New City Hall, posting information to their website, Neighborhood meeting

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New City Hall, posting information to their website, Neighborhood meeting

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Fri, 10/20/2006 - 2:36pm.

This week on the Council

This week on the city council, they're going to talk about where to put city hall (one place seems to be out of the running), whether city council members can post stuff to the city's website (why don't they just blog?) and a dog park. And some other stuff.

As always (except last week and whenever else I run out of time) this is the "What's on the city council's plate this week" review.

1. One place our city could put city hall is apparently out of the running. The so-called DOT parcel downtown, just over 1 acre of land neslted up against some port property. That only leaves a somewhat larger parcel just east of the DOT site still under consdideration. Now the city council will have to talk about whether they want to reconsider different locations or go with the port piece.

Last time I heard about the port parcel was that the port would prefer a commercial tenant there, someone that could stay open for business for 18 hours a day. Not exactly a government builiding. But, if the city were to add some civic aspects to their new city hall, (some library services maybe?), they could meet that criteria, in my opinion.

2. The general government committee is also discussing a new policy for city council members so they can post information on their webpages on the city's website. This discussion (as far as I can tell) grew out of TJ Johnson's "TJ's Reports" section on the website.

Under the new process a city council member could post something if he made everyone on the council aware of it, got their permission and then handed it over to city staff for the actual posting.

Which begs the question: Why freaking bother? TJ's Reports isn't exactly earth shattering stuff. And, it is so buried on the website, lacks an RSS feed, that I doubt anyone actually comes by to look at it. The reports themselves aren't even in html, they're pdf files, which means you have to download a new file just to read what he writes. And, in the description, he doesn't really say what it is all about. Anyway.

Why not blog? The city is concerned about creating a dialoge with citizens, and posting information on the internet, why not blog? Conversate on the internets.

3. Speaking of getting together and conversating, the city council is begenning the planning for two upcoming town hall type meetings. The first is actually the next town hall in early January. Last week they put out the topics they'd like to cover with us:

I. Opening and Welcome by Mayor

II. Presentation by Finance Committee
• Review of Previous Budget Outreach

Attachment Size

DOT.JPG 81.2 KB

‹ PBIA budget, rate increases, all sorts of budget stuff, and Neighborhood meeting Neighborhood Grants, Lakefair, Budget and Civility rules ›

I think that a City Hall / Library

Submitted by bubbaz (not verified) on Fri, 10/20/2006 - 6:35pm.

I think that a City Hall / Library on the Port of Olympia parcel would be a wonderful thing for the City of Olympia and the Port of Olympia to consider.

I am going to talk to my family and neighbors about this idea.

A new City Hall / Library with a view of the Puget Sound would be perfect for downtown Olympia!

Do we really need the Port of Olympia at all?

Submitted by Crenshaw Sepulveda on Fri, 10/20/2006 - 7:04pm.

I'm thinking that the port of Olympia has been an utter failure for many years now. Time for it disband and allow the land to be put to more productive use. There have been many posts on this subject in the past, maybe if the City is serious about relocating to the port area, maybe the library and other more useful projects can take place on that unique piece of land. I've always considered the Farmer's market is the northern tip of downtown, time to look north of the farmer's market to expand downtown.

"I would make it impossible for the covetous and avaricious to utterly impoverish the poor. The rich can take care of themselves."
^@^

Hey!

Submitted by Rob Richards on Fri, 10/20/2006 - 7:07pm.

Maybe the city could use eminent domain!

On number 2:

Submitted by Jade on Sun, 10/22/2006 - 9:08pm.

It really concerns me that this group of public figures are so concerned about what is said about their business to the public. They work for us! Oh, no, wait...I forgot we are not a wealthy developer's association.

Let me guess, it was Doug Mah who wanted this? (I am guessing that because he has the most reason to be concerned, since he does NOT work for the citizens of Olympia, and that makes him edgy about open process.)

Anyway, it sounds pretty ridiculous. I am so glad that TJ has been an advocate for making our process more transparent and accessible while he's been in office.

Jade

Why not say the same about

Submitted by The Fire Inside on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 6:18am.

