Transparency is the best way for a government to serve its people was the sentiment at the Oct. 13 DeKalb City Council meeting.

At the meeting, the group For the Good of Illinois presented the ‘Transparency in Government Award’ to the DeKalb City Council.

Lynn Fazekas, member of DeKalb Citizens for Transparency, said at the meeting that DeKalb has made a lot of progress with the posting of its records on the city’s Web site.

Fazekas said at the meeting her and Herb Rubin formed the group in July 2007 in attempt to convince the city to make its government more open.

She said at the meeting since they requested this, you can now find a lot of materials on the city’s Web site.

Fazekas said the most important piece of information that was posted was the city’s check registers.

“This move represents a big step in the right direction,” Fazekas said at the meeting. “It deserves recognition and celebration. We hope this recognition encourages DeKalb to raise the bar when it comes to good government practices.”

When Adam Andrzejewski, founder of For the Good of Illinois, caught wind of DeKalb posting its check register, he thought the city deserved recognition.

For the Good of Illinois is a foundation that helps citizen groups ask their school districts for online access to financial information. Andrzejewski said governments posting its check registries is a rare occasion in Illinois.

“As far as I can tell, you are only one of approximately five municipalities across the entire state that have taken this action,” Andrzejewski said at the meeting. “I urge you to follow the example of the College of DuPage, that after the board of trustees adopted the posting of their check register they also brought forward the posting of the other significant part of their operating budget, by posting salaries as well.”

Andrzejewski said Illinois doesn’t have a good history of government interactions with its citizens, so DeKalb should be recognized.

“Tonight we celebrate good government in Illinois, a state that definitely needs examples of good government,” Andrzejewski said. “Thank you for your purpose, your direction and your courage.”

DeKalb Mayor Kris Povlsen said he was happy to hear that DeKalb would be receiving the award at the meeting.

“Thank you very much,” Povlsen said. “It’s a pleasure to hear kind words and support for what we do up here.”