We met. About forty people signed in and took literature. The meeting started on time. Joe and a moderator presented the facts quickly and succinctly and then took questions. There was no rambling by anyone. We then broke up into two brainstorming sub groups. The subgroups put ideas out there and they were listed on a big tablet sheet. We identified the two most important to us and then selected representatives for the next level of commitment and meetings. Actually select is not the right word as in fact anyone who indicated that they would be interested and were willing to attend four or five more meetings in the next couple of months was selected. A few closing remarks and the meeting was over and we were left to mill around for the usual after meeting smoozing. During the meeting I did glean two additional very significant facts. Significant to me at least. The first was the fact that everyone who wanted to advance to the next level of participation was allowed to. The second was the the way the final decisions will be made, and this is not set in stone. There will be at an April ward-wide meeting where everyone will get eight votes to spread or concentrate amongst the spending proposals they support. The proposals with the most votes will be done. That all who are interested can participate and that voting is a form of proportional voting are extremely important facets of this process. Important because of the quality of democracy they engender. It's a whole different process from elected and majority or even often plurality rule. In the age of the computer and the internet, there is should be no reason not to let every one interested in the political process participate. Simple, elegant and straight-forward. Yes there will be some haggling and disappointment down the road, but you know what? Those who are disappointed will learn the ropes and make sure they show up with more of their friends the next time. In a wonderfully democratic manner, those who have interest get to participate and act. The next step in the process is the initial meeting for the representatives. It will be on December 9th. I don't live in the ward so I don't have a vote. When I participated in the sub-group I was clear that I was an observer. True, I had moved into the ward in 1987 and have never moved, but alas my precinct now merely abuts the 49th ward. They took my idea anyway since it was for spending to build a walkway on the Lake where large boulders were dumped to protect a building during the 1987 high water days. It's a 100 foot stretch of unusable lakefront between a public beach and Loyola University's lakefront walk. It's a great idea fraught with competing notions and legalities. My group leader Sarah was concerned that it might not be appropriate for me to attend the next meetings of the representatives. She suggested I ask Joe. I have and I am planning on reporting back here. |
