http://thenewsherald.com/stories/04...050403017.shtml

Meeting for commissioners is lauded

By Jason Alley, The News-Herald

PUBLISHED: April 3, 2005 LINCOLN PARK — Russell Mathena Jr. became a member of the city's Economic Development Corp. about three years ago

After being appointed to the board that's in charge of spurring financial growth in the city, he was told where their meetings are held and what time to show up.

That was about the extent of his formal training.

"I went to the first meeting, sat back and watched how things went," he said. "Then I pretty much just learned as things went on."

With the help of his fellow commissioners, Mathena picked up on the group's mission rather quickly. He's now president of the corporation.

While Mathena's experience as a city commissioner has proved quite successful, that's not true for every resident who has volunteered to serve on a board or a commission.

And now city officials are realizing that perhaps they're partly to blame for that.

"We swear you in, tell you where to show up and then you have to learn as you go," City Manager Steve Duchane said to a crowd of about 60 commissioners Tuesday night. "You are a seasoned group of volunteers, but we've lacked in giving you some direction."

Trying to curb that problem, Duchane invited all 99 city commissioners to a half-hour in-service that more times than not seemed like a pep rally.

"In Michigan, municipalities cannot function without their boards and commissions," he said. "We couldn't operate without you. You are the government of Lincoln Park, even more so than those seven people elected. You make the difference in how this place operates."

Receiving no pay for what they do, Duchane said he credits people who dedicate their time to serve their community when often times all they get in return is grief from those in disagreement with the things their board is doing. It is, after all, more common to criticize than to praise, he said.

"On some of these boards and commissions, I honestly don't know why you do it," Duchane said. "My hat is off to you for what you do."

During his presentation, the city manager talked about some of the laws governing commissions and the various responsibilities each hold. He encouraged the commissioners to go back to their respective boards and set clear goals that they hope to accomplish.

And no matter what, he said, they must keep politics out of their decisions.

"There is no Democratic or Republican way to pave a street or flush a toilet," he said. "Commissioners' first responsibility is to the entire community."

Without naming specifically who he was talking about, Duchane urged the crowd not to end up like a neighboring city where a dispute has erupted so far that members of one board have filed a lawsuit against their city's elected officials.

The Wyandotte Downtown Development Authority filed suit last year against their city over a battle regarding the board's powers. Further mudding the water, a judge ruled that part of the state law outlining the duties of DDAs is unconstitutional. The case is now under appeal.

"I've seen too much infighting where commissioners fight with each other and the City Council," Duchane said. "That's unacceptable and shouldn't happen in any community.

"You can't be a viable community that attracts business and residents if your boards and commissions are suing each other and those elected in their respective communities. You might as well be putting a gun to your head. It wastes time and energy and results in nothing."

Mary Caroline Dailey, a longtime volunteer in the city, said she was happy when she got her invitation to Tuesday's meeting.

"I think this sort of thing is long overdue," she said afterwards. "It reinforces the importance of commissioners and gives them an acknowledgement that what they are doing is important and appreciated."

As a council member from 1991 to 1995, Dailey said, there was always talk of an orientation seminar, but it just never happened.

And now, after not seeking reelection but instead serving as a member of the city's Local Officers Compensation Commission, Dailey said, she can see first-hand how important it is.

"We all plug along on our own boards, but don't always know what other commissions are working on," she said. "A meeting like this helps to greater the communication between everyone. It's a much better approach than what's been in place. This is the first step in the right direction." Contact Staff Writer Jason Alley at or at 1-734-246-0867.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
amonestar la yocorazo

  Submit to Quotes         

I felt, as a commissioner, that the meeting was useful, but some people don't realize HOW MUCH time and energy some of us spend on different projects regarding the department for which we hold our commission. I guess at first you are told when to show up and then sit and listen, but that's only for a short time. In a few months you'd better contribute or it could be a big, boring waste of time. Why would someone give a night a month, or more to sit there? I find on our commission, the ones who are there DO contribute and even get feisty sometimes and that's what should happen. When the project is completed, then we might have a couple meetings where they're quick and more informal. Then....something takes up a lot of our time again. I think most commissioners on all the boards take their jobs very seriously and consider themselves a great help to their departments. Mr. Duchane did make us feel appreciated and was surprisingly quite humorous in his speaking.

  Submit to Quotes         

I agree that the commissions should be kept abreast of each others activities and get a focus as parts of a larger entity that is working on a similar goal, rather than individual parts doing things individually. I'm surprised it hasn't been going on already prior to Duchanes arrival. (Well, I am and I'm not...it's one of the reasons a city manager was hired...to implement things like this)

So, I hope that the majority of commissioners are excited about this, and that it keeps up. When people get together and collaborate TOGETHER, and have that openness of communication and Idea sharing (sounds familar doesn't it?) many good things can happen.

I'm glad to see this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head will collapse
If there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself

Where is my mind"

-pixies

  Submit to Quotes         

so, was this a begginer meeting where the commissioners got some recognition and future meetings will be held as well for other "training" and "teambuilding" sessions? I think that is a fantastic idea.

  Submit to Quotes         

They may have gotten some long needed recognition, but they didn't get a coffee and a donut.

  Submit to Quotes         

But will there be more meetings? Quartely, Monthly, etc?

  Submit to Quotes         

Hola, como esta usted??

  Submit to Quotes         

There may be more people willing to volunteer for commissions in the future. there was a lot of politics played on the past and capable people would stay away for that reason . With a CM working with them ,they may see that won't be working against the political hacks and friends of elected officials.

Or if there is stagnation they can go to someone for outside input .Like the cm or a department head or employee ,who may have the hands on knowledge they need.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If pro is the opposite of con? would CONgress be the oppositeof PROgress?

  Submit to Quotes         

There is a meeting tonight at 5:30pm at City Hall.

The purpose of the meeting is to talk about the Revitalization of the Fort Street and Visgar Road Corridor.

From what I can gather, it looks like the city is going to the volunteers to get volunteers for this project. Is it they do not trust the community and wants to pull from a pool of non-rogues?

I have been told by several commissioners that they have no intention of attending this event. They feel they do enough and they have no interest in this thing.

Good news through, Refreshments will be served at this event.

  Submit to Quotes