UP: To Parkersburg City Council’s decision to open up its public forum agenda item to discussion of any topic. A return to a three-minute time limit is a reasonable adjustment; and council is to be commended for loosening other restrictions on the public’s time to speak.

DOWN: To alleged “staffing and training issues” that resulted in the Regional Jail billing errors that cost Wood County $32,089 more than was necessary. When the West Virginia Legislative Auditor weighed in to help the Regional Jail Authority and Correctional Facility Authority conduct an audit, they found that, in fact, it was necessary to take a look at all counties served by the North Central Regional Jail “for potentially erroneous billing.”

UP: To retiring Parkersburg Municipal Building maintenance foreman Glenn Meeks, who was honored by council this week with the naming of the Glenn Meeks Conference Room, in the building. “It was like one of his children, taking care of this building,” said Council President John Reed. “He had so much pride in it.” It would be nice if we could all do our jobs with such dedication, and in a way that results, at the end of our careers, in sentiments like Reed’s: “Everybody just really, really liked the guy.”