Citizen’s Coalition for Government Transparency and Public Records

Dear Editor,

Documents and records. Those words can be thought provoking in this ultra-modern day of technology for keeping the facts of who, what, when, where and why of all things “important to know” available to the town community.

Very early on in human history, man found the need to record information. Papyrus, leather, parchment and paper have been used throughout time to fashion a material medium to record important information and house in safe places the world over, in all countries, cultures and governments.

Many people may have seen historical documents and records in museum collections. Perhaps some learned of the forensic value of documents and records in a court setting and others may have had the need to access archives of public documents and records of government business through public records requests from local government. Anyone age 18 and over has the right to access most public documents and records housed and archived at Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government (the Government Towers building) or by contacting the custodian of public records.

Citizen’s Coalition for Government Transparency

We are a group of advocates who live throughout the Terrebonne Parish area who promote transparency in Terrebonne Parish Government through public access of government information, documents, Council Meeting minutes, Council Meeting Agendas and Council Meeting Agenda attachments since 1985 and through internet access since early 1990’s.

We empower people by assisting them to find information about the government business in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana; and how to determine the validity of the information in documents and records that they get.

A document has integrity when nothing has been altered, added or deleted; it represents exactly what its author created. Government can only control information they create and manage; thus, they have the opportunity and responsibility to protect the integrity of that information. Citizen’s Coalition for Government Transparency advocates for document integrity and the validity of the information contained within the document.

We also fact check contents of public documents and records that are currently utilized for publicity, publication, blogs and website features. Our group is on Facebook as a community page and are available to the Terrebonne Parish community. No friend request needed and no monies asked for our assistance. Join with us and advocate for the continued transparency in local government through public document and records access.

Lucretia McBride

Citizen’s Coalition for Government

Transparency Houma, Louisiana