An editorial by Carla Hacker
Good Morning Franklin County, Town of Brookville and Interested Citizens!Did you happen to read the Public Notices in the Democrat? It’s is the single most important reason we get this newspaper. It is the first thing we do when we get it: go to the back page to see what’s up with local government.Within the town’s latest posting, they referenced IC 36-1-10-13, so I looked it up. It appears that we were NOT given the proper opportunity to look at the items under (c) below.It states in (d) that all persons are entitled to be heard with breaks taken from time to time. Didn’t happen. He shut us down.Is this something that we should cry foul on? Aren’t we sick and tired of being LIED to, and having facts and important details HIDDEN from us because Ward is playing both sides of the fence?Shouldn’t this million dollar expense be put on the election ballot because there has been so much hidden from the taxpayer?AND, come to find out, there are not supposed to be ANY EXPENDITURES hidden from the taxpayer. Everything should be disclosed.Anybody know a good civil attorney from another county or town that’s willing to shut this council down?IC 36-1-10-13 for your reading pleasure:Sec. 13 . (a) After the leasing agent and the lessor have agreed upon the terms and conditions of the lease but before the execution of the lease, the leasing agent shall publish notice, in accordance with IC 5-3-1, of a public hearing to be held before the leasing agent. The cost of the publication of the notice shall be paid by the lessor. Notice of the hearing must be given at least ten (10) days before the hearing is held.(b) The notice must state the date, place, and hour of the hearing and provide a summary of the principal terms of the lease. Additionally, the notice must contain the name of the proposed lessor, the location and character of the structure, transportation project, or system to be leased, the rental to be paid, and the number of years the lease is to be in effect.(c) The proposed lease, drawings, plans, specifications, and estimates for the structure, or description and cost estimate of the transportation project or system, are open to public inspection during the ten (10) day period and at the hearing.(d) All persons are entitled to be heard at the hearing as to whether the execution of the lease is necessary and whether the rental is fair and reasonable for the proposed structure or system. After the hearing, which may be adjourned from time to time, the leasing agent may modify, confirm, or rescind the proposed lease, but the rental as set out in the published notice may not be increased. The leasing agent may rely on the testimony of independent experts as to the fairness and reasonableness of the lease.(e) If the execution of the lease as originally agreed upon or as modified is authorized by the leasing agent, the leasing agent shall give notice of the execution of the lease by publication in accordance with IC 5-3-1.Think about this and what he and the rest of the council are doing to all of us. With everything he’s spending, maybe he should prioritize. And maybe it’s time to take a page from Ward’s notebook and fight back.— 
looking for recommendations.