Tuesday is Dues-day. The dues are schooling yourself on how our local governance is organized, who are the players, what are the screw-ups, where is the money and what things get reported?You’re a citizen, an advocate for democracy with this first step, paying attention.
Gerald (Jerry) Sodomka, longtime Encinitas activist, shares some personal insights, stories and some citizen tips on behavior at council meetings.
I learned a long time ago that I can only control my own behavior, not that of others. I am not as bothered by over-the-top behavior by an individual as others are. I believe it reflects more on that person than the group. Do we judge the whole council by Jerome’s behavior? When things get heated and passionate, it’s unrealistic to expect everyone to adhere to an accepted decorum. We need to be careful here, as trying to enforce a standard of decorum can become a means of suppression. This is what Jerome tries to do.
The expression of free speech needs to be always respected, even when we disagree. I was glad when the two speakers on Wednesday snapped back at Jerome when he tried to shut them down. This is typical bullying by Jerome, and it’s a mistake not to stand up to a bully like Jerome. I get more upset when a speaker is soft voiced, is almost apologetic, doesn’t speak in direct sentences, or gets the facts wrong. In my opinion that does more damage.One thing Sodomka did not mention is presentation clarity. If you notice in the recent video clip, he reads from his prepared notes and doesn't look up a great deal. If this makes you more clear, by all means read from your notes as Gerald Sodomka does.
Certain behaviors we have seen this year are nothing compared to what has occurred in the past. There was a man from Police Watchdog who used to scream at the council at the top of his lungs. Rainer [former IT director] tried to turn the sound down, but the man popped the microphone continually. The council never dared to stop him.
It’s important to understand the procedures and protocol and not disadvantage yourself. Some examples:
1. Always give your name first.
2. Give over any handouts and visuals before starting to speak.
3. If the buzzer rings, stop speaking as quickly as possible.
4. Get one or two time donations to avoid getting cut off.
5. Speak to the agenda item, otherwise speak in Oral Communications.
6. Adjust the microphone to the proper height before speaking.
Once during a Planning Commission meeting the City Attorney Gregory Lusitana tried to stop me from speaking. I stood my ground and sent him a strong letter afterwards. It’s possible to wander off topic on an agenda item, if done correctly. Just get in some related comments at the beginning. How many times have we seen the councilmembers go way off topic during agenda items? Bond does it all the time, and Jerome doesn’t stop him. This is leadership tyranny when used against the public.
Next city council meeting April 11, 2012 To get agenda from city clerk go here. To sign up for e-notifications go here.
