Cleveland Documenters Bring Transparency to Local Government

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Doug Breehl-Pitorak, the manager of the Cleveland Documenters program for local newsroom Signal Cleveland, spoke to high school students about the vital role Documenters play in covering local government. Breehl-Pitorak explained that Documenters are paid 'civic side hustlers' who take notes at public meetings and conduct interviews to provide the public with insights into what's happening in their community. The Documenters program, which started in Chicago in 2015 and came to Cleveland in 2020, now has over 600 participants in the city, demonstrating its growing impact.

Why it matters

Breehl-Pitorak emphasized that the Documenters program is a crucial component of local journalism, serving as a 'fourth branch of government' by holding officials accountable and informing the public. By providing detailed, accurate records of public meetings, the Documenters program ensures transparency and gives residents a voice in their local government.

The details

The Cleveland Documenters program trains and pays residents, including high school students as young as 15, to attend and document local government meetings, such as those of the Cleveland City Council, school board, and library board. The documented meeting summaries are then made freely available to the public on the Documenters.org website.

• The Cleveland Documenters program started in 2020.
• Signal Cleveland, the local newsroom that manages the Documenters program, launched in 2022.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Cleveland Documenters program continues to expand its reach, with plans to recruit and train more residents to document local government meetings and provide the public with greater transparency and accountability.