Some Advice to Consider...

Among the places I look through now and again is the Wise Economy Workshop 

Whose principal, Della Rucker, has a fascinating background and interests in a several of areas that I'm familiar with, teaching and historic preservation. She is now an urban planner with a focus on economic development, and community engagement. I stumbled across a post she wrote nearly a year ago that seems pretty useful to us in U-Heights:
Controlling axe-grinders ain’t enough: Doing real public engagement

I think there is some sage advice for us, but to really understand where she's coming from you need to go back to an earlier post here:
How to run an effective public meeting when dealing with people who have an agenda.

 I thought our work session in June was much better organized than others we have had. I appreciated hearing the council speak first and then getting citizen feedback. I do believe we could do a better job of getting meaningful engagement, and real input from a better cross section of our citizens.

Its almost scary to admit this, but it was public input that led me to eventually run for council. Way back in 2009 I went to the first and third public meetings that the One University Place developer, Jeff Maxwell held, as well as the U-Heights zoning comission hearing on the development, and the city council's meeting to vote on a zoning resolution. Back then I was much more active writing my house blog, so I commented on all of those events, long before I considered running. Looking back at these now, after not thinking about them for 4 years, I see some glaring factual errors regarding my understanding of city finances, but in general, I still believe now what I expressed then. Below are the links:

First Public Meeting March 13, 2009
A Grocery Store!

Third Public Meeting April 11, 2009
Controversy Rages!

Zoning Comission Hearing May 21, 2009
Disappointed But Not Surprised

Opinion Piece I wrote and sent to City Council May 29, 2009
Opinionated

City Council Vote June 9, 2009
When a Majority Isn't Enough

Take a look through and comment. What do other people remember?