(Continued from page 31)

that the meeting was closed illegally. A judge would then review the record to determine if the meeting met the requirements of state law. Under state law, meetings of state and local boards and commissions must be open to the public and can be closed to the public only for specific reasons.
• Minutes of meetings are kept for public meetings but are not kept during closed sessions. We believe the requirement for recording closed meetings and sealing them for possible later review would have kept the discussions during closed-door sessions from straying into matters that should be discussed before the public.
• We are pleased that Gov. Dennis Daugaard and Attorney General Marty Jackley created the Open Government Task Force and hope that this is not the last time the task force meets. There is still more work that needs to be done to make South Dakota government open to the people.
• We heard you. Some of our readers complained about the Rapid City Journal's policy to charge $15 for an election-related letter through Nov. 6. We announced this policy because of the cost to the Journal in terms of additional staff time and newsprint to publish the extra letters we receive that are related to the election.
• In order to allow those who want to express their opinion on the election, but who don't want to spend the money, or who can't afford the $15, we will post election letters at no charge on our website outside our pay wall at rapidcityjournal.com/onlineletters. There will still be a $15 charge for letters that appear in our print edition.
• The deadline for election-related letters, both in print or online, is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31.
• ___
• The Daily Republic, Mitch. Oct. 17, 2012
• Efforts to remove offensive names a positive for state
• Things are different today. Casual use of words like "negro" and "squaw" just isn't right. Our forefathers weren't nearly as tolerant as we are -- or at least as we should be.
• It even bothers us to write such words on this page. Many call it politically correct to avoid such terms, but we just figure it's common sense. Those words -- and others like them -- are offensive. That's why we are glad to see that a South Dakota panel is working to erase these names from state maps.
• The state Board on Geographic Names recently recommended to change the name of Negro Creek to Howes Creek. Instead of the disturbing traditional name, the small waterway will be named in honor of a nearby post office and store.
• The board is using this case as a test for a new process aimed at increasing the public's involvement in changing offensive place names. In this case, the panel re

(Continued on page 33)