Accessibility is Transparency: Why ECUA’s Open Dialogue Should Be the Standard

Last month, I attended my first Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) board meeting. I walked in expecting the standard bureaucratic drill: a rigid three-minute timer at the podium and blank stares from the dais. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was I given the chance to speak for a full five minutes, but I also had some kind of interaction with every single board member. Their willingness, and even eagerness, to interact with the public was incredibly refreshing.

Unfortunately, their meeting earlier this month was canceled, so I was unable to attend. However, I have since happily had some correspondence with a few board members. This open line of communication is vital, and it got me thinking about how this board handles public inquiry, specifically regarding a recent speaker: Ralph Schofield.

Schofield, who is currently running for ECUA District 4, approached the board with a masterclass in civic engagement. He didn’t come to vent; he came prepared with specific, pointed questions about infrastructure, transparency, and the budget that benefit every ratepayer in the county.

(Photo credit: ECUA Youtube)

He brought up the massive 300,000-gallon sewer overflow on Monteigne Drive, asking how that $2 million emergency repair is actively informing the utility’s risk assessment for other aging pipes. He pointed out the legacy, unmapped commercial water connections recently uncovered on Garden Street, asking how ECUA plans to identify other hidden configurations before future road projects are delayed. He also advocated for the average customer, requesting plain-language explanations for upcoming backflow prevention rules.

Most importantly, Schofield called for a public-facing budget dashboard to clearly explain massive line-item jumps in the FY 2027 budget, such as a 33% increase in lab testing and the general repair budget doubling from $3 million to $6 million.

(Photo credit: ECUA Youtube)

What stood out just as much as Schofield’s well-researched points was how the board received him. They didn’t dismiss him or rush him away. Chairman Kevin Stephens thanked him, openly discussed the realities of rising private-sector costs and inflation, and invited Schofield to connect directly with ECUA finance staff. Other board members engaged as well, acknowledging the severe challenges of rehabilitating old, expensive infrastructure inherited from the city and county. They even conceded that their online budget materials and dashboards could use improvement.

This back-and-forth is exactly what local government should look like.

(Photo credit: ECUA Youtube)

During the discussion, Board Member Larry Williams noted how encouraged he is that people are watching the meetings on YouTube. I want to echo that sentiment directly back to the board: We are watching, and we deeply appreciate the accessibility of having these meetings available online.

Ultimately, accessibility is transparency. When a resident like Schofield can stand at a podium, ask tough questions about a multimillion-dollar budget, and receive a thoughtful, interactive response; and when any resident can watch that exchange from their living room, it builds genuine public trust.

ECUA is dealing with incredibly complex issues, from century-old infrastructure to skyrocketing supply costs. Solving these problems requires public buy-in. By welcoming extra time at the podium, maintaining correspondence when meetings are canceled, and keeping the YouTube streams rolling, the ECUA board is proving that they are ready to do the work out in the open.