"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Monday 1 October 2012

I am not..what I have not...claimed to be

Sharon Brookes has left a new comment on your post "Cowardy,Cowardy Custard":

Councillor Buck , I hate to agree with this last post, but I had the same thought. Even though you make many important comments or presentations to council meetings, you can drag on or go off topic. Ms. Gaertner is an entirely different issue.

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Sharon...Thank you for your name andexpression of reluctance to agree that I can drag on and go off topic.
 I am not what I do not claim to be.
No doubt you are right. 
Depending on your generation, what I have to say, may seem like  dragging on and going off topic.
You might agree, extent and years of  involvement  might have something to contribute to the situation.
It means I have to exercise more discipline.  I  have to choose  between many points  to make in a debate.
We do tend to be our own worst critics.A debate means being able to think on one's feet, so-to-speak and respond to points made.
Sometimes, as many as five have spoken before my turn .
It  means retaining points made by others so as not to miss the opportunity to refute.The objective is to persuade.
It's  easier to exercise discipline when order is being maintained
by the  presiding member. 
Nothing is more distracting or  exasperating than to  be interrupted by spurious points of order; a member disagree with a point being made, thinks  a point of order.is in order. It is not.   
A  competent chair,maintains order throughout. Seldom should  a point of order be necessary  from the floor. 
A  consistent reminder from the chair  to speak to the question. helps all members to acquire discipline. 
A member  being accused  of not telling the truth, is a breach  of order.
The  chair's failure to call the member to order and require the comment  be withdrawn is an equally egregious. 
A  question  directed  by the chair for the Clerk to answer. The Clerk obliged to observe the obvious ." there is no answer" is a failure of the chair.
The chair alone  has responsibility for maintaining order. 
It takes confidence, experience, knowledge, skill, impartiality and consistency to do the job properly. 
If these skills are missing, there's no advantage for  any member to observe the rules
Council meetings become a free-for-all .
I don't apologise for using past experience to support an argument.
Those who share my experience appreciateit. I am not alone in the community I serve.
At the same time I know Councillors  with no background  in the town's affairs are extremely conscious and threatenedby the fact.
I have been informed  the past has no relevance
.I don't accept that.
While the presiding member flails  hopelessly and helplessly at the job of maintaining order, it's natural to look for people to blame.  .
It's not admirable. 
Things do not improve. 
Next time a ruling is challenged, support needed for a vote of confidence may fail to emerge. .
It's not a good place to be.  
We do the best we can in the circumstances. 
Sometimes we do it right. 
Sometimes we don't.          
   

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Is the meeting tonight to be ' steamed 'as promised ? And, if not, what seems to be the hold-up ?