OC supervisor candidates back calendar disclosures

Orange County supervisor candidates in the Fourth and Fifth Districts said they generally support making official calendars public with redactions for confidential matters, according to Voice of OC.

The responses come as Voice of OC reported that most county supervisors have refused to release their calendars publicly, leaving residents with limited information about whom supervisors meet outside recorded meetings.

Voice of OC reported Monday that it asked Orange County supervisor candidates whether they would be willing to release their official calendars for public review and whether residents have a right to know whom supervisors meet with day to day.

The article said Orange County supervisors meet together twice a month in recorded meetings. It also reported that supervisors work full time and receive a $244,000 salary plus benefits after approving a 25% raise for themselves in the past year.

In the Fourth District, Shaw said he supports transparency for supervisors' official business and is open to sharing an official schedule while protecting privacy, security, personnel and legally confidential matters, according to Voice of OC. Traut said official calendar information should be made public regularly with appropriate redactions for sensitive matters.

In the Fifth District, Dixon said that, if elected, residents should know whom she is meeting with on their behalf, Voice of OC reported. Foley said she supports making calendars of official business meetings available in a quarterly report, with limited redactions, and said she has shared meetings and events in a weekly newsletter since joining the Board in 2021.

Voice of OC framed the questionnaire as part of its elections coverage on how candidates would run county government if elected. The candidates' responses focused on official county business while allowing exceptions for legal, personnel, security, constituent privacy and personal matters.

The issue is likely to remain part of the county transparency debate as candidates seek seats on the Board of Supervisors.