Organizational Meeting in East Rochester
At last, the East Rochester organizational meeting is upon us. ER Mayor Jason Koon unveils his plans for East Rochester.
I’m told there will be no public input** which frankly makes sense to me. The residents of East Rochester can actually hear the plans put forth. Based on the last meeting - there were too many distracting comments from the peanut gallery.
Anyone know if East Rochester has a public access channel and if it will be broadcast?
Here are the details..
Wednesday Jan 2, 2008
East Rochester High School
Doors open at 7:00
Meeting starts at 7:30
Directions:
http://www.erschools.org/district/directions.htm
**by public input I simply mean an open mike for the public to make comments like last time. My understanding is this a working meeting of the board.
“I’m told there will be no public input which frankly makes sense to me.”
Really? I think that runs contrary to the spirit of this blog, what with all the talk of open government and public input at the County level.
Well, thanks Chad for defining the spirit of this blog. You have the spirit correct - public input participation always a good thing but in terms of this meeting this is a report by Koon working with the ER town to figure out how to best organize ER.
So the public is invited. They can watch the very public display of open government as opposed to say REN square where who knows when the meetings are held.
Now, I’m sure there will be other opportunities for comment once the plan is unveiled.
My comment about it being a good thing means the plan is unveiled to the town electeds - there is public official discussion and perhaps at a subsequent meeting there is public comment.
I don’t know what gets implemented at the meeting.
Well, I wasn’t defining the spirit of this blog…which is why I prefaced my comment with “I think” ~ so its my thought, however I did come to that thought from being an avid reader and quite frankly a “supporter” of the great posts I see on RT.
“You have the spirit correct”
Thanks….
The clarification that this is an organizational meeting made by jiminybizbo is appreciated. And though I am thrilled that a Democrat is in the mayor’s seat in ER I must say that if he can’t take the heat of pissed off family and friends…then maybe he shouldn’t have let the staff go the way he did. Not that it matters to me personally, a mayor can pick and choose their staff and that’s fine.
Quite frankly though if we as progressives are really going to show voters in the County that we are different then we’d better act different. My comment about RT’s advocacy of open government at the County level was not meant to imply that the County is doing well at keeping the public informed or allowing for public input (hence REN sq..is B.S.)- it was simply meant to bring to light the fact that we say we’re different but your comment
“Based on the last meeting - there were too many distracting comments from the peanut gallery.”
is in my opinion contrary to what we all stand for as progressives. Damn it we are the peanut gallery, we’re all in it, Rep, Dem, Green, blanks, liberals, non-registered whatever….(even ultra-conservatives though I hope they’re in the way back
Koon should allow for a portion of the meeting…at the end of the organizational/heres my vision portion maybe…to be a public speak out opportunity~where’s the harm?. If things get out of hand like before then close the meeting and move on…but don’t stop people from at least having an opportunity to bring forth comments or concerns in a civilized manner by using “organizational meeting” as an excuse. Be different, otherwise we’re just like the rest only with a ‘D’, ‘WFP’, ‘G’ or whatever after our names.
More democracy, more openness, more responsiveness, more opportunity. No?
I was not clear in my original post as to the intent of this meeting. It is not an open forum rather is it is a working meeting of the town board. One where the entire town board gets to hear the proposals. Jiminy corrected it and I appreciate that.
I added an asterisk to my original post to hopefully make it clearer.
My comments about the Peanut gallery may not have been clear as well. I’m referring to not the speakers who have every right to speak but the folks in the audience at the last meeting who continually shouted out snide comments or shouted down the speakers and in my mind contributed to a mob mentality. I was there and that behavior was uncalled for.
I also beleive that if that behavior shows itself again - nothing will get done.
Sure. This meeting is not behind closed doors. I’m sure after the presentation and internal discussion the public will have a chance to air their views - after they digest the information presented.
This meeting is a working meeting. Let the town board do its work. The town board is already representing the people of ER - now the people need to let them work.
East Rochester is a whole different ball game. The last meeting, the public (the family members) went out of control. This way plans can be presented and heard without the confusion “the family” tries to wreak.
