City Council

If you have never attended your city's council meeting I highly recommend it. Unfortunately, I'm not actually there right now, not of my own choice, but because I didn't know it was happening tonight; it was not well publicised. The good news is it's being broadcast on local radio, and I'm listening to it as I write this.

It's most interesting how the public interacts with the highly organized proceedings, which are presumably based on good ol' Robert's Rules. I cannot take the time now to relate examples, especially as they are currently hearing presentations on an issue I'm quite interested in: the light brown apple moth, an insect which was recently discovered in California, and may cause crop damage. People, namely government and scientists, are saying we need to do aerial spraying to prevent infestation, while the opposition (which also includes scientists) worries about the (largely unknown) health risks from the pesticide that would be used (think Silent Spring). Going into the debate I'm against the spraying. I may write more later. I will mention that the representative from the Department of Food and Agriculture was booed when he started to speak, and there have been further such interjections and disruptions. I also don't think that the Berkeley city council's resolution, should they decide against the pesticides, will do much unless other cities take the same stance.

Anyway, I'm going to stop writing and start listening. In the meantime, I encourage people to become involved in local government. Do a bit of research. Find out when and where your city council will meet and do try to go. I don't expect people to speak at each one, or even to attend each one. I only ask that others will join me in at least reviewing the agenda's online to see what's going on, since it's often easy for things to happen right under our little noses that we may not be too pleased with, and by not informing ourselves, we give up our voice within and our control of our communities. Remember, this is allegedly a democracy.