Transparency without the bloat

Valdese’s Town Council opened its new term Monday with a packed chamber, a slate of newly sworn-in leaders, and a consequential first vote: the elimination of the town’s pre-agenda meeting.

The change is the right move for a small town striving to balance transparency, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility.

The practice of having a pre-agenda meeting was short-lived. The first meeting-before-the-meeting occurred in January 2024, one month after the WHO slate (Heather Ward, Glenn Harvey, and Gary Ogle) took their seats on council.

The move made Valdese the only municipality in Burke County to hold a pre-agenda meeting one week ahead of each regular meeting. (Note: The Burke County Board of Commissioners holds a pre-agenda meeting most months, and the Burke County Board of Education typically holds a work session in advance of its regular meeting.)

It was an unusual two-step approach to monthly meetings — one that, while well-intentioned, created redundancies and wasn’t mirrored by neighboring towns that manage to operate without an extra monthly meeting.

Councilwoman Heather Ward, the lone dissenting vote, made a sincere and thoughtful case for keeping the practice. She is correct about the value the pre-agenda meeting offered: more time for council members to review materials, more clarity on upcoming decisions, and more opportunity for the public to ask questions before votes are taken.

Eliminating the pre-agenda meeting does not have to mean less transparency. In fact, the council’s decision has the potential to improve it.

Councilwoman Melinda Zimmerman’s accompanying motion — requiring a finalized agenda to be released roughly a week before each regular meeting — is not a minor footnote. It is the critical component that protects public access and maintains the spirit of openness that the pre-agenda meeting was designed to serve.

Residents will still be able to see what’s coming before the council takes action. They will still have the time to call, email, or stop by town hall with questions. They will still be able to engage before votes occur.

In other words, nothing about the public’s right to know has been lost. Something else, however, has been gained.

Valdese Mayor Keith Huffman said the change was driven by both efficiency and dollars. The cost savings are significant. With every regular meeting requiring the presence of the town attorney, an additional 11 pre-agenda meetings a year were projected to drive attorney costs toward $8,000 in 2026. Keeping the additional monthly meeting would have essentially doubled that burden. That’s taxpayers’ dollars.

While transparency must never be sacrificed for savings, taxpayers deserve a government that spends money wisely. In this case, the town found a way to maintain openness while eliminating a layer of bureaucracy — and the cost that comes with it.

For residents who want to stay closely informed, the existing Sunshine List — managed by Town Clerk Jessica Lail — remains an excellent resource. Anyone who signs up will automatically receive the agenda packet as soon as it is posted. Ward made a point to encourage residents to join the list, and she is right to do so.

The people of Valdese will still have every opportunity to see, hear, and shape what their government is doing—now with fewer meetings.

Morganton, Drexel, Glen Alpine, and Rutherford College already do not have pre-agenda meetings, yet they could take a page from Valdese’s rulebook: Post agenda packets at least one week in advance of the monthly meeting.

Across the board, Burke’s communities post an agenda often no more than one business day before the meeting. The posted agenda is also many times a one-page outline without supporting documentation. Such short notice gives residents little time to arrange their schedules to attend meetings that address issues important to them.

We urge Burke’s councilmembers and aldermen to push for agendas and supporting materials to be made available to the public one week in advance of each regular meeting.

Follow Valdese’s lead. Give residents the time and information they need to be part of the decisions that shape their communities.

Public engagement works best when the public has the tools to participate.