Citizen Comments Rules

Read the latest from City Council on the rules. Got a problem with one of them. The questioning and debate with council will not be allowed. WHAT??? Isn't this the ideal time to bring up a topic for council to discuss and answer for the citizen who is asking the question. They have the legal people there if it involves legality issues. They have the City Manager present if it is in the realm of her expertise and all 7 are there collectively, to form an opinion and answer any questions. Otherwise, the citizen must contact each one individually for their opinion on the question asked. What better time than when they are all gathered to ask a question and receive a consensus? Otherwise, this just becomes a "going through the motions session" and we all know that council has a history of sitting behind that desk while you speak with that disinterested look on their faces.They just don't want to get involved with the people do they?Of course, debate and questions puts them on the spot in front of the cameras and makes them feel "uncomfortable" before the people. Wouldn't want them to think and reason as they arrive at a consensus on an answer, would we? No dynamic leadership in this town.

no--that's not the purpose of citizen's comments. Everyone knows the purpose of citizen's comments is to rant, rave and make the people of Middletown look like the idiots they seem to be and confirm to everyone outside of Middletown just that.

If you want to have a dialog with a city council member doing it in citizen's comment is not the place to do it.

Here we go again.....let the showboating, over stating grandstanding begin!

Tazman- I see no harm in standing before council and asking, point blank, without grandstanding, questions concerning the funding and the gameplan on fixing our streets. I see no harm in asking them, since I've seen no action from them, questions on how they plan to create job development in this town. I see no harm in asking them about how they plan to attack the overabundance of housing in this area. And I certainly believe that it should be done one on one/face to face with the understanding that they will provide a response at that time from each member. The days of "we'll get back with you on that" are wearing mighty thin to some of us. They need to accomodate the citizens that they are suppose to serve. As it is now, they are dictating how it will be. They are suppose to be understanding and execute the way the people want their town.I want my questions answered. I don't give a damn about the grandstanding nor the people who do it.

I can hardly wait.

Journal article -Sept 3-Marconi says that "a person may get mad at what a council person may say and come running down to city hall to complain". Schiavone says that "you need to be careful of what you say". Armbruster says that having the comments at the end of the meeting is taking away from family time.( He would have said something about his parks too if there would have been time allowed) Anita Scott-Jones says that she's always been a proponent of citizen's comments and that she didn't need Marconi speaking for her (with all due respect, of course). Reading this article was like reading a script from a soap opera. Each person said their lines- each person had their own agenda- and none of the conversation connected, had any substance to it, or was relevant to substantive topics about running this city. His mayorship, Lawrence Mulligan. Jr. (don't forget-The Third), Ford(will she ever contribute anything?) or Tax Master Becker apparently had nothing to offer as they were not mentioned in the article. This group of council members reminds me of the beginning phase of the old "You Tube"- Laura Williams, Bob Wells era of dysfunctional/carnival atmosphere type talk. This group apparently can't seem to form a consensus in public about a simple topic such as citizens comments. No wonder they can't tackle and solve more complex problems like fixing/funding the streets or getting decent jobs in here. The circus continues and is in town twice a month. Stay tuned.

I think Citizens comments will take off soon. People have to gather their courage before they put their foot in their mouth.

Give it a few months. Citizens will have their say.