The Garland Board of Commissioners righted two wrongs earlier this week, commendable steps in what has been a rocky road when it comes to public openness and attempts to work with the community.

The first step was to return money to Helping Hands Change Makers Inc., formerly known as the Garland Volunteer Group. Members of that group had, at the board’s request, turned over funds they had raised to the Town of Garland until the non-profit could achieve 501c3 status. When that happened, the group sought to have its funds returned, but were all but ignored at the Dec. 3 meeting.

Seven days later, however, the town board had a change of heart, returning the money and $800 more than what had actually been in the fund when it was turned over to Commissioner Jo Strickland in December 2023.

Why there was a change of heart is unclear, but the fact the entire board, including Strickland, who had been opposed to returning the funds at one time, chose to do so shows, we hope, members desire to be above board in its dealings with the community.

The exclamation point to that fact was added by Commissioner Ralph Smith Jr. who, during the Dec. 9 meeting offered an apology for the handling of the Dec. 3 meeting, a nearly free-for-all that saw some board members huddled up before the meeting talking town business when they weren’t, by law, supposed to do so, and then closing the then open meeting to the public to address a matter that clearly should not have been addressed behind closed doors. In between, some board members bickered and others took exception to an employee’s handling of closing the office to handle town business, handing it in what we believed was an unprofessional manner.

“That had no place going out of hand like it did, and I think I speak for the entire board when I say that I am ashamed of the way things were handled last week, and that I know that we can do a heck of a lot better. So, I do apologize to the citizens of Garland for how last week’s meeting went” said Smith.

We applaud Smith for apologizing to town residents.

We hope what sounded like a sincere apology actually is one. The proof will be in actions the board takes moving forward, particularly as it pertains to conducting the town’s business as much as possible in earshot of the people it represents.

No governing board, elected by the people, should ever be quick to shut the door on them when public business is being addressed.

While there are reasons to close the door to the public, such meetings should only be used when absolutely necessary, with members specifically addressing only, and we mean only, the matter which they called the session for in the first place. Discussing anything else puts them in violation of the law, thwarts the purpose of the law and damages the public’s trust in that elected board.

As the public’s eyes and ears, we watch closely how meetings are conducted and expect members to adhere to the law. When they don’t, we will call them out. Hopefully that doesn’t have to happen, but, if it does, we hope board members will be as willing as Smith to acknowledge the issue and work to change it.

Garland has put a good foot forward in this matter. We hope they continue to walk a path of openness.