This issue’s thumbs up goes to concerned citizens who are involved in, and informed about, government activities in their communities. A few weeks ago, I attended a North Ogden City council meeting where almost every chair was filled. Resident after resident stood during the public comment portions and voiced their concerns and opinions. As he was leaving, resident Phillip Swanson was asked, “Are you here for a specific reason?” His response was, “No, I’m just here because I think more people ought to be involved. You will never really know what’s going on unless you’re at the meetings.”
I did some research on some of the cities in our distribution area and looked at the lists of visitors to city council meetings. In all of the cities I could find the information for, there was at least 1 meeting in the last 2 months that had been attended by over 20 residents, but other meetings that had been attended by only a handful or in some cases no visitors at all. There are of course other city meetings you can attend as well, such as Planning Commission meetings, Special Committees, etc.
North Ogden City (N.O.C.) Councilman Kent Bailey says, “As a fairly new member of the city council I have discovered that we often make decisions in a vacuum. City council meetings are generally poorly attended. I love to hear from North Ogden residents. I get excited when the council chambers are full. It is one of the few ways we, as a city council, have of knowing what people are really thinking. The recent open comment period involving the Monroe Boulevard Corridor Preservation Fund was particularly enlightening as residents voiced many concerns that I, for one, was unaware of. I encourage residents to get involved on a regular basis. Residents who only attend council meetings when the council is considering a “hot button” issue sometimes develop a myopia that prevents them from seeing other points of view or from recognizing interrelated or competing complexities. The city council must base decisions on what is best for the city, as a whole. However, the council must do this while being careful to consider the concerns of the minority, some of whom are most directly affected. The more frequently residents are involved, the more they understand and appreciate these dilemmas. This places them in a much better position to provide informed input to the council members...”
N.O.C. Councilman Wade Bigler says, “I think it’s great when residents attend our city council meetings, and I encourage residents to do so. The City council is responsible for making laws for our City, and for approving the budget. These decisions directly affect residents, so it’s important for council to get their input on these issues. Residents hired us to work for them. They are our bosses and I will never forget that. It’s important that residents hear the truth of what the City is doing. Many people who have attended a council meeting, and then read the Standard Examiner article on that meeting, have asked me if the reporter attended the same meeting they attended. They did not even recognize it because it was so different than what actually took place in the meeting. There are many great things happening in our City that residents would be very pleased with, if they knew the truth of what we are doing.”
N.O.C. Councilman Brent Taylor says, “I appreciate residents who take the time to attend meetings or to send emails or phone calls of their opinions. When we hear directly from residents it helps us to do a better job as their representatives. Sometimes people may think that one opinion does not matter, but I promise it does. I have seen many meetings where a single comment or idea raised by a resident has changed the outcome of the issue and how the council looks at the issue.”
