It's hard to justify using eminent domain to take away someone's home or business, even for the best of reasons. But when it's for a hockey rink, and City officials act arrogantly, as they did last week in Allentown, it's understandable that the public will be upset. But that's no justification for the nearly violent outburst that occurred. You can see the video at Molovinsky's blog. After the 6-1 vote authorizing the use of eminent domain, one big-bearded fellow stood up and shouted, "Your physical expressions pretty much tell every one in this room to fuck off." He complained about a lack of "eye contact" from Council members. "You, black hair," he said, pointing to a Council member. Another fellow got up and called Pawlowski "a Chicago gangster."
Of course, two police officers were on hand to clear the room.
This type of thuggish behavior is unacceptable during a public meeting, no matter how justified the complaints. It's mob rule.
But just as the crowd behaved badly, so did City Council. As the room erupted, you could see several Council members laughing at the outburst. That certainly lends credence the impression that they just don't care.
But something else was bothering the public, too.
Laptops.
At Allentown City Council meetings, every single member has a laptop fired up, and spends more time looking at the screens than listening to the public, or so it seems. I've noticed that myself.
This is what Patrick McHenry says at Molovinsky's blog,
Regarding the laptops, I have this from someone who knows:I decided to ask several Council members about it. They both deny using their laptops to email each other or make fun of people.
Some use the laptops to send each other e-mails during council meetings and make fun of those speaking.
They think they're so clever, but they're so far from it.
Mike Schlossberg tells me, "I use the laptop for one of three things – either to look at the legislation that we are debating, to review my own pre-meeting notes/jot down notes as I go or research claims that speakers/the administration/my colleagues are making."
I cover lots of meetings in different municipalities, and the use of laptops and even iPads is becoming increasingly common.
Ken Kraft, who sits on Bethlehem's ZHB and is glued to his iPad, has actually shown me how he uses it to pull up Google maps of properties being discussed. Nobody would even know he has it because he doesn't have to open it up and hide behind it.
I understand what Ken and Mike are saying, and think they are helped by these devices.
But just as public outbursts tend to be counterproductive, municipal officials might reconsider using their laptops when being addressed by the public. It creates the impression that they just don't care. And that leads to outbursts.
40 comments:
Bernie,
So I guess the wording of the legislation makes Mike smirk, not likely. I try to avoid attending Allentown City Council meetings because of the utter futility but on the rare occasion when I did go I noticed exactly this. Is there a government body worse than Allentown’s City Council?
Scott Armstrong
Scott Armstrong
Some council members walked into the room carrying their laptops.
sorry, i viewed the video. i can't see council when the two men explode at the end of the meeting.
the only boorish behavior i saw was by several members of the citizenry, not council.
Schlossberg seems like a caring individual, but no way can he type, surf, read, and listen! No way.
He looks rude. We saw him using his laptop last Wed night and were surprised at his conduct.
Councils and boards absolutely hate when attendees lengthen meetings for any reason. Most hold citizens in contempt and despise being made to answer anything at public meetings.
Would we surf as our boss was talking?
They hate acknowledging that we are their boss. The text, email, and IM derisive remarks that accurately reflect their disdain for those who come before them. Nobody should be shocked.
Retired ASD teacher here.
Look, tuning out citizens in such a manner is simply WRONG.
There is much to be learned by both speaker and listener through eye contact and body language. This is lost when someone buries themself behind a computer screen.
Will this disrespectful behavior lead to a future meeting at which a recording device is placed in front of 8x10 portraits displayed across the front of the audience?
Show some respect to those who make the effort to comunicate with you in person.
I pretty much agree with all the comments here.
Anon 6:23, you can see council laughing at the end of the video, as people are walking out, right before D'Amore starts admonishing everyone.
I think some of the people there acted like assholes at the end of the meeting. It was mob behavior and thuggish.
