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Jim Flynt
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 02:06 am |
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FatPappy wrote:
I'm a-wonderin', though, whether that lack o' answers says more about the councils or about the townspeople, ya know what I mean?
Pappy, a little of both.
There seems to be a rather large "disconnect" between local government and the locally governed. Not that the same doesn't hold true for higher levels of government as well, but there is less excuse with the failures of local governments which by right ought to be closer and more sensitive to the community's citizenry and needs.
Tip O'Neill famously used to say that "all politics is local" as local government decisions have a more immediate and pronounced effect on most citizens. That is, I believe, a disappointing and frustrating expectation and experience for most Northwest area citizens.
By not having any coherent and consistently applied long range governing plan and lacking a visionary leadership style responsive to a community's needs, the local governors are simply cast into roles as being nothing more than small minded politicos. Relegated by their own short sightedness as followers rather than constituting a real leadership in the community. The real and guiding community leadership comes from our business, religious, private sector and economic development interests.
Let's not confuse possession of the throttles of government with any remote application of leadership. They are not always nor often one and the same.
Mandates for representative governance and citizen empowerment comes when efforts are made by all for inclusive rather than exclusive construction of community consensus through communication, coordination and compromise.
Fully actualized and enlightened leadership derives from the bottom up rather than the top down. One's a tryanny. The other, a democracy. Now which do you think we have in the Northwest communities?
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FatPappy
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 12:33 pm |
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Jim Flynt wrote:
Mandates for representative governance and citizen empowerment comes when efforts are made by all for inclusive rather than exclusive construction of community consensus through communication, coordination and compromise.
Fully actualized and enlightened leadership derives from the bottom up rather than the top down. One's a tryanny. The other, a democracy. Now which do you think we have in the Northwest communities?
Well said, Mr Jim! That there last question is a good'n, too. While I'm waitin' fer the coffee to start an' my brain to start with it, I'll say I think the answer is right thar in your precedin' paragiraffe. Speakin' in general terms, I'll have to say local government, more times than not, is nowhar near its potential most o' the time. Summerfield is now dealin' with issues that should have been dealt with years ago, like long range plannin'. Meanwhile we continue to grow an' strain the seams o' our already bulgin' britches.
But then how many times have there been public meetin's for citizen input about impo'tent issues that nobody bothered to attend? What then of bottom up democracy? Communication is at the center o' democracy an' it has to go both ways fer the thang to work. Like you said so well, "communication, coordination and compromise." There's some measure o' shortcomin' fer all of us in that phrase.
So to answer your question, I reckon we got the kind o' government we asked fer, whether we actually said anythang or not.
____________________
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
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DOGGETTJA
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 12:54 pm |
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Well I am working on cup 4 of coffee so let me see if the brain engaged. The other issue, while I agree Jim, we the voters should be driving the train, how do you build consensus when only the people with axes to grind get the press coverage. Do we stop the building of a park because 5 people show up every single meeting and protest? Or does the council use it common sense? I can only speak for Summerfield, I know we have sent out 2 surveys that say over whelmingly build the park but less than a majority of households sent back their answers. So what is the consensus? In my opinion that is what slows everything down. What consensus? Who's opinion?
I guess it is naive on my part but I wouldn't it be nice on september 9th at the park opening to run out of cake? I am in charge of the cake and we are ordering for 500 and I hope that everybody comes to see what we have accomplished as a town.
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FatPappy
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| Joined: | Oct 25th, 2005 |
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 01:22 pm |
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I'd say yer brain is workin' fine, Jane.
Not only has ever'body got to he'p plant the garden, ever'body has to he'p weed that garden, too. Otherwise them weeds'll just take over. When they're just startin' out, some o' them weeds look just like the good plants to some folks. By the time you notice what they really are, they done got their roots in good.
It prob'ly is naive to think a majority will ever be involved at the level they should be. But, we can keep plantin' these here seeds an' choppin' at them there weeds.
____________________
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
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FatPappy
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 01:25 pm |
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| By the way, I heard you were gonna have some he'p with the cake.
____________________
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
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macca
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 01:32 pm |
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Eatin' it or servin' it?♥♥♥
I'm bringing as many Maccas as I can get there!!!♥♥♥
I love all this discussion about government and citizen participation. I think it'd be nice to have our town hall meeting rooms packed with standing room only when our Town Councils meet.... With folks asking questions, volunteering to serve on committees, offering to help wherever they're needed.... I guess that's naive, but I guess you usually get folks involved one at a time, and you never know what might provide the spark that gets 'em there.... So take advantage of every opportunity to bring new folks in!♥♥♥
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A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright
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DOGGETTJA
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 01:44 pm |
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Why Pappy are you volunteering (don't expect a christmas card though) to help serve the cake?
