If you're following the thread on other blogs, such as the interesting comments on Ted's related post on Talk of the Point, you know reductions in fire station services are still (pun intended) a "hot" issue.
Pointrichmond.com notes today, "Tuesday, December 2, 7pm - Closure of Fire Station 61 is inexplicably NOT on the City Council Agenda. Apparently neither are closures of the Field House, Library and Community Center."
That points to two problems, one short-range, one long-range:
The Council is quickly establishing a strong track record of ignoring the will of its members. A vote is a vote. (And expect more on that later.)
If you attended the Neighborhood Council meeting on 11/19, you know that the members quickly moved and voted to ask that the fire station closure be placed on the December 2 City Council agenda. (Unfortunately, due to confusion about what we were voting on, the other services didn't make it into that motion.) The previous month, the Council voted to send a delegation to City Hall to address the budget cuts. That turned into sending one Council representative to one very busy meeting where we weren't even represented on the speaking agenda.
Regardless of the Council's activities, if you believe Point Richmond services are important, you can show up at the December 2 City Council meeting. Maybe you won't get to speak, but you can carry a sign or wear a t-shirt--and everyone watching the City Council meeting on television will see you. (I'm thinking of wearing one of those silly plastic firefighter's caps sold for children, and/or printing a picture of Station 61 and the library to tape to a piece of cardboard, with "Save Our Services" on it.)
Our right to be formally heard on the City Council agenda can be bargained away (and none too inexplicably, in my opinion), but we can still bear witness. See you there!
Posted by kgs at November 29, 2003 12:39 PM | TrackBack