FAQFAQ   SearchSearch  MemberlistMemberlistRegisterRegister  ProfileProfile   Log in[ Log in ]  Flint Talk RSSFlint Talk RSS

»Home »Open Chat »Political Talk  Â»Flint Journal »Political Jokes »The Bob Leonard Show  

Flint Michigan online news magazine. We have lively web forums


FlintTalk.com Forum Index > Political Talk

Topic: Meeting

  Author    Post Post new topic Reply to topic
Adam Ford
Guest

I would be interested in meeting you two. I would love to try and bring all these issues up at the city council meeting but it's kind of hard with the asenine 5 minute rule. it's easy to whine and complain about something for 5 minutes but sometimes presenting real solutions takes longer then 5 minutes. I will probably use the next council meeting I attend to attack this moronic policy. Where it especially comes into play is when people like Flint school board members are cut off after 5 minutes. I think the future of Flint is worth more consideration than 5 minutes.

Adam Ford
webmaster@mysearchisover.com
http://mysearchisover.com
Post Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:01 pm 
   Reply with quote  
Ted Jankowski
Guest

Well you can get extra time two ways. One would be to talk to your councilman first in order to get the extension. I forget what the term is actually called. The second way is the most popular way. Just run down your former councilman and they will let you talk as long as you want to. Especially if you blame the councilman for some thing the mayor had control over and wouldn’t do because it made the former councilman look bad. I video tape the meetings so I’d be glad to give names and examples.
Post Sat Dec 24, 2005 9:17 pm 
   Reply with quote  
rapunzel
Guest

ADAM- in the meetings I witnessed you did not use the whole 5 minutes?
Ted, tells you true use the time after the meetings to get your point across to the council so they can then bring it up on agenda for a vote.

You can talk for 20 minutes to no avail if it does not end up on the council agenda to vote on. Read you have to get the majority vote (5 on the council) to further your endeavors. Talking to only one may not do what you need. You need to learn how to Lobby for an agenda item.

To speak to the council, practice what you will say. time it, cut it down to valid points. A ten minute speech is easily cut down to 5 minute points. Use a friend to be a sounding board. Note when they lose attention, that is where you need to cut. An honest friend will say where they lost interest.

Watch the audience and council members when a speaker belabors an issue and no direct point is made. They look all over, lose focus and they no longer pay attention. They may even be thinking about picking up milk on the way home!

5 minutes can make a valid point then the interested council will come to you for clarity or further points. If they don't come to you, you did not make a strong case and step up and talk to them and strengthen your agenda. 1. what is the outcome you desire 2. how can the council reach this outcome 3. how many council members do you need to persuade to vote for your agenda? 5 not less

I thank you for taking an interest in city business. It is not easy to speak in front of council or school board. Practice young man makes perfect.

I still have anxiety attacks every time I approach the school board or the council. I have choked on ice chips trying to wet my suddenly dry as sandpaper throat. They do not know you are scared! They are used to the environment and do not realize the amount of physical\mental strength it takes to approach them in their arena. You are the constituent you have the upper hand. They can be bluffed by an email blog easily! If they think you represent a large voter constituency, then you have thier ear.

Nuff said I can't give all my secrets on a public forum. Just don't give up! You can and will make a difference.
Post Sat Dec 31, 2005 1:34 am 
   Reply with quote  
Adam Ford
Guest

Very interesting. I have a strange idealistic way about me. Scared is not really a problem for me. I actually have to much adrenaline and go into fight mode which makes my stomach flex to much. I am getting better at not doing that though. I'm a little confused on the 20 minute rule. If something is on the council agenda you can talk about it for 20 minutes?

My main issue is that I feel a lot of speakers get cut off too soon. I don't think bad speakers should be blamed I feel the council should be blamed for not listening. I was there when the council took office and they said they wanted to listen to residents but come to find out if you talk to long they will threaten to arrest you? It especially bothers me that they would cut off school board members. Flint students aren't worth more than 5 minutes? Really though I feel everyone should be given the time they need within reason. If all you have to say is the mayor sucks for 5 minutes I would not even give that person 5 minutes but real issues can take more than 5 minutes to explain. I'm curious who you are Rapunzel. I would have a ton of stuff to say at the school board meeting but I work on those days. Is the school board mostly black? I'm worried the Flint school board helps its students get discriminated against without even knowing it. I know some of the school board doesn't even use email. Fortunately you don't need email to work at McDonalds flipping burgers but you do if you're using things like monster.com.

Adam Ford
webmaster@mysearchisover.com
Post Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:37 pm 
   Reply with quote  
rapunzel
Guest

Adam, Not scared,but adrenaline is a rush when dealing with elected officials. The tape I witnessed started just after Cleaves so I am interested in what he said. Herb can speak FOREVER if allowed. Bless him he really cares.

I was not speaking as a 20 minute rule, you misunderstood. You could belabor an issue for 20 or even 60 minutes and not make as strong of a presentation as 5 minute summary of facts!

Most School board members do have an email address and will respond. Go to flintschools.org ,Herb and McMobley are more phone friendly. I have never corresponded with Doherty but he is the rabbit in the hat and will pop up to support you when you least expect it!

Jordan, Stephanie Robb Martin and Lisa Walker always respond yet are newer members. They are better than expected, believe me. Skip Harbin can be contacted at the Grand Blanc schools web but never abuse this or he will no longer respond. He is very busy do not waste his time he almost refused board presidency because he feels he can not spend adequate time on both endeavors. Read.. because he feels he needs to be more available for the job makes him the best president.

Yes, we have 5 black and 4 white on the current board. Our students are majority black also. It is a fair make up. I have been though a few school board elections and was worried that this would again become racial and silostic. Today this is not the case but put some school closings on the table and watch the waters divide!

I like Raymond Hatter he watches the dollars like they were his own. Vernon Craig our former finance council person was similar.

Chris Martin was the cause of the divisiveness of the former council. He is and always will be a CANCER on our community. He pretended to be a friend to both sides of the isle,pretended to support Dr. Chow. He is the cause of years of stalled improvements for our FCS. Read Talks out of both sides of his mouth!

Chris was the cause of losing Dr DeFrance which caused losing Marios the end result bybye Dr Chow! so enter IRA Rutherford good man but stopped any forward action on a strategic plan. Just kept the boat afloat and made good money to hold the helm while great funds where spent by Mott for a new super search.

Earl Robinson has taken over Dr. DeFrances position and is a good person to talk to. He also is in charge of TECH which Flint Schools have excellent computer labs and many labtops for our children. You can also reach him by Flintschools.org.

Just like at council the real deals happen in committee. if You can't make regular school board meetings come to academics committeeor finance committee. Ithink you can find the dates on the website or contact Stephanie Payton School board secretary be nice to her she is a sweethart. If you cause a problem for my girl i will have to hunt you down and give you a wedgy! Be warned!
Post Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:45 am 
   Reply with quote  
  Display posts from previous:      
Post new topic Reply to topic

Jump to:  


Last Topic | Next Topic  >

Forum Rules:
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

 

Flint Michigan online news magazine. We have lively web forums

Website Copyright © 2010 Flint Talk.com
Contact Webmaster - FlintTalk.com >