I don't know group whether this isn't a bit like letting the fox guard the chickens!!!
Off to the Farmers Market to see what is up and what is growing. Watermelons have been outstanding this year as have peaches.
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macca
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Posted: Aug 26th, 2006 01:47 pm |
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| Wave to the camera, Jane! We'll be watchin' for ya!♥♥♥
____________________
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright
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FatPappy
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Posted: Sep 16th, 2006 12:18 am |
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The bicycle controversy rages on! A couple o' letters in the NWO today 'bout it. One feller says slow down an' ride a bike to work an' that'll make us all healthy an' fix up the bald spot in the ozone layer. Well, I done seen them bicycle contraptions up close before an' I just cain't find the back seat or the trunk on them thangs. Whar is a man supposed to carry his young'uns or his dog or his groceries or haul a load o' brush? How many days ahead should I start off to work in order to get thar on time?
Now, looky here. I ain't got nuthin' ag'in nobody ridin' a bike to work. If I was younger an' the earth was smaller (less distance, less gravity) I might try it. But I just cain't believe most o' the bike riders out this way are on their way to work. Specially that herd you see on Sat'day mornin's. They ain't doin' nuthin' but playin' in the road.
I thought the other feller who wrote in made better sense. Bikes an' cars is a dangerous mix.
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How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
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Cracker Jax
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| Joined: | Oct 23rd, 2005 |
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Posted: Sep 16th, 2006 01:26 am |
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I agree Pappy. Good points indeed! Sounded to me like that fella had a gear to grind or somethin'.
I think it's great that this fella has such a carefree lifestyle that he can take all the time in the world to get to work and that he doesn't have to frequent drive thrus on the way to scout meetings just so his kids can eat a meal.
My advice to him would be to move closer to town and to stop and smell the cheeseburgers...
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Steve Adkins
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Posted: Sep 16th, 2006 02:26 am |
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FatPappy wrote: How many days ahead should I start off to work in order to get thar on time?
Cracker Jax wrote:
he doesn't have to frequent drive thrus on the way to scout meetings just so his kids can eat a meal
Agreed . The reason that SUV's and Minivans got so popular was the need to support the family's needs.
A bike may be healthy, but it's hard to get more than one on a bike to take them to the soccer field.
Last edited on Sep 16th, 2006 02:29 am by Steve Adkins
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FatPappy
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Posted: Sep 16th, 2006 12:52 pm |
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It'd be nice if somebody came up with a cleaner fuel fer vehicles.
Out this way there ain't no public transportation, a bike's outta the question fer most folks, smaller cars are not always an option fer big famblies. There's always car poolin' if you get in with the right bunch an' ain't got no bidness you need a car fer durin' lunch.
It's not such a easy individual solution.
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How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
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macca
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Posted: Sep 16th, 2006 07:23 pm |
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I DIDN'T GET A NORTHWEST OBSERVER YET!!!!
Guess I'll check with the post office and the Observer office on Monday....
____________________
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright
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Cracker Jax
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Posted: Sep 28th, 2006 08:13 pm |
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I know I have stated somewhere here before that I read my NWO backward.
I do this because that's where "Chatter" and the "Horses's Mouth" and "Our Views" are published. That's my favorite part. (And yes, I've been known to eat dessert before my meal  )
My problem is that since you've started running that cute little "Guess Who" feature (Which I really like) I'm seeing the ANSWER before I even get to take a guess! This it troublesome to me.
I naturally got BJ right off cause I had seen the answer on my way to the front. This week it was the same... (I won't say the answer for those of you who haven't gotten the paper and choose to read the paper the traditional way)
Anyway, do you think you could install a little lift the flap thing or something to cover the answer so I don't see it before I get to the question???
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Steve Adkins
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Posted: Sep 29th, 2006 01:53 am |
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Cracker Jax wrote:
Anyway, do you think you could install a little lift the flap thing or something to cover the answer so I don't see it before I get to the question???
Just lay a strip of bacon over the answer, it'll cover it right up, just ask Mike
OK, shame on me..........back on topic
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