On the front page is a story about the city of Thousand Oaks not revealing details about City Council agendas before they are officially released on Fridays.

The intent of the article isn’t to embarrass the city but to explain to Acorn readers why this newspaper rarely does preview stories about upcoming City Council meetings.

We can’t tell you because we don’t know, except for public hearings. If we could, we’d do more stories about the following week’s City Council meeting, but the agenda isn’t available until Friday, the day after we publish the paper.

It’s not a conspiracy. To those who’ve examined an unabridged City Council agenda, it’s a fearsome document, inches thick and full of confusing and boring language. A New York City lawyer would need an interpreter.

And nobody will talk about it until it’s out.

We understand, too, that discussions and debate over the agenda probably take place until Friday. Some details, no doubt, aren’t finalized until the last minute.

Like cities working with council agendas, newspapers also have deadlines, and we understand the process. Some people get their jobs done at the last possible moment and not a minute before. It’s human nature.

Knowing the city’s history and some of the atrocious behavior that’s occurred during City Council meetings, it’s no surprise if people suspect the council agenda is kept secret on purpose.

After all, why would anyone encourage rude people to show up?

Many of them, though, may not need the agenda.

They assume when they arrive that something will provoke them. That’s why they’re there, and their hot buttons have hair triggers.

One of next Tuesday’s public hearings, by the way, is on the proposed increase in fees for water.

There will be objections, but in this case, civility should prevail because not just the usual gang will be voicing disapproval about the proposed water rate hike.