WashCOG shines the light on local access issues

Local news organizations have highlighted ongoing access issues in recent opinion pieces contributed by WashCOG members.

In The Seattle Times on Sept. 25, 2025, Jamie Nixon asks for an update from Gov. Bob Ferguson on the state’s retention policy for chats conducted using Microsoft Teams, a tool frequently employed by government agencies and employees. On Feb. 17, 2025 Ferguson suspended the auto-deletion practice, promising a clearer policy after a six-month review.

We’ve heard nothing since then, Nixon points out, accusing Ferguson of abandoning his responsibility for government accountability. Here’s Nixon’s op/ed: WA residents’ right to know about deleted records is overdue.

Likewise, WashCOG secretary George Erb advises the city of Blaine to embrace the transparency of the Public Records Act when dealing with residents’ concerns about a housing development, in the Sept. 24, 2025 edition of The Northern Light. While Mayor Mary Lou Steward apparently complained that retrieving and supplying public records upon request is costly,

Erb reminds the city that the PRA is a decades-old law enacted by substantial vote of the people, and promotes transparency that can facilitate better communications with residents and constituents. He notes that one city councilmember who had conducted official correspondence on a personal email account nonetheless released those records willingly when asked. Here’s Erb’s op/ed: Open government is an antidote to mistrust.