EDITORIAL: Council right to drop restrictive media policy

Feb. 11—Thumbs up to the Mankato City Council for eliminating a provision in the city handbook that advised council members to avoid sharing information or their views with the media or the public before they voted on issues.

The years-old policy had been little noticed, and many council members weren't aware of it and did not follow it anyway.

The Free Press in an editorial last year criticized the policy as contrary to how a representative democracy should work. Representatives, or councilors, should willingly share their views with the media and the public before they vote on issues.

Mankato City Manager Susan Arntz, to her credit, brought up the issue as part of a council discussion on changes to the city handbook. She noted several councilors were quoted by The Free Press wondering if the policy was necessary.

Deleting the policy serves the people, who have a right to hear from their elected representatives in person or through the media.

Spiffy library

Thumbs up to the renovation work at the Blue Earth County Library in Mankato.

The library, which opened in 1977, was in need of an update. The tall wooden shelves were outdated as the top shelves and bottom shelf weren't used as they weren't accessible to many people. And the high shelves blocked out light, making for a dark atmosphere.

The renovation included new carpeting and lower, more modern shelves that are easily accessible and allow natural light to flow into the rooms. A reconfigured design also has more open space for tables where people can work on puzzles or read. And the large windows in the library are now much more visible and enjoyable for patrons to sit by.

Funding for the library overhaul is coming partially from the county, to the tune of $392,800 for the adult space renovation that was recently completed.

There was also a private donation of $224,000 for youth space improvements, which are scheduled to be started this spring, summer or fall.

The library is a vital community space and the county should be commended for updating it.

Money for justice

Thumbs up to the Minnesota Legislature's moves to enhance the state's criminal justice system.

Part one — funding an expansion of the state Attorney General's staff of prosecutors — has already been passed by both chambers. The state AG has limited authority to bring criminal charges itself; that power lies with county attorneys. But the attorney general's office can assist the local prosecutors in cases that require higher levels of expertise, and many rural counties rely on the AG's office for murder trials.

And, of course, even Hennepin County turned to the state for help in a pair of high-profile cases involving killings by police.

Part two is on the other side of trials, beefing up the state public defender system. The House this week approved, 131-0, a $96 million increase in the public defender budget for the coming biennium. The bill awaits Senate action.

Last year the public defenders nearly went on strike over their heavy workloads and inferior pay compared to prosecutors. Their complaints obviously rang true with legislators.

Training for disasters

Thumbs up to the volunteer first responders of East Palestine, Ohio, the small community that was upended by a massive train derailment that forced a five-day evacuation and resulted in the risky release and burn-off of toxic chemicals.

Mayor Trent Conaway credited his part-time firefighters with saving the town: "The number one goal is public safety, and we accomplished that. Nobody was injured, nobody died."

Norfolk Southern — and for that matter the nation's other, increasingly consolidated freight lines — now must face hard questions about why this 50-car derailment happened. Rail unions have long complained that the railroads have lengthened trains and reduced inspection time in the name of efficiency.

Efficiency is good. Releasing World War I-era poison gas into the atmosphere is not. The derailment put those rural volunteers to a nasty pop quiz with lives on the line. It is fortunate that they passed that test.