With the coming of the election ballots just days away, N.P.R. will be writing nearly every day until the weekend just before the official Nov. 5th election date.
Regarding the changes that were made to the formerly named Parks Commission earlier this year, some may have been necessary since the duties of the commission were expanded, but it would have been better to start a third and separate commission altogether, and to leave Parks to just overseeing parks. The Parks Manager should have remained in a full-time status instead of the reduction to part-time that occurred, and thus his role could have been expanded to include whatever duties a new, third commission (probably "Community Activities" without the parks) would have been handling. The Council can still enact these changes.
The Council Liaison position, currently held by Mayor Rich Crispo, should never have been created in the first place (only Councilman John Dulcich, to his credit, voted against it), as there should be a strict line between the Council and the Commissions, which would, among other reasons, lessen any possibility of conflicts of interests, an issue that Councilwoman Carol Simpson brought up during the discussions regarding the changes. Moreover, it's discriminatory to say that one commission needs a minder (which is really what the liaison position amounts to) and another doesn't. If any commission needs a minder, it's the Planning Commission, not Community Activities, but there should be no "liaison" for any commission and the Council should not extend this position pass the sunset date of 12/31/13 (or thereabouts -- N.P.R. isn't sure of the exact sunset date).
A revamped Community Activities Commission (with Parks on its own) could handle the library, the proposed historical society, and the proposed Environmental Enhancement Project as offered by Council Candidate Mark Greene, among other responsibilities and duties.
Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified. If GM food is the greatest thing since sliced bread (according to them), then why don't they want it labeled?
And I-517 should also be passed, which strengthens the initiative system, the people's check on the legislature and the governor.
Regarding the changes that were made to the formerly named Parks Commission earlier this year, some may have been necessary since the duties of the commission were expanded, but it would have been better to start a third and separate commission altogether, and to leave Parks to just overseeing parks. The Parks Manager should have remained in a full-time status instead of the reduction to part-time that occurred, and thus his role could have been expanded to include whatever duties a new, third commission (probably "Community Activities" without the parks) would have been handling. The Council can still enact these changes.
The Council Liaison position, currently held by Mayor Rich Crispo, should never have been created in the first place (only Councilman John Dulcich, to his credit, voted against it), as there should be a strict line between the Council and the Commissions, which would, among other reasons, lessen any possibility of conflicts of interests, an issue that Councilwoman Carol Simpson brought up during the discussions regarding the changes. Moreover, it's discriminatory to say that one commission needs a minder (which is really what the liaison position amounts to) and another doesn't. If any commission needs a minder, it's the Planning Commission, not Community Activities, but there should be no "liaison" for any commission and the Council should not extend this position pass the sunset date of 12/31/13 (or thereabouts -- N.P.R. isn't sure of the exact sunset date).
A revamped Community Activities Commission (with Parks on its own) could handle the library, the proposed historical society, and the proposed Environmental Enhancement Project as offered by Council Candidate Mark Greene, among other responsibilities and duties.
Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified. If GM food is the greatest thing since sliced bread (according to them), then why don't they want it labeled?
And I-517 should also be passed, which strengthens the initiative system, the people's check on the legislature and the governor.
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