People Over Politics

Meetings to Attend

It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.

Moliere

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CITY MEETINGS AND COMMITTES TO ATTEND:

IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

1.City Council Meetings:

Held 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00PM

LINKS

City of DeBary:

http://www.debary.org/

Deland-Deltona Beacon:

http://http://www.delandbeacon.com//

Orlando Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/

Daytona Beach News-Journal:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/

County Council Website:

http://volusia.org/countycouncil/

Castle Coalition:

http://www.castlecoalition.org/

Florida Hometown Democracy

http://www.floridahometowndemocracy.com/

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How to Survive A City Council Meeting

by Norm Erickson

1. When you enter the town hall, immediately to your left is a desk with items for you. There will be yellow cards that you can fill out and take up to Stacey Tebo who will pass it to the mayor who will call you so that you can speak on an issue.

If you want to speak on an issue that is NOT on the agenda, you will speak at the beginning of the meeting. If you want to speak to an issue that IS on the agenda, then you will be called up when it is discussed during the meeting. Sometimes this can be late in the evening so prepare yourself mind and body.

Since this is a new council, it is not yet really clear if they are holding to the three minute limit to talking. If you are going to talk, I would prepare a three minute speech just to be safe. I would also suggest that if you are going to talk write down what it is you're going to say rather than "freestyling" it; but that is up to you.

There is an agenda for that night's discussion on the table. There is also a three-ring binder with indepth information that is given to the city council and copied so that the citizens can look at it. MaryAnn Courson, former Councilman Gunter, and, I believe, Vice Mayor Fulton were in favor of getting this binder on the back table for the citizens to look at; it is a great way to inform the citizens and I thank them for doing it.

2. Find a comfortable seat because you're going to be here a while.

3. While some bring No-Doze and coffee, I will not suggest that until you talk to your physician first.

4. The most interesting, and sometimes most important, part of the meeting comes at the end when committee reports are given and the council members talk about what they've been doing and perhaps what the future might bring for our town. It is here when their character really comes out because usually the room is pretty much empty except for the die hard fans.

5. Some citizens bring a cushion for their chair to help the hours go by more quickly. Others stretch and take a walk outside since you can listen to the meetings on the speaker.

6. Sometimes when the Barbara Streisand is really flowing, waders are not a bad idea. Or highly resistant boots and a stiff doormat at home so as not to upset your spouse, who used his/her God-given sense to stay home and watch television instead of having their insomnia cured once a month at the council meeting.

7. There are a lot of acronyms used at meetings: PUD, VCOG, VCARD, SNAFU, etc; if you don't know what they mean, ask around to inform yourself. There is no such thing as a dumb question and usually what you will find is that the person using the term doesn't know what it means either. Unfortunately, if you know, you don't ask; if you don't know, you don't want to ask; therefore, NO ONE ASKS. Be the one to ask. It is ok.

8. Finally, when it is over, congratulate yourself for having gone the distance; sometimes, and if you quote me on this, I'll deny it to the day I die, I award myself cash and prizes for having the stamina of outlasting and outsurviving the others that left early. A vision of Rocky Balboa reaching the top of the steps comes to mind...

p.s. Norm Erickson wrote this not Lenny Marks or John Likakis; so if you don't like it, complain to me not them.

However, if you loved it, I accept cash but prefer money orders.

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