3 responses to “Keep up the great work”

1. al

   June 15, 2004

   Mike,

   Thanks for the encouragement and the information. As you have been reading here, telephone polls are running rampant in Burlingame right now as Safeway and PG&E try to build their cases.

   Would you please let us know what polling company your group used, how many completed surveys they got and what it cost you. We can do a much more objective survey than what is being done now. I think we will have a similar (happy) result as y’all have had in Eureka. Please come back and visit when you can.

2. rich grogan

   June 15, 2004

   What a great email! I have been a strong proponent of community involvement. Eureka has shown us that an organized citizenry can tackle and win against the BIG corporation.

   As a community, we elect local representatives to speak on our behalf, but that does not mean we give up our right to speak out nor be heard. We do not give them a blank check to act in any manner they so desire, especially when there is a collective outcry for or against a specific issue.

   The US Constitution gives us the right to assemble and speak freely. It appears our elected representatives have considerable consternation about community involvement. Rather than praising the various “grassroots” groups, some council members have resulted to using derogatory terms when describing some of the “grassroots” groups. It is a real shame that certain groups have been singled out for their active presence in various city committees. If the community felt they were being adequately represented, the community would not feel the need to form specific interest groups to draw attention to their issue and fight their own fight. It would be nice if the City Council would fight as vigorously for your cause as they fight for their own self-serving cause(s).

   Remember, we elected the council members into office, we can vote them out of office.

3. Mike Buettner

   June 15, 2004

   Thanks for the welcome.

   I have learned a lot about local government in the past year. Getting a copy of the Eureka’s General Plan was very enlightening. That document along with an understanding how city staff relate to it has been key in several issues. We are realizing that participating in city Council meetings is not enough. We now use our web site and email lists to get folks to attend things like General Plan update meetings and committee meetings. Just the presence of citizens at these meetings has had an impact.

   Mike

   PS – Hey Rich, Augie says hi.