THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 16, 1994 TAG: 9410140289
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: BY JOHN M. DE TRIQUET
LENGTH: Long : 120 lines
These remarks, edited for space, were made by Dr. John M. de Triquet at the Oct. 11 session of the Chesapeake City Council. Dr. de Triquet, a physician, is serving his first term on the council.
I would like to propose an initiative that has current, immediate and meaningful impact on the manner and the extent in which this council and the citizens of Chesapeake participate with one another in the governmental process. These past two weeks have been a time of considerable opinion related to this issue. But, there appears to me to be a certain texture to much of the comments on both sides of the issue that is, at best, counterproductive to the general welfare of our city and at worst, self-serving and selfish.
It is disappointing to me and the majority of my fellow citizens that honest differences of opinion continue to be demeaned and tarnished by the surest destructive attitudes to our democratic process - distrust, antagonism and an attitude that always assumes a hidden agenda or an ulterior motive for actions. And let me be clear in affirming the healthy environment and the productive effects of differences of opinion among citizens, among elected officials and between citizens and elected officials. But an attitude - on both sides of the dais - that constantly applies a formula of distrust and deceit to decisions or actions will never result in a community where real and productive changes are made for ourselves and our children.
For too long we, the citizens, have had a limited number of means to actively participate in and respond to the process of change.
There must be continuing initiatives to establish new methods of citizen participation or to resurrect and invigorate traditional vehicles of citizen participation. And to a great extent it is the responsibility of those elected by the citizens to promote these initiatives.
This goal must focus on two principles:
Initiatives to broaden citizen participation should focus on the substance of the participation, rather than focusing on popular, trendy or attractive forms.
The initiatives must have as their goal the inclusion of the greatest number of citizens possible.
In other words, true productive changes should reach out to an ever-increasing number of citizens and should never focus solely on those blessed with the luxuries of time or those who consider themselves self-anointed spokespersons for each and every citizen. Every citizen's comments are important and valuable.
During these past two weeks we have heard allusions to a ``slippery slope'' of citizen exclusion and references to past and present eras of citizen repression and oppression. I categorically reject the validity of such comparisons, and I wholeheartedly affirm that every member of this council holds the best interests of the citizens of Chesapeake as his foremost mission.
Because, you see, the true slippery slope is crafted when citizens are given the perception of participating in the decision-making process not the substantive means to do so. It's when we promote ``feel-good actions'' and participatory ``window dressing.'' Sooner or later, all this window dressing will cause citizens frustration, anger and finally the majority of citizens will ``tune out.'' What are we left with when this occurs?
We're left with what I call the Chesapeake Beltway Phenomenon - an exclusive club of those elected and those self-anointed (the insiders) who become increasingly insulated from the real issues on the minds of the majority of citizens.
Therefore, the goal before us must be to make available practical and productive methods of citizen participation devoid of window dressing, feel-good, technicolor, media-saturated, live-action performances where both elected officials and individual citizens play to the camera for either political notoriety or personal advantage. Because we're deluding ourselves if we think that the presence or absence of a TV camera is a critical factor. The TV camera should be a non-issue. It focuses merely on the form, not the substance. The TV camera could be on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and, I submit, it wouldn't change the effectiveness of citizen participation. We need to enhance real citizen participation so that good ideas can come forward from as many citizens as possible.
Changes have been proposed in the past to expand and enhance the ability of citizens to participate in the process of decision making. In January 1993, a resolution was proposed by our current vice mayor to establish an additional council meeting every month. This resolution unfortunately was defeated by council vote. Recent actions by the current council have renewed this commitment to the citizens. Establishment of the position of council secretary and procedural changes on agenda and new agenda format are further attempts to enhance efficiency and increase the council's responsiveness to the citizens.
This and future initiatives by the council will continue to make it clear to you, the citizens, that this council's resolve to serve the citizen will result in an ever-improving system of citizen participation and meaningful sharing of ideas and concerns. Because, after all, there are only two critical purposes for this council of yours:
To do the business of government. To make decisions and create policy in an orderly, deliberate, analytic and dispassionate manner. Clear thinking and logical decisions.
Equally important is to constantly encourage and enhance the participation of citizens so that their ideas and concerns are heard by the council and, if deemed valuable to the greater good, are brought before the council for logical and orderly deliberation.
I now propose for the council's consideration and action the following amendment to the Rules and Procedures of Council:
``A work session shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month (unless it is a legal holiday or election day) at 6:30 p.m. at such location as determined by the council. Such work session shall be limited to two hours. The purpose of the session is to hear citizens' comments on the services, policies and affairs of the city, with speakers being limited to five minutes each; persons wishing to address the council shall supply the city clerk or designee, on a form supplied for such purpose, a description of what the matter or topic will be. Minutes shall be kept by the city clerk or designee, and other city staff are not required to attend. The mayor, vice mayor or designee shall conduct the session. The city clerk shall attempt to notify the public via the local news media as to the time and place of such sessions.''
The council and citizens do not share opposing views. Rather we embrace a mutual mission - the betterment of our community. And, we share a mission whose success is guaranteed by the old-fashioned but time-proven principles of working together, active participation, mutual respect and common sense.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL
by CNB