| Author |
Message |
    
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5724
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 11:08 am: |     |
Well, I suppose it would be nice to have the TC accessible here on MOL, but I will say this. My wife is concerned about a proposed Maplewood health ordinance. She has been phoning the TC members at their homes and has been able to speak with them. That's a good thing. |
Rebecca Raines
Citizen
Username: Robin_realist
Post Number: 262
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 11:24 am: | |
The committee members have always been very receptive to personal contact. They seem to welcome calls to their homes and each plan time to be available to the public. We all know that MOL has a tendency to suck you in. I think they really prefer face to face. It's more real. If someone has a complaint, seeing their expressions, hearing the emotion in their voice and being able to interact with them is really important to being able to answer them, especially if it turns out that there's no easy answer and you can't really help them. If you've listened, heard, tried to help them and can't, at least they feel like you did your best. But on MOL, it's too impersonal. Questions get asked and many people get involved. If the original problem isn't 'solved', what do you get? A dissatisfied person and a public official who looks ineffective and an open mess that can be brought out to 'review' every little bit. I don't blame them at all for staying away from here, but I'm sure they read what we're talking about. As a matter of fact, I know it's not uncommon for one of them to call or contact someone privately just after that person had complained about something publicly here. R |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5732
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 11:39 am: | |
I agree that the likelihood of it becoming a no-win for the TC is high.
And yes, they do read MOL. When I met them at first, they acted as if they had met me already, since they had read the stuff I post here.
I got the same from Kris Harrison, principal of MMS. He's a great guy.
Maybe this is the best compromise.
|
ajc
Citizen
Username: Ajc
Post Number: 3584
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 11:56 am: | |
"The committee members have always been very receptive to personal contact."
I have always found this to be true... As Rebecca said, "I think they really prefer face to face." |
Rebecca Raines
Citizen
Username: Robin_realist
Post Number: 264
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 12:00 pm: | |
I'm sorry Tom. I shouldn't have posted so quickly. You wanted to have a lively conversation and I have a tendency to be a thread killer. I think I'm just a little too reasonable and then people don't feel comfortable disagreeing with me. People seem to be happiest with disagreement and controversy. No one wants to read/post on a thread that's all reasonable and 'let's play nice'. I could delete and see what responses you get then if you like. In future I'll work on sounding more radical in my responses. R |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5733
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 12:14 pm: | |
 Are you serious? |
Rebecca Raines
Citizen
Username: Robin_realist
Post Number: 265
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 2:39 pm: | |
Usually, but I do have a sense of humor. It's just so difficult to get a response from people online. They only seem to understand overt comments or popular type humor (like repeating what they hear on TV sitcoms). I don't really relate to that. I happen to be home sick today and that may be influencing me. I hope my comments don't seem too garbled.
As to the TC members, I really do think they want face to face or at least ear to ear contact. I don't actually know their reasons, but gave what mine would be. I do enjoy your posts Tom. You try to get a conversation going to make people think about something, but don't seem to have any ulterior motive. R |
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