In the January 6th 2016 Edition of the Birmingham Bloomfield Hills Eagle, in an article titled
As another year closes out, local leaders discuss what’s ahead in 2016,
Mr.Cravens is is quoted as saying “I’m really excited about this opportunity. We will have a town meeting, probably in April or May, to get citizen input on issues or matters that concern them,” Cravens said. “If any of these matters need to be budgeted, we can do it as we adopt the 2017 budget in May.”
Since the last town hall meeting in the City of Bloomfield Hills was October of 2010 that is indeed news. The 2010 Town Hall meeting was not however about residents providing input for City Commissioners. Instead It was an opportunity for residents to express their views on a $600,000 contract to restore services with the Bloomfield Township library. The Commission which donated it's time from a regular scheduled meeting for the Citizen Town Hall claimed neutrality on the subject and let the residents go at it.
One would think that after a six year absence such a reversal of policy would deserve a fanfare greater what a phone call to City Manager Cravens could muster. Say trumpets blaring and cymbals crashing. Perhaps even an announcement from City Commission and the Mayor himself. Mr Cravens who has a tendency to talk
out of his hat, did not however say on what authority he was speaking.
The idea of the town hall meeting is a good one. Having it at the time of City Budget meeting in which money is allocated for various departments and projects for the coming year is not so good . Budget meetings are already open to residents provided that they realize that a ticket to a baseball game allows one to observe but does not allow one to play in the game.
In recent years residents attending the annual budget meetings have been offered only no view admission. The audio visual aids at City Hall are one sided but for the Budget meetings the City does not even employ something as basic as an overhead projector. One needs the binder that is given to the "attending"commissioners to follow along. Commisioner attendance at Budget meetings has not been outstanding. Once to force attendance a former Mayor schedules a budget meeting immediately following a regular evening Commission Meeting.
Residents were welcome to stay but without visual aides in the court room like setting all they saw was the top of commissioners head behind binders as the particulars were narrated to them by a droning voice of a presenter also staring at binder.
If you want to attend a Budget meeting(s) one should file a Freedom Information Act (Foiya) in advance by simply by writing on a sheet of "I want to attend the (Date) budget meeting and request a copy of what is being discussed at the meeting be made available to me at the meeting (the Binder)." Then you take your request it to City Hall , get it date stamped, submit it, and ask for a copy of the request which will cost you ten cents. The date stamping and the copy is not a requirement but I included them lest you arrive to discover the your request got lost in a bureaucratic shuffle of big government. Even simpler, e-mail your request which is automatically date stamped and you save ten cents in the process.
No you can not take the binder home or anywhere off premise but you may return to City Hall and review it any time until budget is approved and the material used to prepare it trashed.
Now back to the Birmingham Bloomfield Eagle which is best bare none at reporting local Municipal news, and every City of Bloomfield household an receives an edition in the mail free of charge. The Eagle does not fancy itself a King or Queen maker, endorse candidates or positions, or preach. It simply provides the news. The newspaper is unique in it's ability to get scoop caliber comments from the high and the mighty that is the envy of other publications including this one. The Credit is due to Eagle writer
.
So Mr.Cravens, a Town Hall Meeting,(the first in six years) in April or May to coincide Budget 2016-2017 planning time ? So the commissioners can pencil in residents requests as fast they
come up ?
Actually it is much simpler than that. If the City Manager, The City Clerk,, and the City Treasurer could prepare four or five extra Budget 2016-2017 binders for the four or five residents who would wish to attend, a better budget informed citizenry would make for a better Town Hall in say September.
If the extra binders. are a problem interested residents could be asked To RSVP them in advance to prevent over loading the system.
If security is a concern(IE residents going off with the binders) The binders could be chained to the tables medieval monastery style. Last but not least do not give up on the overhead projector. They are fairly bulky and not likely to be put somewhere and then forgotten. Try the basement under the fire station
The idea of the town hall meeting is a good one. Having it at the time of City Budget meeting in which money is allocated for various departments and projects for the coming year is not so good . Budget meetings are already open to residents provided that they realize that a ticket to a baseball game allows one to observe but does not allow one to play in the game.
In recent years residents attending the annual budget meetings have been offered only no view admission. The audio visual aids at City Hall are one sided but for the Budget meetings the City does not even employ something as basic as an overhead projector. One needs the binder that is given to the "attending"commissioners to follow along. Commisioner attendance at Budget meetings has not been outstanding. Once to force attendance a former Mayor schedules a budget meeting immediately following a regular evening Commission Meeting.
Residents were welcome to stay but without visual aides in the court room like setting all they saw was the top of commissioners head behind binders as the particulars were narrated to them by a droning voice of a presenter also staring at binder.
If you want to attend a Budget meeting(s) one should file a Freedom Information Act (Foiya) in advance by simply by writing on a sheet of "I want to attend the (Date) budget meeting and request a copy of what is being discussed at the meeting be made available to me at the meeting (the Binder)." Then you take your request it to City Hall , get it date stamped, submit it, and ask for a copy of the request which will cost you ten cents. The date stamping and the copy is not a requirement but I included them lest you arrive to discover the your request got lost in a bureaucratic shuffle of big government. Even simpler, e-mail your request which is automatically date stamped and you save ten cents in the process.
No you can not take the binder home or anywhere off premise but you may return to City Hall and review it any time until budget is approved and the material used to prepare it trashed.
Now back to the Birmingham Bloomfield Eagle which is best bare none at reporting local Municipal news, and every City of Bloomfield household an receives an edition in the mail free of charge. The Eagle does not fancy itself a King or Queen maker, endorse candidates or positions, or preach. It simply provides the news. The newspaper is unique in it's ability to get scoop caliber comments from the high and the mighty that is the envy of other publications including this one. The Credit is due to Eagle writer
.
Who actually covers many communities, county services and even a school Board in addition to Birmingham Bloomfield Hills. The newspaper has also has what seems to be a new and expanded
.archives for finding back issues or topics on line
come up ?
Actually it is much simpler than that. If the City Manager, The City Clerk,, and the City Treasurer could prepare four or five extra Budget 2016-2017 binders for the four or five residents who would wish to attend, a better budget informed citizenry would make for a better Town Hall in say September.
If the extra binders. are a problem interested residents could be asked To RSVP them in advance to prevent over loading the system.
If security is a concern(IE residents going off with the binders) The binders could be chained to the tables medieval monastery style. Last but not least do not give up on the overhead projector. They are fairly bulky and not likely to be put somewhere and then forgotten. Try the basement under the fire station
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