I am very interested in hearing Koon’s plans without the bully pulpit. At least we can “hear” the plans. And I’m as big an advocate of open meetings as anyone, but after attending the first meeting, I completely understand and respect that.
Amended further to add this is advertised as an “Organizational Meeting” - not a public forum. Putting it in the high school makes certain everyone can have a seat.
You’re not allowed to speak at most town board meetings anywhere unless it’s advertised as a public forum.
“You’re not allowed to speak at most town board meetings anywhere unless it’s advertised as a public forum.”
You are incorrect about not being allowed to speak at town board meetings unless it is advertised as a public forum. Most if not all town boards that I am aware of have a portion of their meeting set aside for public comment. In Parma where I live the supervisor (who I am highly critical of) allows an opportunity at each meeting (twice a month) to recognize those from the public who are present and then to allow anyone from the public to make a comment or bring something to the board. The Town of Greece also does this & you can watch it happen on channel 12.
Chad - in East Rochester - at a PUBLIC FORUM - you’re not allowed to speak unless you:
a) Sign up in advance
b) Provide your full name and address
c) List the reason for your address and the subject matter you will be discussing
d) Be approved by the board to speak
If you want to see a government that operated differently than ANY government I have ever seen, come to the meeting. Nothing comes close in comparison.
Hence why the election of Jason Koon by 55% of the people happened. The attempts to run a Village like a family business where unless you’re on the “inside” - you’re on the OUTSIDE (and reminded of it each and every single day) are over.
The people of East Rochester were courageous and strong in wanting change. The “good old boys” network is on it’s way down - or as I believe it was stlo7 or Exile here said “like a fish flopping around for its last breath”.
If you truly are a person who upholds and defends East Rochester, you should come and stand up for that right at this meeting. It’s a small town, and one where fear has dictated silence amongst the towns people, but a voice that is rising, and, with support and help from good people like yourself, can happen.
The board members still hold the majority and are making change difficult if not damned near impossible. Koon has shown true leadership in his ability to NOT back down to some pretty difficult conditions.
It’s easy to see why the people of East Rochester put their faith in him. They saw the same leadership, and share the same hope.
Thanks for the information
In response to your comment…
“You’re not allowed to speak at most town board meetings anywhere unless it’s advertised as a public forum.”
I replied…
“Most if not all town boards that I am aware of have a portion of their meeting set aside for public comment. In Parma where I live the supervisor (who I am highly critical of) allows an opportunity at each meeting (twice a month) to recognize those from the public who are present and then to allow anyone from the public to make a comment or bring something to the board.”
I have learned through the comments on this post that ER doesn’t do it this way which in my opinion is altogether ridiculous and frankly undemocratic no matter who is in charge. I hope that Mayor Koon is able to accomplish something that will change the way ER does business….
This is not the monthly village board open forum, thats next Thursday, it is always the Thursday of the first full week of the month. This is a one off planned event for the new mayor to lay out what his plans/agnda is. This will not be done every month or the 1st week of January every year but this one time at the start of the tenure of a new mayor. It pupose is soley informational. Next Thursday the 10th come out and speak your piece. Don’t tell me how my town works i’m stuck in the dump your not.
It will be covered by cable channel 12 and rebroadcast there several times.
Chad, i’ve just read what I posted and realized it came off as un-necessarily harsh, for which I appologize. Simpley put this is a one off event that was planed when the mayor took office at the begining of the month. Its sole purpose was to put out there for people what he has planned. Theres never been anything like it done before in ER and it is not a part of the normal rotation of town board functions. I don’t believe it was even planed as anything more than a simple presentation. And I must say Jim is right after the last time theres no way the agents of stagnation would ever let the Mayor make the presentation otherwise ( i’m not sure they’ll let him do it Wednsday anyway after what I last week). It got to a point after a while that we got tired of the hysterics and went across the street for drinks.
Again I appologize for my harsh tone in my previous post.
At ER Town Board open forums, it is not required that you sign up to speak ( or at least it has not been enforced during my 2.5 years here) but you will speak first before any off the cuff commentary as you’re on the schedual for the evening by signing up.
