Okay. I’ve done it. I finally subscribed to Civil Beat this morning.

Up until now, I’ve resisted the pay wall model and the high price of admission.

Then several things happened.

First of all, Civil Beat’s reporting has matured as its reporters have gained experience and focus.

I still have issues with many stories. For example, a June 16 story by Mike Levine examined how the Honolulu City Council’s reorganization was being shaped given the limits of the state’s sunshine law. Good question. I’m glad it was being asked.

But it would have been important to mention, somewhere in the story, that included among the exemptions provided in the sunshine law is one specifically for discussions of leadership changes.

Section 92-2.5 Permitted interactions of members.

(c) Discussions between two or more members of a board, but less than the number of members which would constitute a quorum for the board, concerning the selection of the board’s officers may be conducted in private without limitation or subsequent reporting.

As the story noted, there is still a potential legal issue with so-called serial communication, but the legislature’s intent to provide more leeway for discussion of organizational issues should have been noted.

But, such criticism aside, Civil Beat has increasingly been fulfilling its mission of providing the kind of public affairs reporting that has gone missing from mainstream media.

Second, and perhaps more important, was the feeling I had when heard a rumor that Civil Beat was thought to have another year to succeed or its backers would pull the plug.

Although I haven’t been a subscriber or a registered user, I’ve checked the Civil Beat reporting enough to know that they are providing a critical contrast to the commercial news media. The loss of Civil Beat would be significant to the community. Time to step up and provide some support.

And that’s where the third factor came up. There’s currently a half-off subscription special that brings the price down $10 per month for a 1-year subscription. At that price point, it’s a lot easier to join in.

No, Civil Beat isn’t perfect. But it’s now making a significant contribution, doing some excellent reporting, and improving every month. More importantly, it’s taking on the watchdog function that is increasingly absent in daily mainstream media. The announcement that Civil Beat will have a reporter in D.C. adds a new level of interest.

In any case, if you’ve been “on the fence” like I have, I would encourage you to consider taking advantage of the special pricing and becoming a Civil Beat subscriber.