Why not say the same about Kingsbury? If I remember correctly, he and Mah have been voting similar to each other.

No, I would say TJ asked for it

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 1:53pm.

TJ has been the only council member to "post" anything on the city's website, so after his initial posting, he probably suggested that there be a format for those kinds of procedures. I'm still thinking that its a bit round about for just putting something on the internet.

I feel I have to correct

Submitted by Norm on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 3:20pm.

I feel I have to correct you. If Mr. Mah did not work for the citizens he wouldn't be there. He may not be a great representative for you, or for ALL of Olympia, but someone along the line voted him in. If I remember right there were big signs saying police/fire department support Doug Mah. So maybe it's just the public servants that he represents.

The point is that he's

Submitted by Rob Richards on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 4:34pm.

The point is that he's supposed to represent everyone, and it appears that he only represents a privileged few.

But that's a terrible point.

Submitted by Norm on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 6:11pm.

But that's a terrible point. No city council member is going to represent everyone. If that were true we wouldn't need a competition. He represents certain things that you don't agree with, but other parts of Olympia do.

I believe politicians have a

Submitted by Rob Richards on Mon, 10/23/2006 - 10:17pm.

I believe politicians have a responsibility to represent everyone. I don't mean give everybody what they want, I mean come to the table and listen and consider a variety of opinions. Some do this, some don't. I think Jade's point was that she feels like Doug Mah does not even try to represent some of the people, that he only represents those that he "needs" to. I don't know Doug Mah, I've never met him, or had a chance to talk with him (he doesn't respond to my emails). I'd like it if Doug Mah would work to build bridges in the community, I definitely get the feeling that this doesn't interest him for one reason or another.

Specifics aside, I believe that a politician is supposed to represent "the people" not "those people". I don't understand how we wouldn't need to have elections if they did represent everyone. Our city council isn't elected by districts, when you run and win you are tasked with representing everyone equally, again, Jade's point is that Doug Mah isn't doing that.

True, but I can say TJ isn't

Submitted by Norm on Tue, 10/24/2006 - 7:57am.

True, but I can say TJ isn't doing that either. It's coming from a personal perspective. He's on your end of the social map though and therefore "represents olympia" for you. I'm not sure how this part isn't clear. Doug probably "represents olympia" for other people, probably folks who voted for him. I just feel it's a one-sided comment. I don't think G.B. represents the US well, but I bet that there are folks out there who think he does, just like some of the folks probably thought clinton represented the US well and some of us may disagree.

those aren't my words

Submitted by Rob Richards on Tue, 10/24/2006 - 11:26am.

I never said any of them represent all of Olympia. I'm not sure it's even possible anymore for a politician to represent everyone, politics is too far gone. I just think they should. I know that TJ communicates with me about things, in person if I ask to meet with him, and I appreciate that. It makes me want to vote for him because he listens, I don't know how much he meets with people of varying opinions, I would hope that he does meet with and listen to people he disagrees with. I think it's really the only way for a city councilmember to make an informed decision.

I just think there are

Submitted by Jade on Wed, 10/25/2006 - 12:49am.

I just think there are politicians who are monied in and there are politicians who are honestly trying to make positive change. There may be disagreements about what changes folks want to see, but then there are people like Mah, who don't really have any interests aside from whatever lines their pockets.

There is a difference between someone I disagree with and a sell-out.

Jade

Lines His Pockets?

Submitted by Ehver Green on Sat, 11/04/2006 - 12:21am.

Mah's not rich - he makes about an extra $8,000 a year being a council member. The same amount as everyone else but the mayor, I believe. Unless you personally know Doug Mah, I think your comment about his interests is far from the truth and mostly an opinion. I did vote for him. He knocked on my door and spent 15 minutes with me. His views about Olympia are generally on the other end of how TJ thinks. TJ on the otherhand worries me as a politician. I've honestly tried to talk to TJ about issues and he's quite defensive and otherwise loud about his views. His response to criticism is troubling, too. While at the port during the protests he was verbally abusive during the melee and in no way was representative of Olympia as a whole. The opposition to the war doesn't translate into opposition for military support. Stopping needed shipments to Iraq is only going to kill more American and allied soldiers.

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