Having said that, I think Council members need to realize that they are giving the wrong impression when they are fixated on their laptops when being addressed by the public. I have no doubt that most of them are using their laptops to help them be better Council persons, but they should not do it when people are speaking. It creates the impression they don't care, and that leads to the kind of outburst that ensued.
So I guess it's a two-way street.
"Is there a government body worse than Allentown’s City Council?"
I'd say it's pretty bad. W Easton, Coplay and BASD might be worse.
I sit on a couple of boards and commissions in gov't and non-profit worlds. I get advanced packets for every meeting, some of them quite large and cost 10-15 dollars to mail. I've requested that I no longer get advanced packets by mail. I get these large packets of information and have to lug it around every where I go. I instead ask for the information electronically and can then download the info to my laptop or smart phone. Any more, financial statements, committee minutes and just about any item that needs to be reviewed before a meeting is generated electronically. Why print it and mail it (which requires paper/ink, postage and staff time) when you can convert it to a series of PDF's that I can save into a file on my laptop for easy access. I know when I am asked to reference ordinances or policies, I no longer pull out the binder: I double click the PDF and it opens. In 2011, gov't and non-profit organizations are being wasteful if they aren't giving these advanced reports to those required to have them electronically. Regarding etiquette, is it equally objectionable for people to be referencing advanced paper copies of advanced reports or taking notes on a legal pad while somebody talks. I take notes in most meetings, sometimes to jot down a question that I want to ask when the person is done. Sometimes I want a point to reference when I make my decision. I would expect more and more people to make similar transitions to this kind of practice. I say that, not to excuse snarky behavior, but to point out that this will become the norm very soon.
What elected officials should know, however, is that emails sent from gov't laptops and email accounts are probably subject to Right to Know Requests. Any council member who does send an email mocking a member of the public would be well advised to recognize that privacy on that email is not a given: it might see the light of day and prove to be very embarassing for them.
What were they supposed to do, Bernie, challenge Big Beard to a duel?...I would laugh at some buffoon as well.
To the person who says that we're their "boss", we are, but not in the traditional sense of the word...they are elected to do a job...if you don't like the job they're doing, vote them out.
Of course, this council has the unmitigated gall to actually try improving the city...for that they should be accosted in public.
No, leave the dueling pistols at home. I disagree with your position on eminent domain, but don't doubt your good faith. Your good will is not in dispute by me. But laughing and sneering at people who are already upset is foolish behavior. I pointed out where I think Council went wrong. It's a small thing. You probably should close the laptop or at least push it away when members of the public are addressing you. But you are right. You can get away with arrogant behavior as long as the public is willing to put up with it.
" Regarding etiquette, is it equally objectionable for people to be referencing advanced paper copies of advanced reports or taking notes on a legal pad while somebody talks. I take notes in most meetings, sometimes to jot down a question that I want to ask when the person is done."
It's a matter of perception If you jot down notes while people are talking, they think you are paying close attention. If you type into a keyboard or look at your screen, they think you're surfing the 'net for porn.
Maybe over time, that perception will change. But that is what it is right now, and you should know.
I think iPads would be better bc you do not appear to be hiding behind anything.
"It's a matter of perception If you jot down notes while people are talking, they think you are paying close attention. If you type into a keyboard or look at your screen, they think you're surfing the 'net for porn."
To be fair, how many people doodle, write grocery lists or to-do items on their legal pads? It's a round and round argument with the only final conclussion being that elected officials should do the job the way they know best but expect to be blasted by an audience if they look or act indifferent or dismissive. Paper or electronic items aside, what's fair is fair.
This is a city council that enjoys wide electoral support and has almost no opposition. What are you going to do? Throw them out? Fat chance. They derive their powers from the governed. The governed vote like sheep in Allentown and this is the result. You get the government you deserve. Allentown deserves this.
re: laptops vs Ipads. The city provides the laptops to the council members and has a policy about utilizing personal devices on city internet jacks. Mr. Kraft probably utilizes his own resources as I'm sure Bethlehem didn't give him an ipad. Not sure how he gets internet. Sure, Ipads are preferable, but not always available and they are expensive.
