The Anne Arundel (Maryland) County Council is considering legislation proposed by its Department of Public Works that would allow public notice for right-of-way purchases, road abandonment, and petitions to extend water and sewer services, to be published on its website. The bill would also eliminate the current requirement that department officials post a sign on the affected property or publish two notices in a local newspaper.

This is a minor local issue that normally wouldn’t merit the attention of a national audience.

But a statement made by the county’s public works director to the Capital Gazette caught our attention. It perfectly encapsulates the bureaucratic perspective on public notice.