Over the weekend, we were frustrated to read a quote from a local elected official, who said (we're paraphrasing here): "Why are you people showing up to protest the budget now? Where were you before?"
This joins some of our other recent favorites (still paraphrased):
"Well, if you don't want us to do this, come up with another solution."
And
"We hate to do this, but Tallahassee made us."
Ladies and gentlemen of the elected community, the public shows up to discuss an issue when you schedule a public hearing to do so. And we would suggest that if your impression of what your community wants is 180 degrees different from what you hear at a public hearing, you haven't been spending enough time with your community.
Further, it isn't the responsibility of the community at large to solve the issues that come before you, although you should consider yourselves lucky if they bring you a workable solution. Why isn't it their responsibility to do so?
It's your job.
You campaigned and asked that the community elect you as their representative. You have been placed in a position of authority, and are paid for that position, to represent the interests and wellbeing of your community. Your job is not to sit in the office and wait for people to bring you ideas.
Try these for analogies: You walk into your local fast food restaurant. You wait in line, eventually making it to the counter. You place your order, only to be told that, had you placed the order earlier in the day, they might have been able to give you want you wanted. As it turns out, the item you wanted has since been changed and is no longer available. Or, same restaurant, same line. You get to the front of the line, place your order, and then are told by the person at the counter that you are welcome to go back to the kitchen and try to make it yourself.
Our advice? Get out and talk to your constituents. Don't hold public hearings too late to factor into your decisions. Stop blaming the public for not going along with your preconceived plans. Otherwise? We fear that the public will select the next person who steps forward who might take action, because "might" is a better option than "didn't."
4 comments:
The City of Kissimmee commissioners don't have ideas or do any thinking on their own. They only do what the City Manager wants. It must be nice to get paid $20,000+ to meet once a week and then "pencil-whip" everything the CM states. I bet if you reveiw their votes it is about 99% in favor of all staff recommendations.
The Mayor is an embarrassment and I see Van Meter is already bailing (thank goodness) on the city and plans to run for county commission (God help us all).
We need more active City Commissioners who think and act for themselves and don't agree with evrything the City staff says. Or at least direct City staff. After all they are the ones in charge and responsible to the residents and not the other way around.
Amazing that St Cloud seems to get it and Kissimmee does not.
I wonder if these folks have actually taken a hard look at their city in awhile. When you drive down Vine street it looks like the homeless have taken over and businesses have just given up. I stopped going to the subway on Vine and John Young because I of all the homeless that come after you when you try to get your sandwhich. That whole plaza looks terrrible. The only advertising you see on the rest of Vine is real estate signs. It is sad that Kissimmee has gone in this direction and no elected official is even trying to change it.
St. Cloud only gets it because there is an election coming up. Sad but true. Even sadder, is that there are elections coming up in Kissimmee as well, they are just too arrogant to care about their residents. They are the ones who know better than us and have
"the all-knowing ability to guide government into the right direction."
Yeah - nose down into the ground.
AFTER THE ELECTION, WHEN TONY FERENTINOS IS ELECTED TO DISTRICT 3, I PREDICT THE PUBLIC WILL SEE A CANDIDATE THAT DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY AND WOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPENING.
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