What would you do?

Recently a young reporter for the Winona Daily News wrote into the Investigative Reporters & Editors listserve seeking advice from colleagues with more experience covering city government.

She presents a problem that is typical for new reporters covering a beat for the first time. What would you tell her to do?

Here's the posting:

"To experienced city government reporters,


I'm looking for new avenues to tackle a non-responsive and uncooperative
city council in a southeastern Minnesota town of 1,500 residents. I feel
like I've tried everything.

The council has been an adamant "no comment" for a while now. They said
it's not their job to talk to me. When I do get comment from them, it's
statements they make during a council meeting or approaching them after
a meeting while they're walking out the door or packing up.

They tell me that they don't trust me or my paper. They say my reporting
is inaccurate. I'll ask what's wrong in my stories and they'll say "half
of it." I've offered several times to have them meeting with me and my
editor to work out communication issues, but they've turned us down.

The mayor gave me a 20-minute phone interview a few months ago, but said
he was unhappy I didn't print "everything" he said and that the story
included quotes from people who disagreed with the council's actions.
One of the council members said he didn't like stories the reporter
before me did so he won't talk to our paper. Another council member said
he gave me a chance, but I messed it up. I'm not sure when that chance
was or how I messed it up because we've never had a sit-down interview
with him.

The city administrator is a little better with communication, but she
can be ridiculously vague and often dodges my phone calls. I have
discussed my concerns with the city attorney and he has said he'll find
a way to help me access information and possibly get statements from the
council for me, but it sounds like what he's suggesting is press
releases after decisions are made.

I'm looking for a council that will clue me in on their plans so I can
let residents know before they vote on it. They tell me I'm harassing
them by calling them to discuss agenda items. I've tracked the time and
date of every phone call, and I've only had one returned call.

If any one can offer advice on how I can better handle the situation, it
would be really appreciated.