My new favorite show is Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel, airing Friday nights at 9 p.m.
Host Bear Grylls, a former member of the British Special Forces and survivalist, teaches people firsthand how to survive if stranded in various locations around the globe that would make many people say, “Well, I might as just sit here and wait it out.”

This English adventurer does insane things like parachuting into the 120-degree heat of the Australian Outback, all to show people how to survive, MacGyver-style, for days in treacherous territory.

While I don’t have any advice on killing snakes or eating some of the things Grylls claims are edible, I do have some experience in a setting that people have compared to a jungle.

One of the biggest complaints I hear from residents is that they don’t know how to get the information they want.

So here’s a little primer on navigating the waters of government bureaucracy, exploring the paper trail and, hopefully, coming out with some answers to your questions.

Most government bodies have websites. Start looking there for meeting minutes, dates and agendas, billing and contact information, staff directories, ordinances, policies and procedures.
When you do go into an office it’s always important to be as polite as possible when asking for information. Baked goods help. Get snarky and your tax bill may be late for the next six months.
When I want information and don’t know which department has what I need, I start at the Clerk’s office. The clerk and (all) administrative assistants are the gatekeepers of just about any record you might want.

Most governments or school boards also have agenda packets available before a meeting. You can review packets for free, but copies often cost a little bit. Be prepared, if you request documentation of any kind you might have to pay copying fees and for the time it took the employee to find you the information.

When you can’t seem to get the information you seek, use the good ‘ole Freedom of Information Act. It’s important to be as specific as possible when writing these requests, which are pretty simple. While most documents are in the public domain, employee disciplinary actions, ongoing legal cases, employee reviews, land purchase bids and a few other subjects are not open to the public. Otherwise, it’s amazing how much information you can get simply by asking - nicely.

A comprehensive copy of the Michigan Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act - with what sorts of information are excluded from public domain - is available online at http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/OpenMtgsFreedom.pdf.

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