Two attempts to peel back the veil of secrecy over the proliferation of data centers are being honored in this year’s Openness in Government Awards, or Opees, bestowed by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council.
The awards also recognize a district attorney who took seriously his obligations to enforce the records law and a now-deceased city council member who blew the whistle on an attempt to hide a proposed development from public view, as well as media efforts to pry loose information about police disciplinary investigations and K-12 educators accused of misconduct.
Meanwhile, a school district administrator who threatened a TV reporter and camera operator with arrest for seeking to film a public meeting received a “Nopee,” the Council’s sole negative award.
The Opee Awards, now in their 20th consecutive year, recognize outstanding efforts to protect the state’s tradition of open government, as well as highlight some threats to it. They are being announced in advance of national Sunshine Week, March 15-21. Winners have been invited to appear at a free public event in Madison on March 19. (See WFOIC website for details.)
“There was a lot of good reporting and advocacy on open government issues this year, and we are pleased to have such worthy winners in all categories,” said Bill Lueders, council president. “And we can safely say we’ve never had a more deserving recipient of our ‘No Friend to Openness,’ or Nopee, award.”
The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group that seeks to promote open government. It consists of about two dozen members representing media and other public interests. Sponsoring organizations include the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and Wisconsin Associated Press.
