sensetalk2000
Registered: 11/10/08
Posts: 109
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| #16 |
Planatlaw's explanations on the status of Pagosa are complicated to a country boy like me, but I so see a lot of truth in them.
I have noticed a common denominator in all these posts-- Pagosa is near death and all the decisions and plans by officials are doing little to nothing to bring back life. It looks like they are tryng to revive the boom of a few years ago and I cannot find anybody that believes a boom will return.
Are local officials reading the posts in this forum? Are they immune by default to the thought of being wrong about what needs to be done? I haven't had anybody from the town or county call me and ask my opinion, have you? It looks to me like their public forums are nothing but an annoying formality.
I will say again and again, until Pagosa develops the dictionary definition of "community", we will all tread water. One writer on the Pagosa Post suggested that the logger, rancher, sheepherder descendants are the main obstacle to progress in Pagosa. It is my opinion that those people already possess the criteria to be called a community. The rest of us are interlopers.
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Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #17 |
I have a hunch that very few Town or County elected officials are members or readers of this forum.
I sent all but one of the Town Councilors and the mayor a concise email Sunday evening simply stating my opinion on a subject. I politely asked them to consider voting in favor of the issue.
ONE replied and thanked me for my opinion and encouraged me to share my opinion so he could get an idea about what people want!
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planatlaw
Registered: 10/15/08
Posts: 21
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| #18 |
Sherill: It is not just you. PS Sun does a horrible job of providing good quality journalism to the community, and that is just one factor that prevents informed decision making on behalf of this community. No wonder, you and so many other are burnt out. Check out this excerpt from a recent report (Knight) on the issue:
A community is a healthy democratic community—it is an “informed community”—when: People have convenient access to both civic and life-enhancing information, without regard to income or social status. Journalism is abundant in many forms and accessible through many convenient platforms. Government is open and transparent. People have affordable high-speed Internet service wherever and whenever they want and need it. Digital and media literacy are widely taught in schools, public libraries and other community centers. Technological and civic expertise is shared across the generations. Local media—including print, broadcast, and online media—reflect the issues, events, experiences and ideas of the entire community. People have a deep understanding of the role of free speech and free press rights in maintaining a democratic community. Citizens are active in acquiring and sharing knowledge both within and across social networks. People can assess and track changes in the information health of their communities. |
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sensetalk2000
Registered: 11/10/08
Posts: 109
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| #19 |
Wow, Planatlaw, if that was a correct definition of "community", Pagosa has never come close, not now or in recent years.
I have been amazed from the day I set foot here at the secrets, hidden agendas, cover-ups galore and general "we have no problems" in Pagosa. If it is not reported on then it doesn't exist. If we don't have drug dealers on the corner of San Juan and Lewis Sts., then we don't have drugs. In the past I have been in the position to know things and don't have much trouble now getting information.
Certainly, the above culture of sin exists in other small towns. What concerns me greatly is that in this current state of local economy, many are pretending we are not in serious trouble. It is the duty of the press and local government to reveal the truth, no matter how painful, ugly or disparaging it may be and move in the appropriate direction. We will rally around that attitude and do everything we can to participate.
People want to know and have a right to any information that would help them sustain life in this community or whatever it is.
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Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #20 |
Am I mistaken or is it policy for the Town to PUBLISH a public meeting announcement in the classified section of the newspaper a specific number of days before they conduct the public meeting?
Can the Town legally have an un-announced "public" meeting?
planatlaw, you ought to know...I quote you:
"A community is a healthy democratic community—it is an “informed community”—when:
Local media—including print, broadcast, and online media—reflect the issues, events, experiences and ideas of the entire community." |
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planatlaw
Registered: 10/15/08
Posts: 21
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| #21 |
The Town is home rule so I do not know if they adopted notice requirements adverse to or more specific than State law requires. You would have to look at their charter, and I have not done that to respond to your question. I can say State law is very lax on notice requirements. A simple posting in a designated place 24 hours or more prior to the hearing is sufficient. The BoCC and the council at times get into problems when they are present at the same time, which constitutes a quorum without a prior notice. Hope this helps. |
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Sherrill
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 98
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| #22 |
THANKS! You've begun to lead me in the right direction. I wondered about home rule in Pagosa...if they are home rule, does the Sunshine Law (not sure if that's the name) apply? I have a beginning and I KNEW planatlaw could help! Thanks, again. |
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planatlaw
Registered: 10/15/08
Posts: 21
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| #23 |
Colorado does have a "Sunshine Law" and if memory serves, home rule communities are subject to that law. The Sun and many papers across the State often use that law to obtain information from local governmental entities. I have never seen them go after the Town, but I know they used it on occasion while the County was in turmoil. "Notice" to the public is, of course, a part of any good comprehensive effort to shed a little sunshine on the public process. There has been and continues to be an effort by some governmental entities (quasi as well) who use executive sessions as a means to skirt public discourse required by the Sunshine Law, but it is rather difficult to know what goes on in those sessions unless a public figure breaches the secrecy of those sessions and reveals something of what went on. |
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