The Tribune's new blog, The Vault, which is an ongoing discussion of public access to government records, reports on a slick bureaucratic solution to government's oldest annoyance: kvetching citizens.

Public hearings have always been a place for a citizen to stand up in front of his community and vent, yammer, bellyache, perhaps even inform. At its best, it forces some debate with policy makers and, if nothing else, alerts the apathetic majority, that:

"Hey, my neighbors are pissed. What the heck is going on?"

But increasingly, agencies are holding to open meetings without microphones or even an opportunity for citizens to howl — or even an official to howl at. Instead, you sit at a table with a court-reporter who takes down your rant. This "efficient" process nicely insulates public officials who are busy cramming stuff down your throat. Later, the officials can (or not) read your oratory. They might even print it up and put it in a file somewhere.

The latest example was a UTA "public hearing" on a rate increase (UTA prefers the term "surcharge"). The UTA board wasn't there, of course, just a court reporter to take dictation.

A group of disabled bus riders and advocates for the poor left in protest when they were denied an opportunity to speak out.

UTA general manager John Inglish lamented that it was "unfortunate they decided to leave" before they got their voices heard.