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21. Anonymous2
    Member

    I just read the note from Trustee Grace and cannot quite believe it: our ELECTED official was advised by the Village attorney (whose salary we all pay for) NOT TO COMMUNICATE with her electorate! This is outrageous. There is a responsibility on elected public officials - as much as it is a matter of common courtesy - to listen and talk to those who elected you. So far, Trustee Grace is the only one who understands this and who bothered to address our concerns. Nobody else cares which suggests arrogance and disregard for us all.

    It looks extremely suspicious that the Village attorney would even make a suggestion to withdraw from this forum. What is there to hide? This Board and Village management already have a very poor reputation for not being open and transparent and this attorney's advice certainly makes it worse! As far as the statement that this forum is only for "some" constituents and therefore "unfair": this argument could be used at every Board meeting which is attended only by a few and not the "whole" electorate. Besides, this site was just started recently and is already gaining popularity. There are enough of us here. And we want our ELECTED officials to listen and talk to us!

    Posted Saturday Jan 20, 2007 16:59 #

22. HRCollins
    Member

    Anonymous2 -

    Trustee Grace would like to use this forum to communicate using this forum. The village's attorney's advice does not stop her from communicating with Riversidians but is not use this forum.

    The Open Meeting laws are open to interpretation by citizens, lawyers, judges and Lisa Madigan. That is the problem. There is no black and white, just gray.

    Would you prefer that the village board gets sued and is forced to use village funds in response to the lawsuit?

    Posted Saturday Jan 20, 2007 18:57 #

23. corbi328
    Member

    Anonymous2,

    I echo the sentiments expressed by HRCollins. Direct your anger at state legislators who passed such a poorly written and ambiguous Open Meetings law. I'll join you. I do also want to point out that equating residents' access to this forum to the access that residents have to board meetings is inaccurate. Board meetings are open to the public and are also televised. This forum is only accessible by residents who have computers and can log onto the internet.

    Posted Saturday Jan 20, 2007 19:48 #

24. MikeT
    Member

    Are board members allowed to email constituents? I have recvd email responses from Katy, but none from board members. Maybe since they see that Katy is responding, they do not have to respond or have nothing to add.

    miket

    Posted Saturday Jan 20, 2007 20:27 #

25. Elisa
    Member

    Not to play devil's advocate, but access to cable is not universal - for instance, we do not have satellite tv or cable in our house. Nor is the ability for some people to go to board meetings universal. My point is that the more channels that are open the better - no one way is the best way. It is the job of the Village to be as accessible to as many residents as they can and in as many possible ways. No one way of access should be excluded.

    Posted Saturday Jan 20, 2007 21:26 #

26. Anonymous2
    Member

    Board meetings are open to the public who has time and ability to attend. Internet access is pretty common these days, I'd say not far behind cable access.

    Posted Sunday Jan 21, 2007 18:28 #

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