Nov 20, 2007
Chinese Execution
In China bureaucrats who under perform are executed, here in the Lehigh Valley they are submitted to me. Yesterday the public was invited to participate in the transportation study by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission; I was the public. Because Lanta is one component of the Valley's transportation, I chose to address my concerns with that organization. After being told I was off topic, since I was the extent of the public, I decided to ignore their request and continued speaking. Although I never have revealed this before, even for the mayoral campaign, I have a degree in communications from Emerson College. I challenge all readers to go the Commissions' site and figure out the proper topic of yesterdays hearing. (they control millions of your tax dollars) Not one member of the board (at least 15 people) said one word to me after I spoke; so much for public participation, the thousands of our money they spent advertising in obscure legal journals, their legal requirement was met.
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MM, I went to their website and found this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lvpc.org/PublicParticipationPlan-2007Draft/Draft-2007PublicParticipationPlan-1.pdf
The purpose of the meeting you went to was to "solicit comments" on their new public participation document(draft). Have you read it?
This is the Public Notice they posted:
http://www.lvpc.org/PublicNotices/Meeting-Draft2007PublicParticipationPlan.pdf
They expect people to read this long document(It's available at the library too) and then attend a board meeting and make comments(or submit written comments.) Or is it really just another way to keep the plebeians at bay?
dottie, i must confess i didn't open everything in their index, (i have dial-up), i did go through some minority demographic maps, etc. at the meeting they mentioned controlling between 30 to 60 million dollars(i forget exact figure), one would think they would do plain english ads to sincerely solicit public participation. although i was somewhat abrasive, the reception i received was unacceptable. i felt that they were annoyed that someone came. i was not asked to speak, and no one said thanks for coming, actually no one said one word when i finished.
ReplyDeleteMM, if you read that public participation plan it goes into great detail about how important it is to LVPC that ALL people, from different socio-economic backgrounds, handicapped, minorities, etc. have an equal opportunity to participate in the planning. Considering how they treated you it seems like they are not very sincere. They gave you the "hi, we are mad to see you" greeting. That's the warm greeting you get when you ask too many questions in this town.
ReplyDeleteapparently it's a necessary exercise to receive federal funding
ReplyDeleteIn order to get some public money from the feds, they need to show they're making an effort to involve the public in their decision-making.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll be sending them a written comment noting how responsive they were to four of my emails (not one answer), a petition signed by 1,800 bus riders (no answer), multiple telephone calls from House of Chen (we'll get back to you) and LOCO Dollar Store (no return call).
geez i am glad I do not live there. Anyway most govt meetings are just for show. Their minds were made up at meetings weeks before any public hearings happen.
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