A Little Clarity on Public-Interest Advertising

In my recent editorial about public transparency and government agencies, I opened with this line: I’m facing a dilemma—one I’ve dealt with for years. Before I lay it out, I asked you to keep two things in mind: First, the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District (BVGCD) is not the only public entity that refuses to place public-interest advertising in the local newspaper.

Key words here: public-interest advertising. Stop. Read that first paragraph again. Not the only public entity.

There’s a big difference between what’s legally required and public interest advertising.

So, what the heck was I talking about?

I was talking about my goal—my request, really—that local government bodies, public boards, and school districts do more to keep you informed by placing public-interest ads in this newspaper.

What exactly is public-interest advertising? For starters, it’s a simple, consistent notice—grouped together with similar ads—announcing when and where meetings happen. A regular spot in the paper, and on our website, so you always know when your city council, school board, or local board is meeting and how you can show up.

How to attend?

Good question. Right now, the only way to attend most public meetings in this county is in person—except for the BVGCD. They’re the only group broadcasting their meetings live online for anyone to watch.

So, I attend as many public meetings as possible. I won’t list them all here, but trust me—there are plenty, and they matter. If you live in Franklin, go to a city council meeting. If you are in Calvert, go to a school board meeting. I could continue, but I think you get the point. These folks are making decisions that affect your daily life.

Now, the BVGCD’s director took some offense to my column. He felt singled out. And you know what? He was. The BVGCD were my example—maybe not the fairest thing I’ve ever done, but I needed an example. So let’s clear this up: re-read that column, and everywhere you see “BVGCD,” feel free to insert any other public body in Robertson County.

I’m not out to pick on anyone. I was recently called me a wordsmith—I’ll take that as a compliment. Yes, I have a way of telling a story, but no harm was meant. The column made its point—and that part I did mean to do.

I’m glad to report that since then, a couple of government entities have agreed to help kick off this project—bringing clear, consistent public-interest advertising to you, the readers.

I also want to say this plainly: Alan Day, the Director of the BVGCD, and his staff do a fine job with transparency. They go above and beyond.

My only issue is that it’s all online. And not all of you live on Facebook or hunt for city websites. Some of you still prefer to flip through a newspaper with your morning coffee—and that’s exactly who I’m looking out for.

Mr. Day also reminded me of something just as important: broadcasting meetings. Many of you know I spent 2024 at The Light and Champion in Shelby County. Over there, most meetings go online live—and for a local newspaper guy like me, it was a game changer.

We could cover more meetings. For example, Hearne ISD and Hearne City Council meet at the same time, no problem—I could watch the recording later and still report it. That’s good for me, but more importantly, that’s good for you. You don’t have to rush across town or skip work. You can brew a cup of coffee and watch your local government in action when it fits your schedule.

So thank you, Mr. Day. I’ll be adding that point to my pitch as I talk to every government board and school district in Robertson County. If we can get these two simple things—public-interest ads in print and meetings online—we’ll all be better informed about what really matters: our hometown.

Stay tuned. I’m not letting this one go.