Mayoral Forum-Part III
I emailed out my questions last week. So far only Ed McKnight and Susan Kahn have acknowledged receipt of the questions.
If any of you know Mayor Stebbins or Larry Steele, I would appreciate it if you would contact them and encourage them to participate.
Thanks.
15 comments:
Maybe if you made it a multiple choice test you would have received their response?
Dona won't respond. Alas, her transformation from change agent to politician is complete.
Only challengers will participate. Incumbent Dona has nothing to gain, only to lose.
She couldn't care less about a dialogue with citizens; she just wants to win.
Hey, Dona's real smart. She figures she's not going to win so why spend the time writing down answers.
Nope, Lawton has other things to do besides helping her with homework.
Guys, guys, GUYS! Easy on Donna. Look, that's the other part of democracy that we can't leave out. And that is allowing all the candidates to have their say. Even Donna. I personally feel that there is really NOTHING to prepare a person to be mayor. In other words, it's impossible to know exactly what it's going to be like UNTIL you get in there. And then it's too late. I still think that Donna was well-intentioned in the beginning. I don't think she realized just exactly how HUGE this coal fiasco was going to become. She found herself in the eye of a perfect storm of public outrage. And she really didn't know how to effectively and gracefully handle it. I personally think that she's doing the best she can. Now, that being said, she has obviously taken some positions. And, as democracy demands, if she expects anyone to vote for her again, she must justify those positions. But, she deserves the courtesy of civil discourse. Disagree with her all you want, but allow her to speak and present her position. That's what I plan to do. And my feelings on some of the actions the council have taken are very, very strong. But if we are to reign in actions that I think are undemocratic, we gotta use democracy to do it. Donna needs to know exactly why people are outraged. And the people who are most against this plant are NOT wild-eyed revolutionaries (present company excluded), but rather some of the city's most well-respected citizens. That alone indicates that somethings amiss. So, please let's reason this thing out together!
LK
Holy crazy environmentalists, did he just make a very good point, fairly well written, advocating giving a politician he disagrees with the benefit of the doubt?
I'm proud of you Larry. (that was really you, wasn't it?)
I personally think that she's doing the best she can...
Yikes!
Firefly - I'm thinking like you're thinking...
What's up LK and who/what from the Stebbins camp has persuaded this transformation of thought?
Anon-
that is not quite what I was thinking, because I very much doubt anyone from "Stebbins Camp" could influence him.
I was trying to offer a bit of positive reinforcement, because I think he often makes sense, it is just obscured behind how he writes it.
Well, FFly, you've forced me to say it. Yes, I think that Donna Stebbins is a good person. And yes, I think that she's doing the very best she can. BUT, and that's a big but, I think she's in way over her head for a number of reasons, the primary one being that she is unable to stand up to jonny lotten. And it's not completely her fault. Our city government is DESIGNED to be a rubber stamp. Maybe there IS someone out there with a strong enough intellect, personality and background to really affect some necessary changes and bring jonny into line. But at this particular time it's not Donna. And you're right. No one from Donna's camp could possibly influence me. And she must be included in any dialogue for it to be legitimate. And let's face it. It wasn't exactly a mad rush to file for Donna's job. It takes some courage to run for mayor. I respect courage. Donna's got it. I just wish that she would use if for the good.
LK
Wow -- LK, I really respect what you're saying, and HOW you're saying it. I also happen to agree with you. Dona is a good person, and has good intentions, but as you indicated, this coal plant issue is HUGE, and she is trying her best to juggle all of the competing interests while at the same time trying to hold on to her integrity and sanity.
And - again, as you noted - it does take courage to run for public office, and she did it, and won. Sort of like a dog that finally catches a car and then wonders, "now what?" There really is nothing that can truly prepare someone for such a task as being the mayor of a community.
Hum, I don't know Dona well enough to speak for her like others have done here and I can't read her thoughts either. You guys are either physics or her shrink?
I can however judge her by the actions in the public arena. So far I'm not impressed with what I see. I read contempt against anyone that does not fall in line to her way of dare I say leadership.
Our city has been hijacked by outside influences and the only way that can happen is with help from the inside. Its high time to clean the lower GI track.
New leadership is needed from top to bottom. Three new commission seats, and most importantly a new city manager chosen by the representatives of the voters, not the hijackers and their agents.
There will be dirt to sweep up and city employees that have followed and stuck with this wrecking crew need to be weeded out. I expect the new city manager to ask for everyones resume. We need real change this time, not just rearrangement of the deck chairs.
LK;
What have you done with LK? You should please tell a person to sit down before you yank the rug under him like that!
You have earned a great deal of respect from me by your comments here. I agree with you that Donna is deserving of some respect for agreeing to take such a job. However, I don't necessarily agree that anyone can take such a job and make it into a relevant position.
You are 100% right; the mayor and city commission are nothing more than rubber stamps for staff. We designed the system that way as a reaction to the ward/alderman system. We are now reaping the benefits of that decision.
As a citizen, I would like to see all the candidates response to Geeguy's questions. However, I can understand why they wouldn't. The questions themselves are written with a policy bias that makes it difficult to explain contrary views.
Aaron
Thanks, Aaron. You see, I think that we need to figure out where to go from here. How can we make our mayor and council more relevant without returning to the old system? I dunno. But I'm not happy with the situation that we currently find ourselves in. I think our first step is to take these positions seriously and elect topnotch people who will take their responsibilities seriously. Because from here on out, I suspect that we will be facing many such issues like the coal plant that will determine the character of our city. I'm concerned that we do it right and learn from the lessons of other Montana cities that did it wrong.
LK
Gee Guy, as a lawyer I'm sure you've seen it. Remember the movie Twelve Angry Men? Well, why is there NEVER a dissenting opinion on this council? Sumthin' don't smell right in the city council meeting room! Damn! SOMEONE should get "angry" occassionally, or democracy is not being served. The only smell from the room is rubber, as in rubber stamp! For ONCE I'd like someone to get up and say that they're mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore!.........other than mike witsoe that is!
LK
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