Local politics, the hotbed of intellectual discord
Political blogging at the city level is not that exciting. The meetings are, to be sure, as exciting as watching paint dry.
No, scratch that. Paint is more exciting.
I arrived at the West Conference Room in the Council Chambers a few minutes early, and realized that, despite dressing business nice, the backpack on my shoulders took ten years off my age and no one here would probably notice me. Which is how I like it.
The session is a "study session" on the "General Plan of Industrial and Industrial to Residential Land Use." The "study" part of that session means someone stands in the front and gives a presentation.
I walked in, and, after confirming I was in the correct location, asked where is appropriate to sit. Unanimously, from the top council member to the city manager's assistant at the laptop, the answer was, "Not at the table." "The table is reserved for council members only." Granted, one council member explained if there were seats remaining after all the council members sat down, then I could sit at the table. The other two council members glared at him for the offer.
Early overheard conversation:
"I don't read the newspaper."
"Coward."
The meeting wasn't terribly exciting, but it was long: 7 until 9:30, and that was after the 5:30 to 7 "study meeting." One lady in the back row with Kris and me fell asleep, and started snoring. One guy was completely crazy and refused to stop talking, even to the point of yelling from the back of the auditorium. One school district representative spoke, and pretty much spun all his talk to make the school district look like the good guy, and everyone else look like the bad guy. We caught him in a couple of lies, in as much as we had direct dealings with him. I guess everyone lies, or exaggerates for effect. I just wasn't expecting it to be on public record.
I'm glad we went. Two of the city officials impressed us. The other ones seemed like completely disgusting, slimy politicians, holding the job for the personal power and recognition instead of for the public good. One council member tried to introduce legislation without any public input, while another council member stopped the proposal because of the lack of discussion or public input, even though he agreed with it. Kudos to him.
Not sure how much we'll go back to these council meetings, but I think I may go more often, working on my laptop during the topics I don't care about, and listening when I do care.