Being accountable for silence in Collinsville

This week we should learn why Collinsville City Councilman Jeff Stehman was so worried about a Collinsville resident using the Freedom of Information Act to obtain records related to Stehman’s job as supervisor of O’Fallon’s building and zoning department. O’Fallon is expected to fulfill the same request made by the News-Democrat.

Stehman equated the request with a new low in Collinsville politics and suggested the next step would be following his children.

Sorry, not buying it.

First, Stehman is a public employee who is an elected official. Openness and transparency are the friend of the honest person, so are they an attack on someone with something to hide?

Second, Collinsville’s politics have been much more contentious. The high 1990s drama of Leonard Matarese, Mike Fischer and David Niebur make Stehman’s political worries petty.

As far as his statement that the past sins and freestyling city account use of Councilwoman Cheryl Brombolich were before his time and thus none of his concern, well guess again. They came to light during Stehman’s time and he has a responsibility to taxpayers to ensure his fellow city leaders remain honest. Ditto, on Mayor John Miller’s dirtgate transgression.

Stehman found a quote to bolster his refusal to defend or condemn: “My silence does not mean that I don’t have the courage to speak. It simply means that I don’t have the time to argue with people that just don’t want to understand.”

That’s a fairly arrogant stance for a public official to take. Silence is also convenient for those who don’t want to be bothered, or worse.

Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Being accountable for silence in Collinsville."