106 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 



Mr. Churcli, that they were not for the public and could not 

 be seen/^ 



One of the leading Newark papers, in commenting editor- 

 ially upon the incident, said: "The Park Commission 

 should be compelled to expose to public view the contracts 

 made. To keep confidence with bidders is one thing, but to 

 let the public know the facts regarding actual business com- 

 pleted is a duty which admits of no argument. Every de- 

 tail of such an arrangement should be available. The com- 

 mission are occupying themselves with expenditure for the 

 public of money from the public, and owe official existence 

 to the public; confidence reposed in the public would seem 

 to be nothing more than a report of a servant to a master.'^ 



Another editorial criticism pointed out that "the bids 

 relate to public business, and any citizen who asks for the 

 privilege of making examinations of them at a reasonable 

 time and in a proper manner should be accommodated. The 

 park commissioners ought to understand that they are pub- 

 lic officials and that the fact that they are men of standing 

 in the community and have had reposed in them a great 

 trust, does not mean that they should be permitted to trans- 

 act public business as if it were a matter entirely personal 

 and private to themselves." 



And again : "The people of Essex County do not desire 

 to have two standards set up for the conduct of public 

 boards and ofiicers. They do not want to have some so ex- 

 clusive or so lofty in their own esteem that open records and 

 open meetings are intolerable to them. As men active in 

 public life, the members of the commission will make a 

 grave error if they try to assume any such position as that." 



These cogent and convincing reasons were so thoroughly 

 in accord with my own convictions that I soon afterward 

 gave notice that later in the year, when the park locations 

 w^ere more definitely determined and the needed purchases 

 to establish value in each park were made, I should offer a 

 resolution providing for all regular meetings of the board 

 to be held in open session. Such a resolution was accord- 

 inj^lj offered, and before the following April — at which 



