Meeting at Mayfield
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Government
Forum Name: City Council
Forum Description: Discuss individual members and council as a legislative body.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=563
Printed Date: Nov 21 2024 at 6:43pm
Topic: Meeting at Mayfield
Posted By: VietVet
Subject: Meeting at Mayfield
Date Posted: Sep 26 2008 at 7:16am
| According to the Journal, Mayor Lawrence Mulligan Jr. visited Mayfield Elementary to talk to the kids. He asked if any of the kids watched the city council meetings on TV Middletown. With no response, Mayor Mulligan said that the meetings were "kind of boring". Gee, Mayor Mulligan, the meetings wouldn't have to be "boring" if council would use the time to discuss fixatives for the many problems this town faces. These meetings shouldn't be boring at all, if, as a group, council would start addressing, in front of the people, issues that have plagued this town for years. Why boring? Use the time wisely and show the people in an open forum, that council will be proactive instead of sitting there "going through the motions" and accomplishing absolutely nothing of any substance. If they are "boring" then you and the rest of council are not the right people to sit in those chairs. |
Replies:
Posted By: Marianne
Date Posted: Sep 26 2008 at 9:52am
| I didn't like the response either, Vet. Here's why: we should be promoting civic responsibility and engagement in children. Telling students the meetings are boring does not do that. I plan on sending Mr. Mulligan an email about that. I'm sure it was just a throwaway comment, but he should be promoting the work of City Council. |
Posted By: Marianne
Date Posted: Sep 26 2008 at 10:00am
|
Here's what I just sent: Dear Mr. Mulligan, I read about your appearance at Mayfield, and I appreciate that you are willing to meet school children, because I think it's important for them to understand and appreciate the work that local governments do. That said, I was disappointed by your remark that the city council meetings are "boring." I understand that for that age group, watching a city council meeting might be akin to eating spinach (to use the MJ's parallel); you had an opportunity to promote civic engagement and responsibility, something I think is tremendously important in the community,and instead, you chose a different route. I have heard complaints that citizens in the community are disinterested and even downright hostile to the work of City Council. One wonders why. Could it be that from an early age children receive the message that the work of government is boring, tedious, etc.? I am sure you said many other wonderful things during your visit, and perhaps it's the fault of the MJ for quoting you on the one that seems the most negative, but I still think it was a comment that should have been avoided by the Mayor of Middletown. Thank you for the work you do. Marianne .... See, I don't just complain here. :) |
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Sep 26 2008 at 1:23pm
Seriously guys I watch just about every City Council meeting and for the most part they are very boring, especially when all you hear is we have no money to do anything constantly.
I know, I know you don't tell the future leaders of America that.
|