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March 11, 2008
G is for...
It's good the E-R editors are highlighting the importance of the upcoming public workshops for the City of Chico General Plan update in its editorial "Time to start paying attention."
But I think the E-R is reinforcing the notion that this planning process, while important, is boring. And putting down the people willing to take time to attend these meetings as people with agendas to push isn't encouraging either.
The E-R led its editorial by writing:
"A whole raft of general plans are being updated in the neighborhood. You can tell from the collective yawn rising from the citizenry. Lots of folks don't know what's going on. Lots more don't care. And the few who do care — at least those without a serious agenda to push — are beginning to nod off. We're hearing that even some of those who signed up for the citizens panel to help draw the county General Plan are being worn down by the process, and attendance at meetings of that panel is dwindling."
Wow. This is the best rallying cry to encourage more public participation!
But buried in the editorial is this important fact:
"These four workshops may be the best time for the public to actually have an impact on the direction the General Plan heads....And there will be snacks!"
Did someone say snacks? Now that's a fact worth highlighting much earlier in the editorial.
Maybe the editorial should be been titled: "Yummy snacks offered in public workshops." And perhaps the opening for the editorial should have been:
"Many citizens have already been engaged in the incredibly important General Plan update. And they've also been raving about the free snacks provided at these meetings."
As we all know, C is for Cookie and G is for General Plan...
Today's Scrabble word is wigwam, or teepee.
Posted by dan_nt at March 11, 2008 11:17 AM
Comments
What a comfy position the E-R is in. They get to print an occasional press release about an upcoming General Plan meeting, then hammer the process from the sidelines. How predictable. And how unhelpful to democracy.
If the editors and owners of the E-R were truly serious about doing what's best for the community, instead of pandering to the real estate industry and the paper's right-wing readership, they'd start practicing civic journalism. Here what civic journalism accomplished in Seattle (according to Wikipedia):
In Seattle, the Front Porch Forum was introduced in 1994 through a partnership between The Seattle Times newspaper, KUOW radio station and the Pew Center for Civic Journalism. The mission of the Front Porch Forum was to strengthen communities through news coverage that focuses on citizens’ concerns, encourages civic participation, improves public deliberation and reconnects citizens, candidates and reporters to community life. Over the course of 5-1/2 years, The Seattle Times and KUOW featured a series of stories highlighting issues that affect Seattle residents, and encouraged reader’s participation.
I found this E-R quote particularly telling:
How can anyone but the wonkiest of the wonky follow this stuff?
Exactly what does the E-R see their role as in the community? Are they sniping bystanders, or civic journalists? If it's "wonky," then get a reporter who knows this stuff to explain it to the public. Work with the City and County. Invest some resources. Make a difference for the public good!
Posted by: Chuckles at March 11, 2008 01:08 PM
So I'll see you both down at the meeting?
Posted by: Gregg Payne at March 11, 2008 07:33 PM
Gregg,
I'll be yawning during these meetings. Even if I attended, I'd be pushing a personal agenda so you might as well discount my opinion. And I'm not hungry enough to go for the snacks.
Posted by: dan_nt at March 11, 2008 10:48 PM
From what I have read, Greg pushes just one agenda...over and over and over again.
Posted by: Ann Ashley at March 12, 2008 12:33 PM
I've heard this complaint many times from people trying to discount the participation of individuals who regularly volunteer their time to speak out on community issues. For me, it's not the regularity of how often people show up to meetings that matters, but the arguments they make when they do speak.
Posted by: dan_nt at March 12, 2008 04:59 PM
By the way, when Gregg Payne is not yawning, he can be found attending a few public hearings seemingly pushing an agenda. But in reality, he's just there for the free snacks. :-)
Posted by: dan_nt at March 12, 2008 05:02 PM
I have so many agendas I can't keep track of them all. It just depends on which voices inside my head are talking to me.
Posted by: Gregg Payne at March 13, 2008 09:37 PM
See you all down at the meeting!
Posted by: Ann Ashley at March 14, 2008 04:31 PM
Too late... The meeting already happened on the 11th.
I didn't see any of you there, including myself or any of my multiple personalities.
We all had a big argument about it and I lost.
Posted by: Gregg Payne at March 15, 2008 08:09 PM