Posting on behalf of Loretta Kim Rosenberg
At every public City Council Meeting and every Planning Commission Session whoever is running the meeting invites the community to comment at some point. Whether we’re at the meeting in person or watching the Zoom or live feed on the City’s website we all have the opportunity to voice our concerns, bring questions we have or otherwise comment on things not on the agenda and also sometimes as part of a public hearing. We can also attend the Coffee with the Councilors to talk informally and ask questions about the city.
I watched the last Council Meeting on July 8. After Council addressed the annexation which had raised concerns in the community, Mayor Stock opened the floor for public comments. She wasn’t required to take comments then but Mayor Stock gave a public opportunity for anyone who wanted to raise a question or give a comment to do so.
Nobody raised a hand. Not. One. Person.
We live in a small community. Sometimes our community is less Mayberry and more Twin Peaks. Sometimes it’s like a dysfunctional extended family with a long history of fights between uncles, grudges between siblings, infighting between wives and animosity between almost everybody that serves absolutely no one.
When we comment publicly in front of our community then, what we think and believe is out in the open, warts and all. Our comments also becomes part of the City’s official public record.
So there’s an opportunity to be heard in public meetings whether we take it or not. There’s also the opportunity to listen. Listening is not what most of us do very well but if we are open to listening, our viewpoints might expand to include some new information or new perspectives on an old problem. Even if we haven’t changed our minds, we’ve engaged. We’re open.
Unless we aren’t. When we think we’re the only expert and our way is the only right way, we probably won’t be open. Because we don’t want to be.
What’s that saying? In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.
Sometimes we won’t agree with each other but we don’t have to take our difference of opinions personally. We’re living in a time when we seem to have forgotten how to disagree respectfully. In public. With honesty. With humility. Without demonizing the people who hold a different view or don’t do things the way we think they should be done. Without seething silently during a meeting and posting on the socials later.
We create the world we live in with our thoughts, our speech, and our actions so raise your hand, say your piece, and be willing to listen to others.
Kim Rosenberg
loretta.kim.rosenberg@gmail.com
