EDITORIAL: Lake County rightly takes steps for transparency

Our criticism followed a legal opinion by the Indiana Public Access Counselor that county government had violated the spirit of the open meetings laws in doing so.

But the Lake County Board of Commissioners took recent steps at enhancing transparency that deserve note.

In the past, such matters would receive only a cursory ratification vote in a public meeting — after commissioners already had signed the matters outside of public meetings. 

It's a positive step in the right direction of state open-door laws.

Lake County government also has been consistent with The Times over the years in satisfying requests for county data, including payroll and court dispositions, in a timely and expansive manner.

We can't say the same for all levels of local government.

The special meetings are a good sign of county government's continued commitment to satisfying the transparency it owes all members of the public.