[RP TownTalk] Talking to the Town: Two Proposals

[david lingua]

Best wishes for the new year.

   And if only the cat could get that fish swimming in
the stream without getting its paws wet.

   Yes it is unfortunate that more people cannot make
it to the monthly legislative session for the
approximately two hours it runs. We all lead busy
lives just like those who made the decision to append
a commitment of public service to theirs. As if those
involved with the administration of this town do not
have enough to do already, requesting someone to
accurately transcribe a +/- 120 minute session from
video tape for posting within 48 hours so as to be
available for a cursory glance or a quick perusal is a
rather lunar. Patience is a virtue and GOOD things
come to those who wait. 
 
   And if waiting should prove to be too great of an
inconvenience then a review as to whether or not to
trundle those happy hips to town hall on the first
Monday by 8 pm is in order. Once there all sorts of
information, made available by town officials, is
proffered for the taking. Stay a little while and
attend the mayor's and council's reports. A little
longer and be briefed by the Town Administrator, the
Chief of Police, and the Head of Public Works. If that
proves sufficient then the journey home more than
likely will be concluded about 9 pm. And those who are
making the extra effort to serve our fair municipality
will appreciate the attendance regardless of duration.


--- David Hiles <hilesd at mindspring.com> wrote:

> Best wishes for the new year.
> 
> Two proposals for more open gov't and a more easily
> informed  
> citizenry in our fair municipality:
> 
> 1) Back in November, the Mayor made a few comments
> on TownTalk.  That  
> was cool!  Maybe I'm a freak, but I'd like to see
> MORE Talk from our  
> elected Town leaders on TownTalk.  Communicate with
> the lurking  
> public, etc.
> 
> These elected guys and gals already "Talk" to the
> "Town" multitudes  
> at the council meetings, so maybe we have sufficient
>  
> "TownTalk" (TalkTown?) going on through that venue. 
> But, maybe not.   
> I miss out on that great part of "TownTalk" because
> I'm not at those  
> meetings and I don't have cable.  Since I'm not
> there, they aren't  
> Talking to me.  Or if they are, I can't hear them. 
> Anyway, I would  
> like to be able to keep abreast of town matters in
> an efficient,  
> modern manner.  It would be great if people like me
> could keep up  
> without _having_ to go to the meetings.
> 
> 2) How about this?  Start posting the council
> meeting draft (and  
> final) minutes on TownTalk.  If  that proves too
> intrusive, set up  
> another mail list (like that Ward 1 Electioneering
> list!) and post  
> the minutes there. The minutes are already being
> typed into Word, so  
> it should be straightforward and not too much more
> work.  That way,  
> the Town would be Talking to the over 90 members of
> this list, not  
> just the many people at the meetings.  It would be
> another way to do  
> something about being an open, accessible
> government.  Of course,  
> some times some list members would Talk Back to the
> Town, but that  
> should be OK too.
> 
> I'd like to see draft minutes soon after the
> meeting, like within two  
> business days.  If they were identified as draft,
> then great.   Busy- 
> but-interested people could keep somewhat
> misinformed on a timely  
> basis.  Waiting until the minutes were approved
> would add way too  
> much delay (and little meaningful correction) to the
> process.   
> Approved minutes should of course also be posted as
> they become  
> available.
> 
> I'd like this to start happening imperfectly soon,
> rather than wait  
> for some excellent implementation a year from now. 
> Sometimes  
> imperfection is an impetus to virtue.
> 
> WE are who we have been waiting for.
> http://riverdalepark.blogspot.com/
> 
> 
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