysis of costs - both immediate and projected - are required as a consistent part of all Village spending, strategic planning and capital improvements.

Making finances transparent and available to the public is an essential component of responsible government. 

• Annual reports of expenses and planning for ALL departments must be presented to the Village Board prior to annual budget discussions.
• Village bills and contracts paid each month will be prepared and published by the first Village Board of Trustee meetings each month. 
• All capital expenses will be reviewed and recommended by appropriate committees and commissions before consideration for approval  by the Village Board.
• No overtime pay for salaried staff.

The days of surprise spending and unplanned expenses must end. Every department must present an immediate and long term plan through a comparative analysis of similar sized communities.  

Wisconsin State Statutes provides eleven exceptions to the Open Meetings law which permits, but do not require, a governmental body to convene in closed session. 

Mount Pleasant uses these exceptions far too liberally, deliberating without public oversight. 

The only time a governmental body should convene in closed session is when it is necessary to protect the public interest. This roughly translates to circumstances which require respect for a person's privacy, an overall responsibility to stretch limited public resources as far as possible in serving the public’s needs and for public safety.

A private entity's desire for confidentiality does not permit a closed meeting. Exceptions are not to be used for the convenience of participants who would rather not hold a lively or divisive discussion in front of the public. 

Closed session exceptions will no longer be abused. It is the responsibility of the Village Board to use them as sparingly as possible - when there is any doubt, deliberations will be conducted in public.

---