Nieporte: Without public notices, the public will be the last to know
Nieporte
Courtesy of Ohio News Media Association
Did you ever wonder why government entities have to put a legal notice into the newspaper?
For one, it is a method of properly notifying interested parties that something is about to happen. For instance, the city advertises for asphalt bids for the parking lot behind city hall. Any interested contractor who would like the job can see the specifications of the bid and how to apply to potentially get the work.
This keeps things honest for the taxpayers in a few ways. It creates competition, and likely a lower job cost, than if the city officials just picked up the phone and called the first contractor who came to mind. It also helps resolve any real or perceived conflicts of interest. Let’s say the mayor’s brother just so happens to own an asphalt business. You can see why giving everyone a fair chance to submit a bid is even more important in that circumst