2017 has been a year of extreme business in other pursuits, so I haven't spent much time recording local govt meetings or gathering open records. I still have plans to completely revamp this site, and hope to do it before January 1st, with emphasis more on community/message board. This still applies from what I wrote in 2014.

One of the reasons I started this site was to provide a way, through media, blog posts, and discussion to participate as an informed citizen in what govt at all levels is doing. You may or may not agree with some of my opinions, but, particularly when I have included open records or media you can view for yourself, at least you can form an opinion based on facts. Keep in mind that no government entity is required to keep minutes/audio etc forever, so if you want it, go to the sites and download it. Re: Local government. Scorecard at the end of the year:

Somervell County does a pretty great job of putting up information you want to see or read, even if you can't attend the commissioners court meetings. For example, although they are not completely up to date, Brian Watts has put the check registers online under the FINANCE section on the county website.  This means if you have an interest to see how your tax money is being specifically spent, you can go up and look. AND, if you see, as I do, that the most recent check registers are not there, you can ask and Mr Watts, professionally, will get them put up. Second, Somervell County is also good about putting up audio of meetings, EVERY meeting, within a reasonable time.  

Somervell County Water District  not only puts up audio of meetings but also check registers. 

Glen Rose ISD Boardbook and agendas are here. Audio from meetings can also be found on the site, although when I looked last month, the last 2 meetings were not online and right now the site is unreachable. 

City of Glen Rose continues to be inconsistent about recording all meetings. I believe unless more people speak up and insist that the word "transparency" includes all city, as well as related meetings such as P&Z, GREDC, etc meetings and that they be recorded on audio, the city will continue to hit and miss, with the exception of *regular* city meetings. 

Somervell County Hospital District. SCHD is, in my opinion, not very transparent, but is fairly responsive if you ask for information via open records requests, to include doctor salaries that we're paying for, the auditing report, etc. You can find the meeting minutes and agends on the glenrosemedicalcenter.com website. Also, something wonderful is that SCHD is the only government entity to video record their meetings and put the video on Youtube for all to watch.