[RP TownTalk] A view from the Ravenswood nest

[OurDollMom at aol.com]

I like Dwights idea of  putting the info in simple text
on town talk. I would at least got to see it & read it.
Em
 
 
In a message dated 4/13/2009 10:46:06 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
dwightrholmes at gmail.com writes:

Melissa  -
There is a town email list called "Town Announce" that sends  out
announcements of meetings, agendas, and (thanks to a recent, new  town
ordinance) copies of resolutions and ordinances.  You can sign up  for
it  here:
http://www.riverdaleparkmd.info/TownCrier.cfm

Personally, I  think it would be better to send that info out via
TownTalk. I don't know  how many folks are subscribed to TownAnnounce
(or to TownTalk for that  matter) but I'm guessing there are quite a
few people who aren't even aware  of it.

I don't think that the amount of traffic on TownTalk is such  that the
addition of one or two emails a week to announce town events would  be
burdensome to our readership.  One issue might be that all of the  Town
Announce info is sent out as PDF attachments.  I don't know if  that's
a requirement - there doesn't seem to be any reason I can see that  the
same info couldn't be sent as simple text in a post to  TownTalk.

I agree with you & Don that it's too bad there isn't more  of a roll up
your sleeves democratic process that takes place with all of  these
many important decisions. I don't think I point a finger at  our
council or mayor for that though.   I am just so grateful  that these
folks have given of their time to run. It's dismaying that we  have 7
seats up for election and every one of them is unopposed.  And  as
Brian said, we who squeak should bring with us some WD40.  (Of  course
some of us squeakers could use a little WD40 ourselves ;-) )   I'm sure
all of our representatives would appreciate any and all input  and
participation. I've certainly always felt welcome when I've  attended
town meetings and have always been given an opportunity to  speak.

It may be that in this day and age, and in particular in this  present
day economy, that our particular small town/inner ring suburb with  its
particular demographic makeup, just doesn't quite have critical  mass
for heavy duty democratic decision making.

Just my  thoughts...

Dwight

On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 10:20 AM, Melissa  Avery <m.avery at rocketmail.com> 
wrote:
> Sarah,
> thank you  for the information. I think the point that Don was trying to  
make
> was, that it is the job of an elected council member to make  decisions
> through a consensus of their ward members. When you can only  get 
information
> about what is happening  in your ward or the town  AFTER the council has 
met
> and discussed the issues and made decisions  , that is not following the
> democratic process. Why should you have to  go to a council meeting to 
find
> out what is happening in your  ward? How can your opinion be heard when 
you
> do not know what is  going to be discussed? Some issues need research, a
> person can't be  expected to offer inteligent rebuttle on the spur of the
> moment with  out the oppertunity to do research.   Don was trying to  
describe
> a democratic process. Also we know that ward  2  has had ward meetings, 
the
> only ward as far as we  know.
> This town is too small to not make an effort to reach out to all  of it's
> citizens. Especially in this election where essentially  everyone in the 
town
> government is being  appointed.
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