In
my educated opinion a public hearing is: A forum to enable the
legislative body (council) to receive input from the residents of the
city and other parties with an interest in proposed legislation.
What
a public hearing is not: A forum for a guest of council, such as the
Mayor, to open the hearing by making disparaging comments concerning
the contents of a letter written to the local paper on the
issue before council. Not only is such commentary out of order, it
can have a chilling effect on residents right to offer opinions on
public matters.
What
a public hearing is not: A debate between residents offering their
comments and a member of council arguing each point raised by
individual speakers. Solid waste committee chairman, Rob Jaehnig,
contested almost all, if not all, comments made by concerned and
informed residents.
Also
in my opinion, council should listen politely, take notes and if
desired, make general summary comments at the end of the public
meeting.
When
this poster commented publicly during the hearing that the expected capacity of the new
expansion of landfill space would, at current dumping rates, last for
more than ten years the mayor countered that the time line was only
seven years. When it was pointed out that the most current data
verified the longer period Mr. Jaehnig added that the ten year number
was incorrect and asked a member of the audience to verify the seven
year number.
Not
wishing to engage in a time consuming argument I stepped down.
Facts
from the permit to build document received by the city in March.
“The
anticipated life of the facility will be 14.5 years based on the
facility’s anticipated average daily waste receipt of 59 tons.”
Paul
Hunter
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