| Author | Message | ||
     Steven Brent Citizen Username: Sbrent Post Number: 78 Registered: 9-2002  |
Anyone who wants to send a message to DC, or place an ad in a newspaper, or print leaflets, etc -- (pro - or - con current American policies), ought to have the courage and honesty do so using their own names, own time, and own money. The attempt to hide behind the banner of our Township is ridiculous. And I hope that everyone who feels as I do will attend the meeting and be heard. | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 1353 Registered: 5-2001 |
Steven: Are you seriously suggesting that the best way to discourage one group of people seeking to waste the TC's time re: an inappropriate resolution is to encourage a second group of people to appear at the same TC meting to speak out against the first group of people? Just when would the TC find the time to address township business? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 818 Registered: 9-2001 |
Majority rules... nothing more has to be said. I think the MOL response thus far makes the point pretty clear how a lot of people feel about this issue. If the group that shows is 10 to 1, that should also help make the point to the members of the TC how they should spend their time.... | ||
| mck Citizen Username: Mck Post Number: 401 Registered: 5-2001 |
Joan: I don't often disagree with you, but - yes. The request for a meaningless resolution by a group of citizens deserves to be met, no matter how much time is taken, by people opposing that resolution. The TC got itself into this by entertaining the request in the first place. | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 1357 Registered: 5-2001 |
MCK: Perhaps it would be best for both groups to have a pre-meeting meeting amongst themselves with one TC member present so both sides could be heard. Start the meeting at 7 PM. Allow each group 20 minutes to present their side and a five minute summation/rebuttal. The one attending TC member could then summarize the positions of both groups for the full TC once the full meeting begins. Then the TC could announce its decision and move on with little official time lost. | ||
| mck Citizen Username: Mck Post Number: 402 Registered: 5-2001 |
Joan; that sounds very sensible to me. i completely support your desire not to waste the TC's time with proposed nutty resolutions and then opposition to those proposed nutty resolutions. | ||
| Steven Brent Citizen Username: Sbrent Post Number: 82 Registered: 9-2002 |
I wish people would use less sarcasm on these forums, or at least have the kindness to use sarcasm tags or something. I can't tell who is sincere and who is not much of the time. | ||
| mck Citizen Username: Mck Post Number: 403 Registered: 5-2001 |
Steven: I'm not being sarcastic, and I'm sure Joan isn't either. The point is to avoid wasting everyone's time with pro-resolution/anti-resolution on an issue which shouldn't be before the TC in the first place. (And your point about sarcasm is right on. If there's one thing that I've learned from reading MOL it is that sarcasm used by less than a masterful writer is a very poor rhetorical tool.) | ||
| Steven Brent Citizen Username: Sbrent Post Number: 83 Registered: 9-2002 |
I agree it shouldn't be before the TC in the first place. But if there is going to be a pre-meeting debate on the issue, with the matter being decided at the meeting with no further discussion, maybe the TC should make an effort to publicize the fact so that anyone who has an interest in the subject knows what's going on. OR: preferably, just drop the whole thing!  | ||
| mck Citizen Username: Mck Post Number: 404 Registered: 5-2001 |
Steven, You're right, also! Transparency is very important. If the TC can't just stop this presentation before the night of the 18th, then both pro and anti resolution speak outs should take place in public. The waste of time is extremely irritating, but better that than the appearance of unfairness/secrecy. As I think more about it, Joan, one of the greatest things about our TC meetings is the genuine openness to the public. So, although this resolution is inappropriate, the discussion about it should be in public. There, I think I'm finally done on this subject! | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 1358 Registered: 5-2001 |
Steven: There are FIVE TC members to represent a town of close to 25,000 people. These 25,000 people include a comparatively large proportion with strong and often differing opinions on how the town should be run. The TC has at most an average of 24 public meetings of a few hours duration each in which to set policy on basic on-going issues of township administration, address proposals for new programs and/or structures, and provide an opportunity for the public to express their concerns on developments within the township. There are a lot of issues being considered by the township committee at the moment. Most important are likely to be the budget issues, which really do need to be resolved -- soon. Then there is the redevelopment of Springfield Avenue, the placement of the Cell Tower, the perceived problems of an increase in crime within the township, need to provide expanded activities for our youth after school, problems with ordinance enforcement, etc. Matters affecting the township directly should be addressed before matters of more general social concern which do not come under the TC's direct mandate. If a company wanted to locate a munitions factory on Springfield Avenue in anticipation of profits to be made from defense contracts, that would be a legitimate concern for the TC. A general philisophical statement on whether the federal government is acting responsibly in the implementation of its own mandated responsibility is NOT. You can bet I am being serious. MCK: I think the TC was wrong to agree to provide time during the regular TC meeting to allow a group of our citizens time to present their position on the possible out break of war in the Middle East. I agree with you that once they made this commitment they are obligated to follow through by allotting the time. I do not feel that this mattert should be exascerbated by allowing for an unending number of speakers on the topic at a time when the TC has a growing number of legitimate concerns demanding its limited time and energy. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 824 Registered: 9-2001 |
Lots of conversation, now lets see who shows up for the meeting... | ||
| Dave Ross Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 4126 Registered: 5-2001  |
I wish people got this fired up about the $80 million school budget and BOE elections. | ||
| jgberkeley Supporter Username: Jgberkeley Post Number: 2727 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dave, You forgot the $7.2 Million bond that was floated and funded. Now the BOE has the money in the check book, we are paying debit service on it, that payment is now part of the compounding yearly increase, AND, we no longer have the original reason the bond was floated. You forgot that. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 826 Registered: 9-2001 |
Well now, that's an interesting subject George... Any suggestions?  | ||
| Tom Carlson Citizen Username: Tomcarlson Post Number: 43 Registered: 7-2002 |
Our group would also like some time at the next Township Committee meeting. We will bring our guitars and tambourines and sing Kumbaya. After that we want everybody in the room, including the Township Committee members, to stand in one big circle and hold hands. Can you dig it?  By the way, is it OK to burn incense at town hall? | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 2556 Registered: 5-2001 |
Yeah Tom, but purely for fire safety burning draft cards and flags is proheibited. Power to the People!!! | ||
| NancyJanow Citizen Username: Librarylady Post Number: 728 Registered: 5-2001 |
And any funny cigarettes are surely to be confiscated. Ohmmmmmmm...... NCJ aka LL | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 1360 Registered: 5-2001 |
The Judge Advocate for District 4 VFW has just informed me that the Veterans of Foreign Wars may be sending a delegation to the TC meeting to speak against the proposed resolution against the war and in favor of supporting our troops in the Middle East. | ||
| jfburch Citizen Username: Jfburch Post Number: 397 Registered: 6-2001 |
Well, one could be against the war and still be willing to support our troops. In fact, not starting a war would certainly protect them better. Just saying. |
