'We'll release that information after your money is spent'
Sioux Valley's plans to build a new Luverne Community Hospital is great news for the hospital, for its patients and for the community as a whole. It'll mean more jobs, a stronger tax base and another reason for new families to come to Luverne and shop here, eat here, buy gas here - and maybe even move here.
Why then, has it been such a secret?
Unofficially, it's been common knowledge. Coffee shop regulars have been speculating for months where the new hospital will be built - north or south of town.
Unofficially, it's been hashed over by select local public officials - not at public meetings - to determine if tax dollars might be available.
We're not outright suggesting Minnesota Open Meeting Laws have been violated.
As a community newspaper, we're used to weighing the importance of the public's right to know against the importance of protecting delicate land negotiations.
As news organizations go, we've been patient.
Every time we'd hear an update from the coffee shops, we'd check with those in the know. Every time we'd get the same response: “We're just not ready to release that information yet.”
Last week, we started getting unofficial updates from public officials on what's beginning to sound like very official business - involving our tax dollars.
There's been very concrete discussion on the possibility of the county and city purchasing the former hospital building. There's also been very concrete discussion on the city and/or county providing financial support for Sioux Valley to build a new hospital.
While concrete dollar amounts have even been specified, that discussion hasn't appeared on the agenda of one single public meeting.
Finally this week, we saw a press release.
At this point, as taxpayers, we feel as if someone borrowed our checkbooks and later gave us a receipt for something we had no idea we were paying for.
We're all happy about the hospital news, and most of us are happy to support it with our tax dollars (if informed fairly). But we're not happy about the shopping experience.
When such huge sums of money are offered to businesses - even if it's an important part of our infrastructure, like a hospital - citizens have a right to know at least a part of what's happening.
When other businesses were interested in locating to Luverne, the Economic Development Authority made clear intentions and updated people throughout the negotiations process. Somehow, the hospital deal has gone around that.
That may be all right for the hospital, but our city (and county) officials should be on the side of the constituents they truly represent.
For people who are actually interested in what business deals their leaders are making with their money, they can hear the same answer this paper gets: “We just aren't ready to release that yet.”