Things We Often Overlook: An Overview
by Elaine Cogan
Elaine Cogan's initial column for the PCJ provides an overview of important matters that may get overlooked during the press of planning commission business.
summaries of other Elaine Cogan articles
Read excerpts from article:
... Notice. Every community has legal requirements that govern the
notification procedures for public meetings; but they most often
prescribe only the minimum. Your agency can, and in most
instances, should, do more to ensure that you notify all the
people who may be interested in a particular issue. Ask staff to
review the wording of these notices, and offer to help them make
sure they are not so laced with jargon that they are
incomprehensible to the average citizen.
The Environment. Most local public bodies meet in places that
are not always conducive to constructive public dialogue. The
commission members sit on a raised dais behind formidable desks,
the staff is seated below, and the public is even further
behind. In some small communities, planning commission meetings
are held in a somewhat more friendly environment, and
commissioners sit around a table on the same level as the staff
and public. Even in these settings, the rooms too often are
small and crowded. As we will see in future columns, you do not
have to spend thousands of dollars in remodeling costs to create
a scene that is friendly and inviting.
Agenda. It is no wonder that people get restless when the
planning commission agenda spends seemingly endless time going
over routine items before it gets to the one or two in which the
majority of the public is interested. We will consider ways to
restructure the agenda that show respect for the time and
concerns of citizens while still keeping within protocol and
order.
...
article continues with paragraphs on visual aids; staff/commission relations; and attire.
