I have a running list of topics that I want to speak to as a candidate for local office. Most topics are lengthy, but some are smaller thoughts. That's what we have here today: a collection of important items that aren't big enough for their own long blog, but that work well together as a collage.
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Immutable Councilors
We've all been immutable - we've made claims that we'll "never" do or "always" do something. That's fair. And I suppose that some people are truly so unwavering that once they form an opinion they stick to it come hell or high water. I imagine that family gatherings with these people are interesting when two members with opposing views are at odds.
I am not immutable. I may have a stubborn streak, but when presented with new data my opinions do change. My many formed opinions are like unfired clay: stable on their own, but malleable with the right touch.
We need Councilors who never say never. Councilors who review the information being discussed thoroughly before meetings and have an informed opinion, yes, but who also are open to a change of heart in light of public comment or expert statements. Every candidate will tell you how they feel about certain topics this cycle, myself included. While we can use this information to gain insight on our representatives, remember that the wisest Councilors make votes in the best interest of the City, not their own agendas.
I think back to the late 2010's when Council was debating the sale of the municipal golf course, and the vote of one particular Councilman: Steve Herman. While I don't remember the specifics, I remember the emotion surrounding his vote. Despite being an avid golfer and perhaps having a bias toward keeping the land as a golf course, he voted in favor of the sale for the bigger picture of the economic development of our City. Had he and others been immutable, the decision may have gone differently.
Lastly, this relates again to nonpartisanship in local government. If you have a Councilor who is specifically aligned with one political party, then they will feel pressured to make decisions that align with party narratives. They may feel obligated to be immutable to an extent and make votes that are republican/democrat biased. It's yet another reason why Council must be nonpartisan so that our Councilors are free to make decisions on their own merit.
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Public Comments
It is the duty of Council to weigh a great sum of information. Each meeting there are a myriad of recommendations from commissions, input from City staff, presentations from developers, and comments from the public. I don't think that the public comment section has enough weight in the decision-making process, but that could be because I'm not privy to all of the communication that a Councilor gets before a meeting.
We have Polco, and I do genuinely like it. The twofold question is this: what is its market penetration for citizens of Oshkosh, and how often do those who have signed up actually participate in the polls? Those two items compound to make a potentially low number. Say 20% of Oshkosh is registered, but only 30% of those people actually take every poll. That amounts to community input from just 6% of us. Is that enough? Again, I just made those numbers up, but you get my point. I consider myself an engaged citizen, and while I am registered with Polco, I honestly only do every 1 in 2 or 1 in 3 polls.
And the idea of public comment goes beyond Room 406 at City Hall. When a large project is happening in Oshkosh, be it a major commercial redevelopment like the Oshkosh Ave corridor I spoke about in relation to the sale of the golf course above, or a substantial residential development like the Butte des Mortes 4-story or the new Jefferson St. housing, we as a city need to update our communication policy to notify more residents living in the area of the pending development so that community listening sessions can cast a wider net of citizenry and be more meaningful.
People have ideas, and a lot of them are good. But the crux of it is: people want to feel like they are being heard. We need to sway hearts before we can sway minds. I am interested in learning what ways Council can improve its public comment information gathering, and hopefully implementing some of those changes should I be elected this April.
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Learning From / Deferring To Experts
No Councilor is a subject matter on everything, and that's okay. It's why your Councilors need to be open to learning from experts to refine their decisions (see top of page). Of the four other candidates running with me this cycle, let me use Kris Larson as an example: to me he is the candidate with the most expertise on our housing crisis and the most knowledge and experience working with renters. I admire Kris and I trust his insight on this matter because of the years of practical insight he's gained in this field. Were we on Council together I would learn from him and be inclined to follow his lead on housing projects.
I have my own professional interests and expertise that I will bring to Council, but again, no Councilor is a subject matter on everything. I am optimistic that we will assemble a kind, intelligent, and dutiful Council this April full of members who will work together, learn from one another, be guided by experts and the public, and consider every decision fresh with an open mind.
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