Comments on: Council “Shared Expectations Session” – Friday, January 2, 2009 http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/weblog/post/1612/ Serving the communities of Northfield and Cannon Falls, Minnesota, and surrounding areas Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:43:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: kiffisumma http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/weblog/post/1612/comment-page-1/#comment-14734 kiffisumma Sat, 03 Jan 2009 22:16:22 +0000 http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/?p=1612#comment-14734 Yes, Jane, I do think there is a role for the League in this matter. I definitely feel, as I stated , that the Boards and Commissions are what give Northfield the POSSIBILITY of a very citizen involved and in-depth representative government. If there are councilors who want to curtail that possibility, then I think the League should speak to that. I felt for the last year and a half of the"troubles", that League should be getting involved... Isn't the best management practices of government our guiding mantra? I think it was only the insecurity of not knowing how to help a situation gone that far off the track that kept League immobilized. Just my very personal opinion. But League has a responsibility to fulfill its 'charge', and this time we should not let it get so far out of hand that it's viewed as impossible to deal with. Yes, Jane, I do think there is a role for the League in this matter.
I definitely feel, as I stated , that the Boards and Commissions are what give Northfield the POSSIBILITY of a very citizen involved and in-depth representative government.
If there are councilors who want to curtail that possibility, then I think the League should speak to that.
I felt for the last year and a half of the”troubles”, that League should be getting involved… Isn’t the best management practices of government our guiding mantra?
I think it was only the insecurity of not knowing how to help a situation gone that far off the track that kept League immobilized. Just my very personal opinion.
But League has a responsibility to fulfill its ‘charge’, and this time we should not let it get so far out of hand that it’s viewed as impossible to deal with.

]]> By: Jane McWiliams http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/weblog/post/1612/comment-page-1/#comment-14729 Jane McWiliams Sat, 03 Jan 2009 20:50:53 +0000 http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/?p=1612#comment-14729 Thank you for your comments, Margit, Marcia and Kiffi. I share your concern, Kiffi, about the implications of losing the kind of scrutiny boards and commission give city decisions. By necessity, the councilors are generalists, and depend on the professional advice of staff and the sometimes professional, but always focused analysis and advice the advisory groups can provide. While the council did form the group to study the advisory groups, they also talked about using local experts instead of hiring consultants for certain purposes! While Pownell and Buckheit will do a thorough job of looking into the bylaws, including the role and responsibilities of each group, I hope the council will take time to consider carefully each before they make significant changes. Do you think there is a role for the League in this matter? Thank you for your comments, Margit, Marcia and Kiffi. I share your concern, Kiffi, about the implications of losing the kind of scrutiny boards and commission give city decisions. By necessity, the councilors are generalists, and depend on the professional advice of staff and the sometimes professional, but always focused analysis and advice the advisory groups can provide. While the council did form the group to study the advisory groups, they also talked about using local experts instead of hiring consultants for certain purposes!

While Pownell and Buckheit will do a thorough job of looking into the bylaws, including the role and responsibilities of each group, I hope the council will take time to consider carefully each before they make significant changes.

Do you think there is a role for the League in this matter?

]]> By: kiffisumma http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/weblog/post/1612/comment-page-1/#comment-14726 kiffisumma Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:14:03 +0000 http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/?p=1612#comment-14726 Thank you, Jane, for attending this marathon event. I am very concerned for the future of the Citizen Boards and Commissions, given some of this discussion, and the remarks heard from a couple of the councilors over the past year or so. It seems to me that some councilors do not value this citizen work in the way they should. These groups would probably be glad to work on projects suggested by the council, but that is not their prime reason for existence. They are there to make use of their expertise and do in-depth work to better advise the council. There has been a council attitude developing that they (B&Cs) are not autonomous; that they exist only to confirm the council. Well, then there is no reason for their existence if they are just a big group of rubber-stampers. Some negative councilors have been competitive rather than appreciative, as if they, the councilors, are diminished by a thoughtful differing opinion from a Board. I cannot balance a view which talks about 'citizen input' and 'regulation or elimination of Boards and Commissions' in virtually the same discussion. These are a large body of citizen volunteers that exist to give depth to NF's governance process. The League will have to be strong to preserve the autonomy of these important citizen volunteers, if their role is threatened by unwarranted criticism. Thank you, Jane, for attending this marathon event.
I am very concerned for the future of the Citizen Boards and Commissions, given some of this discussion, and the remarks heard from a couple of the councilors over the past year or so.
It seems to me that some councilors do not value this citizen work in the way they should. These groups would probably be glad to work on projects suggested by the council, but that is not their prime reason for existence. They are there to make use of their expertise and do in-depth work to better advise the council.

There has been a council attitude developing that they (B&Cs) are not autonomous; that they exist only to confirm the council. Well, then there is no reason for their existence if they are just a big group of rubber-stampers.
Some negative councilors have been competitive rather than appreciative, as if they, the councilors, are diminished by a thoughtful differing opinion from a Board.
I cannot balance a view which talks about ‘citizen input’ and ‘regulation or elimination of Boards and Commissions’ in virtually the same discussion.

These are a large body of citizen volunteers that exist to give depth to NF’s governance process.
The League will have to be strong to preserve the autonomy of these important citizen volunteers, if their role is threatened by unwarranted criticism.

]]> By: Marcia Walters http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/weblog/post/1612/comment-page-1/#comment-14723 Marcia Walters Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:06:38 +0000 http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/?p=1612#comment-14723 Jane, excellent write up. Your report really gave us a flavor of what occurred. Jane, excellent write up. Your report really gave us a flavor of what occurred.

]]> By: Margit Johnson http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/weblog/post/1612/comment-page-1/#comment-14722 Margit Johnson Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:03:11 +0000 http://lwvnorthfieldmn.org/?p=1612#comment-14722 Thanks, Jane. Always appreciate your timely and thorough summaries of protracted city council doings. It's almost like being there! Thanks, Jane. Always appreciate your timely and thorough summaries of protracted city council doings. It’s almost like being there!

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