Meeting at Mayfield

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.

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

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See, I don't just complain here. :)