City Government Trust/Transparency

All citizens have the right to petition their elected officials on matters that affect their community, especially when it comes to spending money. One of the first things that citizens want to feel comfortable with is whether their leaders are being transparent when they bring forth new ideas for moving the community forward through improvements that will benefit the community as a whole.

Members of the Monroe City Council are part of an entity that regularly votes on matters that are vital interest to the community. When questions are brought before them, concerned citizens expect nothing but transparency in their responses. Eugene Payne has attended numerous city council meetings after having worked many years for the city in the Transit Department. He tries to keep abreast of any developments regarding the city transit system.

During the October 24, 2023, council meeting, Payne addressed council members on an agenda item from the October 14, 2023 that would authorize the city to apply for FY 2024 Section 5339 funds for buses and bus facilities. Payne said that he asked questions so that those in attendance would understand exactly what the city's intentions were if/when it received the funds. Payne said simply put, he was asking that the council be transparent in their responses.

According to the minutes from the October 24 meeting, Transit Manager Marc Keenan told Payne that the federal government has different classes of sections and funds. Keenan said that transit receives 5307 funds "for operating and 5339 funds for buses and facilities." He said that the city plans to apply for an electric bus. Payne would be told by council members that resolutions such as this one had come before the council and that this one only authorizes the city to apply. If the grant is approved, the council must vote on its acceptance.

But Payne said that he has mentioned transparency before when addressing the council because he believes that some answers may be withheld from the public. According to the minutes, he said, "These kinds of proposals are kind of dim, and the public doesn't know about them." Payne said that as a taxpayer, property owner, and resident of District 5, he personally has a "trust" issue with the Transit Department because of his long association as an employee. He also said that not one councilmember, including his District 5 representative, has asked him what he has against transit managers. According to the minutes, Payne didn't say he has "personal" issues against any particular employee. District 5 Councilwoman Kema Dawson said that the council "doesn't deal" with personal issues, while District 1 Councilman Doug Harvey said that Payne has "been apparent" on how he feels about Transit management.

But Payne said that "his deal" is transparency, and if the city is going to deal with this kind of money, the public should know where the money is going. District 2 Councilwoman Gretchen Ezernack answered by saying that the money will be used to purchase an electric bus. Payne believes that there is something that the citizens are not being told because no one knows how much the city is requesting and what other "goodies" Transit might be keeping from the citizens. The minutes from the October 24 meeting do not reflect Payne mentioning anyone personally when he talked about trust, but he was clear that he wanted the council to be transparent, saying that the public won't hear what has to be said about these issues in a p