Here are the “rules” ALS from the village website:
Town Hall Meetings
Guidelines for Public Comment
The public shall be allowed to speak only during the Public Comment period of the meeting or at such other time as a majority of the Board shall allow.
Speakers must step to the front of the room.
Speakers must give their name, address, and organization, if applicable.
Speakers must be recognized by the Mayor or other presiding officer.
Speakers shall please limit their remarks to 3 minutes in order to allow time for everyone who wishes to speak.
Speakers may not yield any remaining time they may have to another speaker.
Board members may, with the permission of the Mayor or presiding officer, interrupt a speaker during their remarks, but only for the purpose of clarification or information.
All remarks shall be addressed to the Board as a body and not to any individual member thereof.
Speakers and Board members alike shall observe the commonly accepted rules of courtesy, decorum, dignity and good taste.
Interested parties or their representatives may address the Board by written communications
Jim, in my time here that has not been enforced and certainly wasn’t last week. I have actually only signed up twice and once was for the express purpose of being able to speak first. I have however spoken at dozens of open forums.
That being said myself and a buddy will be signing up for next weeks open forum to take advantage of the getting to the podium first. We’ve got a few things that the “old guard” on the board needs to be singled out for as, well they’ve been there all along doing nothing and that point, thanks to Mayor Koon and Trustee Siranno being new to the job, makes the old hands responsible for not taking care of things.
“Speakers and Board members alike shall observe the commonly accepted rules of courtesy, decorum, dignity and good taste.”
I like that part, sure as hell didn’t see any of that from the audience on the 20th!
Speakers at that last meeting did not step to the front of the room - the family members of the gestapo packed it full so no one could get to the mike, let alone in the room.
They need to change “Speakers must give their name, address, and organization, if applicable” to include “who you are related to on the board”
Alfieri sure did a good job interrupting the woman at the mike who spoke IN FAVOR of the Mayor and the need for change.
“Interested parties or their representatives may address the Board by written communications”…so they can throw them in the trash, never enter them in the board meeting minutes and deny they ever saw your face
Yep - that’s your rights in ER.
“All remarks shall be addressed to the Board as a body and not to any individual member thereof” - all they did was attack the Mayor - they were rude, crude, and showed their desperation.
Now you’re gettin’ it!
Hopefully this meeting won’t just further everyone’s stereotypes about East Rochesterians again like the last one. I think everyone living outside of ER saw the screaming, rude, obnoxious people on the TV from the last board meeting and did a collective sigh and shoulder shrug and said to themselves, “well, thats east rochester for you” and then changed the channel.
Hear’s hoping people present themselves a little more maturely.
According to the news today, there will be time for public comment so don’t hold your breath. My buddy was out at The Prince George on Main Street by the tracks over the weekend and ran into Mr. Trustee Florak getting schnockered and he layed out that they good ‘ole boyz see this crap as thier re-election campaign. They actually see this behavior as the ticket to run on. I hope i’m wrong but I forsee another black eye for ER ( from those of us who’ve moved here recently THANKS GUYS!) tonight.
hopefully we learned a bit from last time and some sane people show up to support change and progress. i will be there.
You so called progressives are just as bad as the republicans. “. . . there were too many distracting comments from the peanut gallery”. Typical. Now that “your guy” has the power, and is resorting to the same tricks used by the republicans, it is okay. When repubs fire people and replace them with their people, you cry foul. Now that Mr. Koon is doing it, you try to justify it as “cleaning up” ER. When the repubs hold last-minute meetings with no public input, you cry foul. Now, since Mr. Koon is doing it, you are decrying comments from the peanut gallery. Hypocrites.
I don’t see how this is the same at all. We’re not telling people to “shut up”, we’re knocking down what we believe are bogus accusations.
The situation between the County Lej and East Rochester could not be more different — East Rochester has been largely controlled by Republicans for years and this is a time of change, whereas the County Lej is festering under Minarik’s continued control (I won’t even say “Republican control” since the Zyras of the world simply do Minarik’s bidding).
You’re comparing a complaint about trying to change things with a complaint about a refusal to change things. I don’t think that’s a valid comparison.
Thanks for commenting though.