Madison resident and telecommuter extraordinaire Ashley Allen attended last night's Madison City Commission meeting to ask for some accountability in the public dollars handed out to the Lake Area Improvement Corporation. Allen raised a number of issues that call into question the wisdom of continued public support for the LAIC:
- Lack of reporting of LAIC financial activities
- False reporting of job creation numbers
- Unwillingness to work with the public
Regular Madville Times readers know all about the first two. On the third charge, Allen pointed out last night that he was invited to attend an LAIC board meeting, then summarily disinvited after having the gall to write a letter to the editor criticizing the LAIC.
Mr. Allen received somewhat similar messenger-shooting treatment last night. Mayor Gene Hexom cross-examined Allen, asking him if he had taken his concerns directly to LAIC exec Dwaine Chapel or Madison Chamber director Julie Gross. (What for? Gross would have told Allen to start his own town.) Mayor Hexom asked Allen why he hasn't spent hundreds of dollars to become a Chamber member. Mayor Hexom asked Allen why he hadn't brought similar concerns to the Lake County Commission, which also is considering another handout to the LAIC. The general thrust of Mayor Hexom's interrogation seemed more about accusing Allen of not being sufficiently involved in the community than about actually answering the policy questions that brought Allen to the city commission meeting.
Therein lies one of Madison's fundamental problems. Our small-town leaders seem unable to separate personality from policy. Our city commissioners and economic development "leaders" think criticism of policies and suggestions for better policies constitute grave personal insults. They respond not with an invitation to further discussion and analysis of what's actually happening but with genuinely personal attacks of their own. They suggest that a citizen like Allen has not earned the right to come a city commission and voice opposition to public policy because he has not first had quiet conversations with private, unelected organization directors. They accuse critical citizens of not being "team players." They spread rumors that certain citizens (like me) are determined to manipulate people to destroy the community. (No, really, I've heard this.)
Mayor Hexom, Mr. Allen is a citizen. He sees certain policies not working. He sees other policies (not all of which I agree with) offering more potential for return on public investment. Mayor Hexom, Mr. Allen is not required to get a permission slip from the LAIC or a membership card from the Chamber to bring such concerns to the Madison City Commission. He has every right to come straight to a meeting of his elected representatives (i.e., you) and receive direct answers from you and the commissioners about such policies. And he and every other citizen in this community, rich or poor, connected or not, has the right to offer such questions and criticism without your turning it into a personal pissing match.
The personal and reflexive defensiveness of our city leaders prevents wide-ranging policy discussion. That means Madison fails to discuss and learn from failures. Madison fails to recognize and incorporate outside ideas that could make Madison better. Madison remains mired in a status quo where folks don't speak up for fear of exactly the rude treatment dished out by our mayor to a regular citizen last night and by our LAIC board last month.
If Madison's leaders take criticism as a sign that the critics need to be excluded, then Madison is doomed to fail.
Cory - Do you have a link to a video of the city commission's proceedings?
Michael, the city commission doesn't post videos of its meetings online--something that it absolutely should be doing in this day and age.
Madison posts the agenda and minutes for each meeting. Brookings also posts videos and MP3s of each meeting, which is what Madison should be doing.
I assumed from the detailed description of the meeting that Cory had reviewed a video.
Michael, I think that if you go to amazingmadison.com, the KJAM website. They have clips posted.
We just put up the entire discussion. You can listen at
http://www.amazingmadison.com/Madison-Commission-2012-Budget-First-Reading-Discu/10838788
I have a problem saying L-A-I-C... for some reason every time it comes out LA-I-C or something. My wife hates that. I need to work on my public speaking techniques. :)
But seriously, I was asking for fair voting and only wanted the commissioners to reflect on possible conflicts of interest. I was not saying that there was a conflict of interest, either way. I wanted them to consider their ties to the LAIC and the Chamber of Commerce and think about abstaining from voting if there were any (perceived or real) conflicts of interest. I think it is the fair and honest thing to do. I was not trying to accuse anyone of "exchanging money" or "special interests". I apologized to the commissioners because they felt have felt that my comments might have been accusatory in nature. I was trying to be respectful while bringing up some very serious issues.
I also wanted them to hold the LAIC accountable for their performance. I did praise the Chamber of Commerce and I think they are doing great work with a very small budget (when compared to the LAIC).
My third point was that we need to look at creating an internal economic development, bring new retail stores and hotels to town, and find some way to help our School District, as all of these things will help our local economy.
I wrote a Letter to the Editor that I posted at http://www.facebook.com/madisonsd and it will hopefully run in the local paper today and maybe other media sites.
As I said in that letter: I applaud those who serve in public office and recognize that there are compromises and concessions that must be made when working toward the advancement of the community. I also recognize that economic development is complex and is influenced by larger economic trends.However, we as members of this community have a responsibility to keep our public officers honest and must hold any person or organization that takes public funding responsible for their/its actions. Asking questions and demanding fair solutions is part of our patriotic duty.
Ohh and I was the only person at the meeting last night concerned about our budget. You would think more citizens would want to provide feedback on our almost 20 million dollar budget for next year................
We need people to show up and get involved.
I found out yesterday from Mrs. Hexom that the city commission meetings are broadcast on the community access channel on Tuesdays - I had no idea that they did this, so I suggested that this information, including channels and times, be put in the Locals in the Madison Daily Leader.
They also need to post those videos on the city website. We don't have cable, so when living in Madison, there's no way we can watch the community access channel. If the videos are on the website, anyone can watch as their schedule allows (and with a well-organized video archive, meetings can be accessed for months or even years). Those with no Internet access at home can use the computers at the public library.
In the last two weeks I've seen growth and transformation: New skyscrapers in Denver. Old mall down, new mall up in Aurora (outside Denver). In ten years things are so different! California is crazy but has vitality. Golden Gate Park is over 1,000 acres with science academy, music, art museum, etc. Incredible stuff. The Black Hills are as beautiful as anywhere and Spearfish seems like a pretty cool place. Then back to Madison where it feels stagnant. Here we can't even agree to improve our high school. Prostrollo is adding on and there have been other changes, but the bottom line Madison has a status quo. Take a nod from Mayor Hexom, but rather than join the Chamber, run for city or county commission. Change is not going to take place until some new folks control the purse strings. The only way to change the powers that be is to change the powers that be.
PS - Santa Barbara (and Goleta: neighboring city) don't have a Walmart or a Target. The guy at Costo told me the city keeps them out. Asked him how Costo got in, and he said barely.
How much does joining the chamber cost?
Good question, Mike! Any Chamber members have that figure handy?
John: Sounds like a great trip! We learn much from seeing other places. Now if we can just get new local leaders who will listen to those lessons. Our LAIC exec lives in Brookings. He's originally from Spearfish. Yet I see no sign that our leaders have sought lessons from either community, whether it's a simple thing like posting video from commission meetings or more complex lessons on cultural development and diversification.
John, may I play on your words and suggest the only way to change the powers that be is to become the powers that change?
Our studio was a member years ago. I'm interested again.
Sounds like you want permission to speak at a City Commission meeting without Mayor Hexom heckling you. That may be the only return on the investment. Tell me what the dues are when you find out!
Gene has been my friend for 25 years and I graduated with his son Lowell. He has know my family for over 50 years. I don't think that heckling would be on the agenda. Like Ashley, I'd love to be able to contribute to a better future for Madison.