Wednesday, June 25, 2003

Public meetings: Should you get involved?

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men." Abraham Lincoln.

"You can't fight City Hall." Anonymous.

Though I have been covering Tyrone meetings for over a year, I still consider myself a rookie on the hard news beat. Despite only recently leaving the sports beat to start covering some Peachtree City meetings, I still feel I have learned a number of things.

Chief among them is that while citizens are free to express their opinions at these meetings, it is unlikely they will have any impact whatsoever on the issue at hand. In the meetings I have attended I have witnessed passionate arguments from citizens on a number of issues and their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

At a recent Peachtree City Planning Commission meeting dozens of citizens spoke vehemently against a proposed 24-hour car wash, but it is unlikely that their displeasure will have any effect. The area where the car wash will go is zoned for general commercial usage and a car wash fits in that zoning category.

Just last week I listened to a number of people speak out against the retirement/release of Falcon Field airport manager Jim Savage. The concerned citizens spoke highly of Savage as not only a good manager of the airport but also as a decent human being and trusted friend. Ultimately, it didn't matter. No one's vote was swayed and Savage was still let go. I'm sure that this type of thing happens all the time and there are examples that probably stretch back to the first governments in the history of man. I know it can also go the other way as well.

In fact, sometimes it seems as though the developers are wasting everyone's time. Some developers seem to have a regular slot at monthly meetings, trotting out rezoning requests and invariably getting denied time and time again. One would think that they would look at the history of how the council votes on rezoning requests and not even bother.

So, the question is, why do these developers or the angry citizens even bother? Why drum up a group of people who share your opinion, raise their ire, start up petitions, shake your fist and yell at the people in power when it is likely their mind is already made up?

You don't like the development going up near your neighborhood and you're worried about traffic? Tough cookies. The developers likely came before the board first, with the appropriate paperwork, and dotted their i's and crossed their t's. By the time the public finds out about something it is too late. Even if they could find out any sooner, it would be like a fish trying to turn back a tidal wave. Would a school of fish have any more luck?

If the people speaking before their government would stop to think about it, they could probably accurately guess what the result is going to be. It would be neat if the people in power said, "You know, you're right. We never thought of it that way. We'll do it your way." But, chances are, they have thought of it that way. In fact, they have people whose job it is to think it through every way possible and the decision they make really is, more often than not, in the best interest of the community at large.

Now, I know some of you out there are saying, what if people took this attitude with the civil rights movement or the Revolutionary War? You're probably right. But those were situations that could not stay the same and the battles that were fought were long and violent. Besides, comparing the end of racial segregation or the overthrowing of an oppressive government to a car wash is like comparing apples to scratch and sniff stickers of oranges.

I'm sure some readers out there can cite numerous occasions where public input did make a difference and that is great. I only wish that it would happen more often. Unfortunately, local officials will listen to the public, "hear what you're saying" and "feel your pain" and vote against you anyway.

It doesn't seem right. Especially, when you consider that some of these men and women were elected to represent you and your fellow citizens and act in the best interests of the community. When they see large groups of unhappy citizens it seems that what is in the best interest of the community and the best way to represent their constituents is to vote the way they ask you to.

Don't mistake this as my wish to enter into the political arena. That is a job that I wouldn't want, nor would I wish it on anybody. It appears that sitting on a council or board is quite often a boring, thankless job that leaves you with a lot of work and, despite your best intentions, a lot of ticked-off people. This is the way democracy works though and, while it can appear unfair from time to time, it is, quite honestly, the best form of government out there.

So, what can you do? I suggest getting involved and staying involved. If you have a neighborhood watch program, your neighborhood should also be watching and thinking about what may happen in your neighborhood in the next year as well as the next several years. You must be proactive.

If you are appearing at a meeting in reaction of something, it is probably not going to help you or your cause. If you don't like the law, don't lobby the board to go against the law. They wrote the law, they are sworn to uphold the law and they will rarely go against the law. Instead, try to adapt the law and do it a time when there is no ulterior motive. For instance, if you don't like 24-hour car washes, petition the city to not allow 24-hour car washes, or only allow them in areas that do not abut residential areas.

So, should you still attend meetings and vent your displeasure? Absolutely. Come out in record numbers, speak your mind and ask how you can prevent things like this in the future.

P.S. After writing this column, I attended Monday night's Peachtree City Planning Commission meeting and the application for the 24-hour car wash was denied. The commission members cited a number of the concerns expressed by the citizens in attendance as their reasons for denial.

It looks as if speaking out at a meeting can make a difference. It may not happen all the time, but it happens. So, keep fighting the good fight.