The Park Governments of Chicago 29 



of organization, is especially bad in that the deliberations of 

 the committees have with few exceptions been conducted in 

 executive sessions. The full boards — West and Lincoln Park 

 systems — also often hold executive sessions. In the West 

 parks the personnel of the finance and the maintenance com- 

 mittees is so arranged that the two, acting jointly, comprise 

 the whole board. Little work is done by the other commit- 

 tees, and all matters of importance are referred to either 

 the Finance or Maintenance Committee or both. Most of the 

 deliberations of the Board are conducted behind closed doors 

 by the committees acting jointly. The Bureau noted an in- 

 stance when so important a measure as the granting of a street 

 railway franchise was discussed in executive session. Having 

 determined in committee upon what action is to be taken, the 

 formalities of adoption are gone through in open session. 



The practice of public bodies of entering into executive ses- 

 sion to transact the public business is open to serious criticism. 

 With rare exceptions, there appears to be no need for such 

 secrecy. It is suggested in this report that all standing com- 

 mittees be abolished. If at any time it should be necessary to 

 conserve the public interests by holding an executive session 

 of the entire Board, it is suggested that an adjournment be 

 taken at a regular meeting and that it be recorded in the min- 

 utes that the Board resolved to go into executive session for 

 the purpose stated. 



RECORDING AND PUBLISHING BOARD PROCEEDINGS 



Stenographic notes are taken of the open Board proceed- 

 ings of the West and Lincoln Park Boards. No stenographer 

 attends the meetings of the South Park Board. The secret 

 method pursued by the West Park Board in transacting busi- 

 ness in committee prevents the real deliberations of that Board 

 from becoming a matter of record. The proceedings of the West 

 Park Board as recorded, however, are published in printed 

 pamphlet form. The South and Lincoln Park Boards are the 

 only public governing bodies in Chicago spending any consid- 

 erable amount of money that do not publish official proceed- 



