Posted by Mr. Wonderful, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Jul 17, 2012 at 7:19 pm

"overshadowed the reasoning of apparently most of the townspeople" ..

The jury is still out on that one!

The proponents of the library in the park have a huge advantage come campaign time in their majority. Look for lawn signs, postcards, and an enormous campaign.

Those that wish to preserve the park have their work cut out for them. But, I hardly think that a majority has been established.

Let the campaign begin ...

Posted by Mr. Wonderful, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Jul 17, 2012 at 7:23 pm

Mean to say the proponent's ** council majority ** (Widmer, Dobbie, McKeithen) ...

That's hardly a ** voter majority **, but certainly a huge advantage during a campaign to place the library in the park.

Posted by The WMD Library , a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Jul 18, 2012 at 8:59 am

Can the WMD (Widmer, McKeithen, Dobbie) Library team use the dias to push for the Library in the Park or do they now have to become neutral?

Posted by Dias Bias, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Jul 18, 2012 at 2:02 pm

Why would you think WMD would remain neutral? To quote James Dobbie, Council Member, "Council members are elected to represent the best interests of the residents and they will not always agree, but the democratic system works when members support council decisions even if not unanimous.

Calls for referendums are misplaced in this instance, where more than 50 public meetings have been held and over a dozen community meetings.

The issues have been intensely studied by volunteer committees for over two years. In addition, in a referendum large amounts of money can be spent to influence the outcome by only a very few.

If a small number of residents focused on decisions made by other than logic stop the library construction it will be golden

Posted by Peter Carpenter, a resident of the Atherton: Lindenwood neighborhood, on Jul 18, 2012 at 4:03 pm
Peter Carpenter is a member (registered user) of Almanac Online

The issue will be decided by the voters based on balanced pro and con arguments in the voter's pamphlet. Therefore council member neutrality on this issue is neither necessary or appropriate. Citizens should become fully informed and each council member should make their best case.

Posted by Dias Bias, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Jul 19, 2012 at 7:33 am

Peter says,"The issue will be decided by the voters based on balanced pro and con arguments in the voter's pamphlet. Therefore council member neutrality on this issue is neither necessary or appropriate. Citizens should become fully informed and each council member should make their best case."

Peter ,that is a rather nice bit of advise, but I think you missed the point of the Awbrey's opinion piece. They are saying it is time for the Council to let the voters decide and remain silent now. Or would you suggest WMD (Widmer,MeKeithen, Dobbie) once again dip into our library fund money and hire consultants and have more informational meetings. Last series of three or four meetings they hired a "crisis manager consultant firm" that cost over $10,000 and had a total of just 80 or so people show up. Do you think as does McKeithen that the library location is so complex that the average voter cannot understand and they need to state their "best case" once again?

I think they have said enough.

Posted by Lost its Soul, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Jul 19, 2012 at 8:02 am

I disagree with McKeithen's statement the "town has lost its soul". Good letter from the Awbreys on letting us chose how we give back.

Posted by Nuts, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Jul 19, 2012 at 8:20 am

I guess getting a vote on the ballot isn't enough. Dias Bias maintains that a councilmember is now not entitled to have a political opinion as an elected representative (in particular if it differs from hers). That's nuts. Turn on CNN or ny news station to see just how crazy that idea is.

Posted by Dias Bias, a resident of the Atherton: other neighborhood, on Jul 19, 2012 at 8:50 am

I do not object to their political opinion and they can shout it from the rooftops. What I do object to is using our tax money in the library fund for mail pieces, multiple marketing presentations, placards and the Library Steering Committee as a political arm of the JPA. The Steering Committee is composed of members all of like mind as chosen by WMD. This is not a democratic process but they pretend it is.

Posted by Nuts, a resident of the Atherton: West Atherton neighborhood, on Jul 19, 2012 at 10:21 am

It's a completely democratic republic method of government, like the federal government, and there is nothing wrong with it in the sense it falls completely within how our government operates, though you presumably prefer a completely democratic form (at least when the elected representatives don't vote your way).