Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller named 'Sunshine Hero' for government transparency

Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller is being celebrated as a "Sunshine Hero" by the Missouri Sunshine Coalition for his commitment to government transparency.

Missouri's Sunshine Law allows regular people to gain access to public meeting and records of government institutions in the state. The Missouri Sunshine Coalition this year is honoring three "Sunshine Heroes," including Schoeller, who have "embraced the law and the value it holds for citizens across the state."

“The coalition went in search of individuals and organizations who understand the Sunshine Law is vital to building trust in government by ensuring the public has access to the records and deliberations of public governmental bodies,” said Executive Director Dennis Ellsworth in a statement.

Schoeller first was elected county clerk for Greene County in 2014 and is completing his second four-year term in office. In this role, he also serves as the county’s chief elections officer.

His nomination to the Sunshine Coalition noted his office is "highly accessible to the public and news media seeking access to public records" and he has "taken the initiative to host Sunshine Law workshops to assist with promoting compliance with the law."

In a statement to the News-Leader, Schoeller said he was "extremely honored" and "surprised" to be named a Sunshine Hero.

"I am also very surprised by this honor, knowing myself and each team member of the office is doing what we should always be doing as we serve the public when they are seeking information through the Sunshine law. Providing that information is important to all we do to be accountable to them," Schoeller said.

"As I learned early on in life, it is not going above and beyond to do your job right and do it well. I am very pleased though, that we are fulfilling each request in such a way that it is appreciated and being noticed as good work. I especially want to give credit to the office team for this recognition, knowing how diligently they work in fulfilling each request when it is made."

Schoeller’s introduction to public service can be traced to receiving a bachelor of science in political science from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, followed by stints working for U.S. Sen. John Ashcroft and U.S. Sen. Kit Bond. He later was a legislative assistant to then-U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt and chief administrative aide to Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt, where he said he developed “a passion for fair, accessible, transparent and accountable elections.”

Before election to county clerk, Schoeller served in the Missouri House of Representatives from a district covering parts of northern Greene County, including the city of Springfield. His time in the House included roles as the second-ranking Republican and temporarily as the presiding speaker when the previous office holder resigned. He was elected to the House in 2006 and served until after the 2012 election, when he was an unsuccessful Republican nominee for Missouri secretary of state.

At one Sunshine Law workshop he hosted in 2017, Schoeller said he thought many Sunshine Law violations could be traced to lack of education.

“When a Sunshine Law violation occurs, it is not unlikely that it occurred due to unfamiliarity with the law and its proper implementation,” he said. “We envision this workshop as a way to push past the legalese to bring about greater understanding of our responsibilities as government bodies."

“It’s also a unique opportunity to get government and public information folks in a room with members of the media to establish a dialogue to help ensure both the intent and spirit of the Sunshine Law are upheld.”

The coalition also honored non-profit newsroom the Missouri Independent and Platte County resident Jason Maki as Sunshine Heroes. An awards ceremony honoring the three recipients will take place on Sept. 17.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Greene County Clerk named 'Sunshine Hero' for government transparency