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Local Government >> Lake Worth: HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM - by William Coakley
A = pro development (if you will) and B = anti development or put another way
A = Pave and B = Cave. "C" in this case = chaos so that, A + B = C;
unless we add in the "P" factor (P=public) as a stability constant
we will always have chaos. Adding "P" yields:
A + B + P = PEACE, Stability, Community...
So it doesn't make any difference whether you are part of A or B; you're part
of the problem and for candidates it's nearly impossible to remain independent
from either of those influences. Both groups have their agendas and have evolved
to fill the representation gap left by the public. The only solution is to bring
the public back into government by using Public Engagement Technology.
For government, this is all about being able to make a decision that doesn't
immediately become opposed by A or B... hence creating what we have now, "Reactive
government." We have no public relations other than a constant stream of
putting out fires... nothing proactive.
It comes as no surprise to some, that neither A or B wants a system that they
can't control. An equal playing field means their ability to influence just
got nixed. So we shouldn't be surprised to find strong opposition to the PET
system from most candidates since all the candidates except a few, are products
of A or B which means "influenced by" A or B. That makes navigating
the so called "debates" a little tricky no matter if you are A, B
or P since the turn out is about 90% those who are just checking to see how
their dog is doing in the fight. They are mostly insiders and fairly well connected
even though they might tell you they aren't.
This election is for the heart of the city and yet neither A or B has any
idea of what to do with it once they have control except to carry out the prime
directive given to them by A or B. And of course, regardless of whether A or
B takes over you still have the same chaotic dysfunctional equation... the system
itself. As they say "garbage in; garbage out" and in Lake Worth that
means:
Regardless of the candidate you choose, nothing much will change unless the
stabilizing factor "P" is added. Candidates can have the best intentions,
good vision, all the experience in the world and good problem solving ability,
but if they don't know what the problem is... they are surely not going to able
to fix it.
You're still putting them into the same equation with the same result. There
might be some temporary improvement here and there but it would likely be followed
by "more of the same" intrigue because putting good people into a
lousy system that they don't know how to fix means you will be getting "more
of the same" results.
Every candidate promises to listen, but they all have ended up not listening
any differently than their predecessors and that's because YOU THE PUBLIC are
not there. But then again, you can't be because if just 1% of you voters showed
up, the room would be at double capacity. It tells you this has been a long
term problem and its not just a problem for LW.
So when we hear all the great platitudes like, "I will listen to you,"
or "we need to work together," or "we need to come together to
work for the good of the city..." know this: They have no way of listening
to you any differently than their predecessors did.
So it's time to move ahead and bring government up to speed with some basic
thirty year old technology to level the playing field between special interests
and you. Who do you want your government listening to... you or special interest
groups? It's you choice.
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(comments? | Score: 0)
Posted by admin on Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 22:34:35 EST
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Local Government >> Lake Worth: TIME FOR A CHANGE - by William Coakley
PROBLEM #1 = no rational process for arriving at a public consensus on anything.
PROBLEMS #2 thru infinity are the result of PROBLEM #1.
The impact of PROBLEM #1 = public distrust of government, a fragmented community,
reactive government, and special interests controlling the city.
TIME FOR A CHANGE
________________________________________
For whatever reasons, and there are many, the greater public has long since
disengaged from participating in local government. It’s not even certain
that they ever were involved. Among the many contributing factors are: Not enough
time, information not conveniently available, information often not easily understandable,
meetings during dinner hours, small dingy commission meeting room, hours of
time waiting for an agenda item to come up, last minute agenda items, railroaded
decisions… the list is endless.
The near absence of public participation has left a ‘representation
vacuum’ which has encouraged the growth of small factions who compete
for influence and exert considerable effect on decisions and election outcomes.
Without the stability and legitimacy added by a greater public participation,
government is left to its own political devices. Any decision can be challenged
on the basis that ‘it wasn’t what the public wanted…’
and that allegation could be right but we never know for sure. Either way, the
possibility of a greater public consensus is not planned for or accommodated
in any way. The argument is always the same “…they [the public]
just aren’t interested or they’d be here.” With that, the
problem is dismissed and power ends up concentrated in five people elected by
a very small percentage of voters …a recipe for corruption.
In effect, the greater public is never engaged in an open and transparent decision
process that either encourages participation in Lake Worth government or inspires
confidence in its operation. And the negative reactions from opposing factions
are the consequence of poorly thought out procedure and process …and less
as an objection to the issue. With all of this, government becomes more reactive
and less stable as decisions made with little public consensus are met with
heavy opposition. The entire city atmosphere is poisoned with contention and
continues to fragment and polarize the community…causing Lake Worth to
have a less than favorable standing in the greater Palm Beach area.
