Someone commented that the budget hearings never showed up on local cable and another person asked when the July 13 agenda-fixing might be aired. I do not own a television set, so I can't verify whether council meetings are missing from the lineup, but I looked up the current schedule on the city web site and did not see any listings for council meetings.
Lately meetings have taken an embarrassing turn, especially during public comment. The rules of decorum are not always followed and observers have noticed selective enforcement, with the gavel coming down on some out-of-bounds comments and not others. Certainly the city is not shown in its best light when speakers stoop to personal attacks on camera.
Every agenda includes the following statement regarding public comment:
NO SPEAKER SHALL ENGAGE IN ANY PERSONALLY OFFENSIVE, DEROGATORY OR ABUSIVE REMARKS. THE PRESIDENT SHALL IMMEDIATELY CALL TO ORDER ANY SPEAKER WHO VIOLATES THIS PROVISION. AN OFFICER FROM THE PLAINFIELD POLICE DIVISION MAY REMOVE ANY DISRUPTIVE PERSON AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER. PUBLIC COMMENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO PRESENT THEIR VIEWS – BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE.
Typical meetings in recent months have tended to be long on rhetoric and short on explanations of the business at hand. Resolutions are often named by letter or number only, and the viewing public may not get a sense of what council decisions mean. It is then left up to bloggers and reporters to bring context to these matters, although when and if called on by the council, directors and department heads will explain the reasons why the governing body is being asked to approve specific actions
There ia always more drama at public meetings right before elections, especially the June primaries. Now that the outcome is known, the council and the public can both work on improving the quality of discourse at council meetings. And for the sake of those who can't get out to the meetings, maybe any problems with airing the tapes can be resolved so residents can see their elected officials at work.
--Bernice
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The council meetings should be a reality TV show. Problem is that outsiders will think the council is playing to the camera, not realizing that is exactly the way they act without the lights, camera, action!
ReplyDeleteMany of the council meetings are at least in part an embarrassment to the City. That said, the public has a right to observe the goings on regardless of how bizarre they may be. They should be televised. As I view the sale prices of the absolutely magnificent, one of kind, splendidly landscaped homes decline, taxes increase, and PMUA exorbitant rates, ( don't tell prospective buyers about that little "by the way",) I think of the Council with increasing frustration, and an ever growing sense of helplessness. On the positive side there remain an abundance of good people who are still trying to make it work and are a pleasure to call neighbors. Bill Kruse
ReplyDeleteThank you Bernice. I was the one who commented on the disappearance of meetings on air. The July 13th meeting aired this week.
ReplyDeleteAny listing on the city site is useless when trying to find out when or if the meetings are shown.
ReplyDeleteIf I recall our current city council defunded the Public Information Officer position last year.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the person who would have been responsible for posting such information on the city website.