--- Mark Schnepper <noreply-comment@blogger.com>
wrote:
---------------------------------
The problem I have with the plan commisson meetings
is the format.
Public comment
Commission member discussion
Vote
It seems unfair to me that the commission hears your
public comments and then sometimes responds, sometimes
doesn't in their discussion, then they vote. They
have the opportunity to respond to your concerns if
they choose to, however, after listening to their
discussion, the public floor has already been closed
and a citizen has no opportuntiy for a rebuttal to the
commission members discussion.
From what I understand from friends that live in other
communities that these meetings are staged over
several meetings and have more of a dialogue between
the the citizens and the planning commission. I think
a different format could develop more of a dialoge
between the PC and citizens that attend.
--
Posted by Mark Schnepper to Evansville Observer at
8/25/2005 08:50:19 AM
I so very agree with you. I have been at several planning commission meetings and Mayor Ringhand seems to take great joy in saying ' Sorry the public meeting is closed.' Because your right the public has no opportunity to discuss issues or questions the planning commission has brought up among them selves. I think they do it this way because they are afraid to have a real discussion with the citizens of Evansville.
ReplyDeleteThis really should not be a difficult, either they are agreeable to more discussion, maybe not closing the public forum until they are ready to vote, or they are not agreeable to having more discussion. From the group of people that is on the planning commission now, and really the last three years, I don't think they want anyone questioning what they are doing. They act as though they are doing us a favor by allowing us to speak at all. TIME FOR CHANGE.
ReplyDeleteCueball this is not a matter of lets form a nice little group and sit down an discuss this, either the council is open to this idea or they or not. This
ReplyDeleteshould not and does not need to be a long drawn out thing. As for someone posting anony, your no better you don't post your name either.
Just a quick add to my last post, cueball you sound as though you have alot of good ides, so why not post under your name? I have read the posts you have done and they all sound good, with the except, of giving anony a hard time, when by posting under user id you are basically posting anony. good ideas why not get credit for them?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sarah. Either the commission is open to more public input or they are not. It isn't something that should take a lot of lobbying. I agree that maybe this isn't the best place for a discussion, but it is an opportunity to see if people share your views. I have emailed Bill Conners and cc'd my alderperson and Mayor Ringhand.
ReplyDeleteI suggest new proposals are not voted on the evening they are presented. I suggest:
Night one: Proposal brought to the commission and discussed by the PC.
Night two: Public Comment and any further Commission Discussion. Vote.
The reason I suggest this, is that the public would be able to have a better informed opinion if they can listen to the initial PC discussion form opinions and do any further research that is necessary to present an informed public comment.
Either the commission is open to more opportunity for public comment and this can be changed or they want to suppress public comment.
Mr. Connors may not be a voting member of the commission, however, he is in attendance at the meetings and is the one that is looked to when there is a procedural question as far as what is allowed in the meetings. If a change is warrented, I think Bill and Mayor Ringhand are in a position to make that happen.
ReplyDeleteFrom my perspective some of the members are interested in public input, others are not (although this is strictly an opinion from what I have observed).
Cueball I am now wondering if you know as much as you think you do based on your comments. Its all good and fine to quote chapter and verse, but life does not follow chapter and verse.
ReplyDelete( meaning, not everything runs like it should or as one would expect.) I think my comment was I thought it sounded like you have good ideas., take a deep breathe and read what I wrote. The city council and planning commission alot of times tend to run by there own rules, regardless of what anyone trys to tell them. Why do think there have been so many issues in the last 2-5 years regarding building of homes that have had serious water issues, to lack of communication regarding annex of land, to buildings being build in residential areas. There have been these issues because the city runs like it does. Mr.Connors plays a big part in how the council votes, not only that but there is a member of the who does not live in this town, does not pay taxes here, but votes on the issues. That is wrong. So don't preach to me or anyone else about how to go about bringing about change, we have tried many times discussing our issues and met with alot of resistance from the city to make changes. We started out nice and worked our way into angry after getting no answers or help from the city. If they wanted to help, or really cared they would have made changes by now.
By the way I long ago had my alderperson's name and address, and number, not as in phone number. He is a joke, and yes running for city alderperson is a very real option, and we have someone giving serious thought to running for Mayor. I will say it again TIME FOR CHANGE
ReplyDeleteSarahJ, what you are trying to say is you have ' been there, done that'. I can understand that. The council and planning commission can be extremely frustrating. Until its in there back yard, they don't care.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I did hear back from Bill Connors. His thoughts were that the PC would not be open to an expanded forum for everything that comes before them, although they may consider it for certain issues. He asked for my thoughts on what those should be. My thoughts were that land annexation and rezoning deserve additional consideration through an expanded forum. If anyone has additional ideas that would warrant more consideration I would email them to Bill Connors.
ReplyDeleteMark thank you, I think these are the two major issues that really need some extra attention. These two things are the ones that will have a direct impact on people's homes and I think that the council and pc does need to have more
ReplyDeletein depth, direct discussions with the people it will effect. thanks again.
No Harm in open discussion.