Submitted
Noblesville mayoral candidate Mike Corbett is calling for greater transparency in Noblesville city government. Some constituents are asking what that looks like.
Corbett
“It’s a fair question,” said Corbett. “I’ve identified transparency and openness as key components of my campaign and the voters deserve to know what I mean. It’s a culture shift. It’s wanting to communicate with constituents first and foremost, taking that communication seriously and turning it into action.”
Corbett says elected officials hide from the public by misusing the state Open Door laws. On multiple occasions the State Public Access Councilor ruled that the City Council and other officials held illegal closed-door meetings.
“Our elected officials seek secrecy instead of openness,” said Corbett. “What are they hiding? The default position ought always to be open meetings, only using closed door executive sessions when absolutely necessary.”
Corbett also says citizens often seem left out of the process. Developers, engineering firms and corporate reps have unfettered access to city employees while taxpayers often don’t receive any contact or information until it’s too late to do anything.
“The Levinson Project is a great example of how secrecy works against the public’s best interest,” said Corbett. “That could have been so much better as a project had the public been able to participate in the discussion sooner.”
Once the public is invited to participate, officials have an obligation to listen and adjust their plans based on public input.
“Internal emails made public by Save the Nickel Plate showed our politicians see public input as an annoyance and treat opposing views with disdain,“ said Corbett. “Public input is seen as a formality instead of an opportunity to revise plans for the better.”
“It’s a change in culture,” Corbett continued. “I’m a publisher and transparency is a way of life for me. I believe the more information people have access to, the better quality decisions we’ll get. It’s time to swing open the doors of City Hall and let some fresh air and sunshine in. We’ll all be better off.”
Background
Mike Corbett has been involved in Noblesville affairs for more than a decade as a citizen, volunteer and business owner. He’s a member of the boards of directors for Noblesville Main Street and Noblesville Preservation Alliance and a former director for Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development (HAND) and Promising Futures (Hamilton Centers Youth Service Bureau). He’s a current member and former president of the Noblesville Midday Rotary Club and serves on the Southwest Quad Action Team.
Corbett is a graduate of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy and the Noblesville Schools Ambassador Program. He was honored last year as one of United Way’s 100 Heroes. He holds a BA in Broadcast Journalism and an MBA.
Corbett’s company, Hamilton County Media Group, publishes the Hamilton County Business Magazine and the Welcome to Hamilton County Community Guide.
Corbett is married to Joni Corbett, a REALTOR®, and has five grown children. He spends his free time renovating historic houses, volunteering with nearly a dozen local civic groups and riding his Fuji 12-speed bicycle.
For more information, please visit mikecorbettformayor.com. Connect with Mike on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.