Nevada City, Calif. October 26, 2017 – Last month, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), the League of Women Voters of Western Nevada County (LWVWNV) and the Federation of Neighborhood Associations (FONA), achieved greater openness and transparency for the governance of water, arguably the most important resource in our community. After the groups led a 14-month campaign for access to information, Nevada Irrigation District (NID) is now livestreaming and archiving all Board meetings.
Board meetings may now be viewed online 24/7. No longer does a disability, conflict with work or school, or lack of transportation preclude engagement and education in the stewardship of the most vital shared resource.
Janice Bedayn, President of LWVWNC said, “The League of Women Voters of Western Nevada County is encouraged by NID’s agreement to broaden accessibility of this critical agency. Better informed constituents and customers is a step forward in the discourse on water policies.
In April 2016, SYRCL, LWVWNC, and FONA requested NID to join the long list of local government entities who have made it easy to access information discussed at public meetings. NID Board of Directors initially rejected the request to livestream its meetings, outraging many in the community. The organizations spearheaded a campaign calling for greater community involvement. Since last spring, NID has received countless phone calls, emails, and public comments at board meetings, which were at capacity with concerned constituents.
Melinda Booth, SYRCL Executive Director, reflecting on the livestream saga, said, “The amount of public involvement pushing NID toward transparency is telling of the times we are living. This community is hungry for information, watching, speaking up, and powerfully engaged.”
Thanks to the efforts of community members, NID meetings can now be watched live at NIDwater.com at http://nidwater.com/about-nid/meetings-minutes/, or from the archive at http://nidwater.com/board-meeting-archive/.