Frank Castiglia Jr. – Public Comment Period
by Contributor | March 6, 2021 11:06 am
To the Editor,
Anyone that has attended a Fulton Common Council meeting is aware of these words. Public comment! We invite you to speak but, we will not address your concerns in an open forum, we invite you to speak but, you only have 3 minutes to bring your concerns to light.
Public speaking is one of the biggest fears anyone has and add to that fear a time limit. Most attending will forgo the embarrassment and not get up and speak.
At the last Common Council meeting this issue was addressed and the length of the speaking time was asked to be lengthened. It was asked that anyone wishing to speak be given at least 5 minutes to bring their concerns to the Common Council and Mayor. The Mayor said that they would make an exception for that meeting and they would discuss it amongst themselves for future meetings.
The main issue here is that it is a Common Council meeting with the pubic invited to speak. The Common Council and the Mayor are all public servants paid by the taxpayers. These Common Council meetings are a chance for the taxpayers to witness their local government in action and address any issues they may have.
Under the past administrations anyone wishing to speak would have that opportunity to do so. There was a time limit under Mayor Woodward’s administration but it was never really enforced to the extent of having a timer.
Addressing taxpayers’ concerns is another issue. Telling anyone that if they stay after the meeting and speak to the Mayor and their councilor, they will address the concerns. The reason anyone brings an issue forward is to have an answer in a public forum and be reported in the paper for all to see. The answer that the taxpayer receives may not be the one that they are happy with but the issue should be addressed in an open forum not in a one-on-one forum. In past administrations feed back to any and all issues was done in an open forum.
Please attend any and all Common Council meetings bring your issues forward and request an answer be given by your Councilor in the open forum, not one on one. Department heads should be at all Common Council meetings with intentions of answering any issues the public may have.
Remember this is a meeting of your public servants paid for by your tax dollars stand your ground.
Do I think this will happen?
It will if the new Administration follows their promise of transparency.
I believe she will keep her promise!
Hold her to her promise.
The taxpayers deserve nothing less!
-Frank Castiglia jr. Taxpayer in the city of Fulton.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Discover more from Oswego County Today
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/frank-castiglia-jr-public-comment-period/
Frank Castiglia Jr. – Public Comment Period
by Contributor | March 6, 2021 11:06 am
To the Editor,
Anyone that has attended a Fulton Common Council meeting is aware of these words. Public comment! We invite you to speak but, we will not address your concerns in an open forum, we invite you to speak but, you only have 3 minutes to bring your concerns to light.
Public speaking is one of the biggest fears anyone has and add to that fear a time limit. Most attending will forgo the embarrassment and not get up and speak.
At the last Common Council meeting this issue was addressed and the length of the speaking time was asked to be lengthened. It was asked that anyone wishing to speak be given at least 5 minutes to bring their concerns to the Common Council and Mayor. The Mayor said that they would make an exception for that meeting and they would discuss it amongst themselves for future meetings.
The main issue here is that it is a Common Council meeting with the pubic invited to speak. The Common Council and the Mayor are all public servants paid by the taxpayers. These Common Council meetings are a chance for the taxpayers to witness their local government in action and address any issues they may have.
Under the past administrations anyone wishing to speak would have that opportunity to do so. There was a time limit under Mayor Woodward’s administration but it was never really enforced to the extent of having a timer.
Addressing taxpayers’ concerns is another issue. Telling anyone that if they stay after the meeting and speak to the Mayor and their councilor, they will address the concerns. The reason anyone brings an issue forward is to have an answer in a public forum and be reported in the paper for all to see. The answer that the taxpayer receives may not be the one that they are happy with but the issue should be addressed in an open forum not in a one-on-one forum. In past administrations feed back to any and all issues was done in an open forum.
Please attend any and all Common Council meetings bring your issues forward and request an answer be given by your Councilor in the open forum, not one on one. Department heads should be at all Common Council meetings with intentions of answering any issues the public may have.
Remember this is a meeting of your public servants paid for by your tax dollars stand your ground.
Do I think this will happen?
It will if the new Administration follows their promise of transparency.
I believe she will keep her promise!
Hold her to her promise.
The taxpayers deserve nothing less!
-Frank Castiglia jr. Taxpayer in the city of Fulton.
Share this:
Like this:
Related
Discover more from Oswego County Today
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/frank-castiglia-jr-public-comment-period/