When flawed process and procedure prevail and factions compete for influence;
negative reactions cause government to become more reactive, more divisive,
less proactive, creating more disunity, because each faction can always claim
that the greater majority didn’t agree with a decision; which then gives
justification to oppose a decision. And to complete the vicious cycle…
this whole dysfunctional process further discourages public participation in
government which leaves government without the necessary check of a vigilant
public.
And by failing to have a rational and more democratic procedure in place for
decision making… one that involves a greater public consensus –
there is no trust of government and an infinite series of problems is generated
which fragments and divides the city. Relationships are lost, friendships irrevocably
broken, marriages strained, courtesy and hospitality are replaced by suspicion
and rudeness, and everywhere intrigue and betrayal flourishes. And the net effect
is what we see and experience when trying to make a difference. It has gotten
so dysfunctional that anyone, good intentions or not, trying to help make things
better, is subject to an array of vicious personal attacks on their character.
So by defaulting on the primary responsibility of making good government that
listens to the people; commissioners end up creating more problems for themselves…
more division, more fragmentation and the problems continue dividing the city.
Instead of representing a large constituency the commission ends up representing
the networks, insiders, club members that put them in power.
The real casualties of this procedure and process problem are the people of
this city who deserve better government and deserve a rest from this dysfunctional
and harmful approach to running the city.
Political leaders faced with this scenario seldom do anything because not solving
the problem has distinct advantages. It’s convenient, doesn’t require
any work, and limited public participation allows them to railroad decisions
while minimizing opposition.
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(comments? | Score: 0)
Posted by admin on Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 20:40:14 EST
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Local Government >> Lake Worth: X Commissioners not attending meetings
I think the original poster makes a very powerful point. And its not just ex-commissioners
and mayors that don't attend... it's typically greater than 99% of the public
that doesn't attend! Everyone has a theory as to why that is but one thing is
clear with a seating capacity that accomodates less than a half percent of the
voting public... the commission room tells the real story... this has been going
on a long long time and no one has done anything about it.
This phenonmenon is common throughout the country and has created an obvious
incentive for special interests to fill in the representation gap. Then when
an angry resident complains about the high riser going up next to his house;
he can be effectively humiliated by a commissioner saying "...where were
you when we voted on this?"
For me, it's not that meetings are boring; it's always a question of priorities.
Anyone with a life doesn't have time for meetings at 6 PM. I have a business,
a profession, 96 year old mom, a life... so trying to make a difference comes
at a big price. Chairing the EUTF was an 18 hour a day job to do it right and
going to meetings on top of that just wasn't in my preference list.
I don't think anyone really likes going unless they haven't got anything else
better to do; are addicted to boring meetings; are there for a specific issue;
or are part of the power structure looking for power or a member of the power
structure that put a commissioner or mayor in place.
The city hasn't made it easy for residents to be informed either. Although
there has been some progress over the past few years in using the internet for
displaying documents, agendas, purchase orders etc; the plain cold truth is,
cultural inertia/tradition has made it impossible for at least a great majority
to attend meetings and stay informed. In otherwords, the information isn't easily
accessible and understanding it is well beyond the reach of most residents...
timewise. So the whole public has been turned off to government and doesn't
trust it when something smells fishy.
Further, ex commissioners and mayors realize that commission meetings are
not the place to accomplish anything unless you have mob along with you. So
the whole system badly needs a facelift and streamlining. That is why I designed
the PET System. It solves the problem of residents being informed by making
information conveniently available through the internet and cable TV. Combined
with Mode 3, government becomes efficient and responsive rather than reactive
and hard of hearing.
So I wouldn't worry too much about the commissioners attending or not. Frankly,
I think they feel they were very sincere putting their time in government, but
probably felt very unappreciated... which I believe was more than well deserved
since they merely plodded on with business as usual... thinking inside the box
they grew up in and continued inept government at its best without a single
thought about how to change it. They just kept living inside it and were astounded
that they weren't appreciated for doing what they were told to do. They seemed
unaware of any sense of perspective on what good government really is and how
to achieve it. And perhaps to their credit, if they actually ever thought a
new thought or expressed a new idea; it probably would've been met with the
same wave of skepticism which met the PET System now under construction.
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(comments? | Score: 0)
Posted by admin on Saturday, March 31, 2007 @ 23:58:13 EST
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