I think one of the dangers in being a public official is that you tend to be dismissive of criticism because you adapt the attitude of "we have the facts and they don't, therefore why are they questioning our actions?" I just think the direction they're taking Riverside is basically wrong, but it's been years in the making [B2 rezoning, TIF].
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COW March 5 TONIGHT
(12 posts)-
Posted Wednesday Mar 7, 2007 07:52 #
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Lonnie - you might have missed this - it was in the Jan.2 Landmark, and I think caused this last move to restructure the meeting format.
Can't trust Riverside's new meeting schedule
President Wiaduck and the Riverside village board keep saying they want more residents to become involved and attend board meetings, yet they have just adopted a strange new policy. Beginning Jan. 8, the schedule of meetings for 2007 shows that there will be a regular meeting held on the same evening that the usual Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting is held.This means that the Board of Trustees will be able to discuss new rules, regulations and policies at the COW meeting- where no public input is allowed-and then immediately hold a regular meeting at which a vote is taken, all on the same night and before anyone has a chance to deliver input or comment, since public input at regular meetings of the board occurs at the end of the agenda.
Previously, the board had open discussion at the COW meeting and then usually waited at least two weeks to vote. Now this can all happen on the same night. Additionally, the infamous "special meetings" that this board is so fond of holding are not listed on the village Web site's calendar, because they don't have to be.
Posting a notice on the town hall bulletin board is sufficient, they say. Well that may be, but what it means in actuality is that a notice and agenda for any meeting can be posted late on Friday, and if you don't visit the town hall on Monday to see what is scheduled, you can not only miss the discussion but the decision and vote.
How this "streamlined" process will help residents become "more involved" is anyone's guess. It appears to me to be just another clever move that this board and administration has concocted to get their own way.
Village residents need to protest the adoption of this process, or they are going to discover that important decisions that affect us all are being short-circuited and fast-tracked. Folks, this isn't how a democracy is supposed to work!
I think Trustee Grace was attempting to remedy this situation with her changes.
Posted Wednesday Mar 7, 2007 22:30 #
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