Some Clarification about My Friend, Our Visitor

I recently mentioned an out of town visitor who attended one of our Commission meetings.  She had heard from me about the Commission, she reads this blog, she had some reservations about how accurate was my description of the dynamics and personnel, and she "wouldn't miss" seeing this for herself.

She later told me not only that I was unexpectedly, and somewhat disturbingly, accurate in my description, but that frankly, she wouldn't fully have believed it had she not seen it herself.  One word she used was "disgusting," and she particularly cited and indicted "your [our] Mayor."  He wasn't on a rampage that day, just doing what he does.  She was also very unimpressed with Commissioner Dr Cooper.  Or maybe she found him depressing.

But these specific insights and observations are almost beside the point.  She had an overarching message for me and for us.  Telling it to me was preaching to the choir.  I've said it ad nauseum myself.  The message to all of us was that it seemed to her essential that Villagers attend these meetings.  Even once.  Even just for part of a meeting.  She felt it was undermining to democracy and to public participation in the governing process for people not to see what they elected.

So I've said it before, and I'll say it again: PLEASE COME TO COMMISSION MEETINGS!!!  Most likely, and sadly, the people who are the most likely readers of this blog already come to Commission meetings.  So I'm preaching to the choir, too.  But if there are any readers of this blog who don't come to Commission meetings, please come.  And whether readers come to meetings or not, please ask your neighbors to come. 

And I'm not trying to say that in my opinion, one or another of the Commissioners is better or worse than any other Commissioner.  If I did say it, it would only be my opinion.  And my opinion is worth no more than your opinion.  My opinion is expressed in this blog.  If you choose to comment, which you are welcome to do, then your opinion will be expressed here, too.  In fact, tell me you want room to express yourself, and I'll give you a guest post.  Say whatever you want.  On my dime.

Don't believe what I say.  Assume I'm wrong.  Or lying.  Or stupid.  Come see for yourselves.  These are your elected representatives.  You voted for them.  Or you didn't successfully vote against them.  You pay them.  PLEASE COME TO COMMISSION MEETINGS!!  Please.



PS: Also, feel free to pass this blog around.  Ask people who agree with you, and people who disagree with you, to read it.  If I'm wrong, or my thinking is faulty, or someone just sees it another way, I'd like to know about it.  And for the record, in the interest of "full disclosure," I get nothing for this blog.  There are no advertisers.  It makes no difference if two people read this, or 2000 people do.  I don't make anything from it, and no benefit accrues to me if someone reads it.  I have no way of knowing who, if anyone, reads it, and the "Stats" are unreliable, so I have no way of knowing even how many people read it.  Just for the record.