Editor,

Langley fails to accurately report the proceedings of their council meetings and fails to properly save documents. At the Jan. 20 council meeting, I used a report submitted by the Langley Parks Commission to make my point. The Record noted that this advisory board presented a significant report to the council. The minutes did not provide the commission’s conclusion or their reasoning. The city could not find the document. To get a copy, I had to go to an advisory board member. The city clerk said that the missing document was not “formally submitted.” All documents presented to the city council should be, as a matter of course, attached to meeting minutes or referenced in the minutes and available to the public.

At the Dec. 1 council meeting, after much discussion, the mayor agreed to retract an erroneous statement in the budget. The newspaper reported the discussion and the mayor’s statement. When the minutes of that meeting omitted these events, I challenged their accuracy. The minutes were never revised.

Documents sent to the city and referenced cannot always be located. The city clerk said that the city lacks personnel trained in information technology and also lacks staff to get the files in order.

Washington State Code says that the minutes of all meetings shall be promptly recorded and such records shall be open to public inspection. Council minutes have not always been available for review by the public prior to approval.   Agendas are not made available in a timely manner, and sometimes not at all. Although the city’s website has a sign-up for email notifications, none are sent for meeting agendas or minutes. The announcement for the Langley Lift hearing was made in the newspaper on the same day of the meeting!

Some advisory boards have never had agendas or minutes on the langleywa.org website. Others have, only sometimes. Of eight advisory boards, only one always has agendas and minutes.

The City of Langley needs to do a much better job of being open and transparent to the people that it represents. The residents of Langley are not getting the information they need and are entitled to by law.

BRIAN WOLOSHIN

Langley