News-Record.com

Sources decline to talk with us all the time. It's their right. I've done it myself. Occasionally a person's reticence stops us from writing a story, but not often.

It's not surprising that Coliseum Director Matt Brown is refusing to talk with us. He is an emotional, passionate, intense guy who routinely criticizes our coverage of the coliseum. That, too, is his right. Sometimes he's right, most times he's not. And it has gotten him into trouble before.

But he's a city official and is paid with tax dollars. This taxpayer thinks he has a responsibility to explain his role in the campaign of someone wanting to be a council member. It is more than a personnel matter; it's a matter of public interest. If Brown doesn't feel the need to answer for his actions -- which is quite unlike him -- then his bosses with the city should. Sooner rather than later. It's not going to go away. And it's not going to help the campaign of a candidate he apparently supports.

I've also posted on the value of e-mail interviews. If Brown doesn't trust our reporting of his words and actions, we'll happily conduct an open e-mail interview and both he and we can post the exchange.