..LWVO Spotlight on Observer Corps

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Observer Corps 
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Joyce Fisher
Observer Corps Chair

Enjoy Ohio ’s Sunshine Law – Be a League Observer!

Do you want to be in the know about what’s happening at the local school board, city council, or township trustee board?  Be an observer for our league! This is a great way for any member, and especially our newer members, to get involved and make a difference!

The Ohio Sunshine Law gives us all the right to attend meetings of public bodies like city and town councils, school and library boards, etc., even committee meetings of public bodies where important business may be negotiated long before full formal meetings are held - think of finance committees and executive committees.

Choose whatever local group or groups you’re interested in. Maybe you’d just like to try it out for a couple of months and see if it’s for you. You may choose to attend every meeting of a certain public body, or you may want to split meeting dates with a partner or two. Times, dates & locations are all in every member’s Directory of Public Officials - or contact me and together we can find a group that suits your location and schedule.

Once you’ve chosen a group, the league office will provide you with an observer handbook to get you started, simple reporting forms for turning in any observations you feel are worth noting, and a button identifying you as an LWV Observer.

I’ve been a league observer at multiple public bodies over a span of many years, and know that League’s presence has been noted and respected. The biggest challenge in being an observer is keeping your opinions to yourself whenever you’re in your observer role: you’re not there to represent any point of view, but only to observe and report. (Without specific Board approval, observers do not speak on League’s behalf.)

Be the eyes and ears of the League, and help keep the public in our public meetings. Enjoy our Ohio Sunshine Law - after all, democracy can’t flourish in the dark!

Email me at jfisher8@kent.edu if you’re interested and/or have any questions, or leave a message at the League office.  We need observers!

Objectives:  

1.   Strengthen communication between the organization and local government agencies, including county commissions, city councils, city commissions, township trustees, boards of education, planning commissions, and boards responsible for a single functional area such as transit, health or parks.  

2.   Encourage individual members to become better informed regarding the decision-making process in local government.  

3.    Gather information and identify problems, issues, and trends in the community so as to enable the organization to assess its relationship and importance to current and future organizational programs.  

4.   Increase the visibility and enhance the image of the organization among elected and appointed officials, community leaders, and those persons responsible for effective delivery of services by public agencies.  

5.   Encourage better government through the observers presence at meetings.  

6.   Share information with the organization’s members about issues that may affect communities in the area.

Distinction between Observing and Monitoring:  

There is a distinct difference between observing and monitoring.  

OBSERVING is a passive function.

Therefore, an observer is an individual who regularly attends a governmental meeting, listens and records the events or facts of the meeting, and reports back to the organization, but does not usually comment at the meeting, unless specific direction or permission from the Board of Directors is given.  

MONITORING implies action.

“...monitoring is intended as a direct action tool to see that laws and administrative policies are carried out.”  In League: Guidelines for League Boards.

A monitor is usually authorized by the organization’s Board to speak on issues, ask questions, and recommend changes.