Curiouser and Curiouser. You might as well say "I see what I eat "is the same as" I eat what I see". ( Alice in Wonderland) I have been writing about the Park board and looking for a metaphor that describes the true oddness of what I am being told. Yes I am running for Park Board, and my words should be somewhat suspect as campaign rhetoric. But I am just amazed and fascinated by this odd fantasy world I have stumbled into.
I appreciate clarity and logic and I have been seeking a clear answer to why the Park Board does not follow its own rules. Welcome to a world where words lose their meaning. I wrote to the Chair of the planning committee and staff: Is there some reason ordinance 99-101 is not being applied to the Master Plan or Public Hearing process of the St. Anthony Parkway Master Plan? The reply "if we had done the Citizen Advisory committee with representatives from the biking and walking communities on the project, there would have been less neighborhood based input." What this means is - elected officials who should have appointed a Citizen Advisory Committee- Commissioners, Council Members and Mayor can not be trusted to appoint the right mix of participants. So the staff disregards the ordinance written by Commissioners, considers it optional, and somehow thinks that the mishmash that was created and blew up in their face at the public hearing was the right way to go. It's great to hear Commissioner Dziedzic voice his concerns about the lack of public process- he was not happy with the work of the staff or consultant. And now there are more meetings -and again they will not be held according to the requirements of Park Board. In fact, the motion that is written in the "Final Agenda"-(minutes that are never approved and never get corrected) incorrectly records the motion of the board by including something that was not part of the motion- adding an illegal action suggested by the Superintendent. (Probably not aware of the notice requirement) Sorry for the level of detail here but the " with an up arrow to the full board the same night" was never part of any motion or amendment and is a violation of Park Board Ordinance that would provide a 10 day period for an appeals process. I understand the desire to expedite the decision. BUT doesn't anyone at the Park board read and understand its own rules? >From the "Final Agenda " July 6. "The action was amended to read that the approval of the St. Anthony Parkway Regional Park Master Plan be postponed until further discussions were held with the public and was slated to return on the 1st Board meeting in August with an up arrow to Full Board the same night." On Wed. July 20 there will be a study report about St. Anthony Parkway Public Hearing Process and how the Park Board met the requirements of the ordinance. Again, an Alice in Wonderland conversation, now the Park Board will say there was a Citizen Advisory Committee ( the citizens just didn't know it). Part of the gist of a phone call with Park staff: - Can you tell me why the policies and procedures of 99-101 that are required, weren't followed? They were followed, except for notice. - No they weren't Everything in the ordinance was followed. -No it wasn't, The Citizen Advisory Committee was never convened. They have specific roles and responsibilities. The ordinance was followed. -No, it wasn't. There are clear policies about the conduct and responsibilities of a Citizen Advisory Committee, the conduct of the public hearing and an appeals process on the website. Where? -Design and Planning-Citizen Participation, and a reference on the FAQ in that section. Those aren't policies. ?? These are important issues that people care about and there is major conflict and controversy about these planning issues. Wouldn't be nice if there were a clear process that is an open, fair and effective means of solving problems? Well, actually, there is one and it is legally binding. The Commissions have three screwed up planning processes, just in this past month. In an election year they don't want irate citizens complaining about being left out of the process. A simple suggestion to the Park Board- know the rules and follow them. It will give people a chance to be part of a process and part of the solution. OK, now that we are in the world where words lose their meaning- The time certain public hearing that was held on July 6 has been changed retroactively to have not been a public hearing, it has been officially recorded in the ominous " Final Agenda" as merely " a forum". "I don't think they play at all fairly,' Alice began, in rather a complaining tone......--and they don't seem to have any rules in particular; at least, if there are, nobody attends to them--and you've no idea how confusing it is....... " Thanks, Scott Vreeland Seward REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 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