EDITOR: The cure for small town politics:
“Well I was born in a small town, And I live in a small town,
Probably die in a small town, Oh, those small communities!”
EDITOR:
The cure for small town politics: “Well I was born in a small town, And I live in a small town, Probably die in a small town, Oh, those small communities!”
Ever since that televised City Council meeting of July, when our beleaguered, exasperated, angry, confused and upset City Council members, expressed their frustration of the media’s take of the event they themselves created, that Morgan Hill is not “Small Town,” that this is not what it seems to be, brought to mind the John Cougar Mellencamp’s song, “Small Town.” The revelation came to me that Mellencamp must be from Morgan Hill. The lyrics all ring true.
Lets call a spade a spade. When the public is not informed, not advised, proposals are made, and minds are made up before the public even has a chance for input, as in our library site selection process.
This is small town politics.
If our politicians really want to rid themselves of the derogatory “Small Town” label, heed the following suggestions:
• Let’s elect both our School Board and our City Councilmen by geographic districts. Let’s make each politician accountable to a certain definable population. Sure we can have an “at-large” candidate if need be. Perhaps our mayor and our School Board president should be at-large candidates. This way we do not have say, Jackson Oaks with two councilmen and Madrone without any representation.
Our Hispanic population and sparsely but important geographic populations will be enfranchised. Anyone who has issues, will know who their councilmen or School Board person to call or contact. Presently, none of the politicians is answerable to anyone. No one knows whom to call. District representation is what the big cities do.
• All elected politicians should give their real phone numbers, real addresses and real e-mail addresses. If they expect real votes, they should be real themselves. It is a plain and simple copout and “Small Town” for them to hide behind District Offices or City Hall “government issue” addresses and contact information. This just indicates that they only want to communicate with whom they desire to communicate with. County Supervisor Don Gage gives his home phone number and a real e-mail address that isn’t a “government issued” e-mail address. He answers all of his e-mails and returns his phone calls, too.
• Let’s use City Visions as a joint publication with the School District so we get all our vitamins and minerals in one place. I’m tired of knowing when the next composting class will be or all that propaganda about how good things are going with the School District. First of all, let’s post on web sites what is on the agendas of the City Council and School Board. Let’s get the opinion of council and School Board members on the important issues. Let’s have all these e-mail addresses and phone numbers in this publication for responses. Let’s get a calendar of community fundraisers and events. Let’s get City Visions out of the propaganda department.
- Some feel that there is mold growing within the walls of Morgan Hill City Hall and the Morgan Hill Unified School District Office. These molds must ooze non-fatal gases that affects the thinking that goes on in there. Let’s create a pool of interested citizens, and citizens picked out of random to serve as advisers to the City Council, School Board and heads of these respective bodies.
Encourage each council and School Board member to have their own “advisers.” These advisers only have the power to advise as do any citizen. The advisers can remain anonymous but respected community members. Let’s be cheap and spring for an annual dinner for these advisers instead of encouraging our politicians to give away the hundreds of thousands of dollars which are spent by these politicians each year for consultants because they fear being blamed by the public for making common-sense decisions.
Sometimes common sense and community reassurance that these advisers can give, can go a long way toward making good simple and inexpensive decisions.
“Educated in a small town, Taught the fear of Jesus in a small town, Used to daydream in that small town, Another boring romantic that’s me.”
Frankly, although “Small Town” is a catchy tune, I’m growing tired of it. Maybe along with the small town political system, we need to change the politicians, too.
Jon Y. Hatakeyama, Morgan Hill
