Op-ed: Shoreline Coalition for Open Government launches

By Jerry Patterson, Founder, Shoreline Coalition for Open Government

The recently launched Shoreline Coalition for Open Government (ShoreCOG) acts as an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and defending the Public’s right to know in matters of public interest and in the conduct of the public’s business. We modeled ShoreCOG after the highly respected Washington Coalition for Open Government.

To learn more about our mission and to register as a Founders level supporter of the Shoreline Coalition for Open Government, go to the Shoreline COG and click on “Join Now.”

ShoreCOG will focus energy on four very specific goals:

1. Speak and act on behalf of the public's rights in matters where Shoreline open government concerns are raised. 
2. Conduct Open Government public workshops and forums in the Shoreline Community to educate the public, public officials, and the media. The workshops focus on government accessibility as provided in the various statutes that assure such access and accountability from our public agencies. 
3. Build a local, grassroots network of Shoreline citizens committed to ShoreCOG’s goals.
4. Establish professional, productive relationships and open communication with local elected officials.

These goals clearly reflect that ShoreCOG is not exclusively a ‘gotcha’ government watchdog group. While our recent filing of an amicus brief in the Supreme Court Review of the Point Wells issues shows that we are not afraid to take a stand when open government issues surface, it would be fantastic if we can eventually fully achieve all of our goals, fold our tent, and then enjoy all the sunshine intended by our sunshine laws.

In the meantime we stand ready to make presentations to community and neighborhood groups about the People’s right to know.