I have lived in West Easton for over 25 years and have seen the same knucklehead family running the Borough straight into the ground.
If people would just run against these assholes, there might be a way to get them out of office and hopefully out of west easton for good.
Yes, Kelly, this means YOU
Bernie -
I think one of the other things that frustrated people at the meeting was repeated references by council about details of the plan that they (council) had obviously already discussed. That was particularly odd since there have been no public meetings on the arena project, and the eminent domain issue was council's first public involvement in the issue.
That some members of council took some of the speakers to task for not having their facts straight - even though no "facts" have been publicly presented - didn't help either. Michael Molovinsky believes that there may have been Sunshine Law violations, which I would tend to agree with.
I would venture to say that most if not all of those who were shouting out at the end of the meeting weren't "veterans" of Allentown Council meetings, and probably expected more from their elected officials.
Sadly, there were others of us who know the treatment given to city residents on Wednesday night was not the exception, but the norm.
1:53, iPads are probably cheaper than the laptops bought by municipal government. They often spend over $1,000 per laptop. iPads are also far more durable and less susceptible to infection by a virus. I'm saving up for one.
Ken Kraft is using his own iPad. He can get on the 'net bc Bethlehem has WiFi. So does Bethlehem Tp and many other municipalities.
1:47, Like I said, it is a matter of perception. A Council member could be doodling or writing a love note on his legal pad and nobody would notice. But if he sits with his laptop open and is engrossed by the speaker and taking notes, the speaker may still feel he or she is being ignored.
I point this out bc this seems to be a general observation. It is a constructive criticism. I don't think a Council member shoud expect to be blasted by the audience.
The higher end ipad has built in 3g. No need for wifi, in fact if you are tech savvy you can "unlock" an ipad or iphone and turn it into a wifi "hotspot", that way all your friends can piggyback off you. My brother and i experimented with some configurations and were able to stream netflix to 2 xbox 360's and one Wii off of an Iphone. The 3g is plenty powerful enough. Bernie I saw that you said you were a no tv type guy. If you are not busy try hulu or Justin.tv .
Have you used any Apple products Bernie, I think the Ipad is a great entry level way to learn the nuances of the apple os. They are beautiful machines. Also for around $ 5-600 they make a mac mini , which is basically an iMac that is backwards compatible with most monitors , keyboards and mouses.They are a very "robust" computer for the $ . You can run Microsoft office on them, which helps. Pages isn't that good.
The picture is inappropriate.
Ryan C, I am saving up for an Apple product. I've been convinced they are better. I thank you for the suggestion. I have tried Hulu TV and this Fall, I saw every Eagles football game on the 'net.
Ryan C, I am saving up for an Apple product. I've been convinced they are better. I thank you for the suggestion. I have tried Hulu TV and this Fall, I saw every Eagles football game on the 'net.
8:11, Then perhaps you should look for blogs that are more appropriate
You're gonna love it.
I have no problem with elected officials reading or doing whatever they wish while people speak. So its rude. Big deal. The people who come to these meetings are more than nutz anyways and like to hear themselves speak just as much as the politicians. oh well
What I'd like to know is how you got my picture..My girlfriend swears she didn't post it on facebook..Pretty impressive laptop, wouldn't you say..
Very impressive.
6:20,
There certainly are people like that at every municipal body. But there are many more who come only when a life-shattering event threatens them, like the removal of their business.
Bernie,
Why is that girl wiping her ass on the laptop?
I was wondering about the same thing.
B.O. said: Ken Kraft is using his own iPad. He can get on the 'net bc Bethlehem has WiFi. So does Bethlehem Tp and many other municipalities.
5:38 PM
Not true, they won't give me the wifi password, and I have asked for the last 6 months (secret) So I PAY $14.00 dollars a month to use an ATT connection when I look up the actual address of the property being discussed...
Ken, Mea culpa. They gave me the password right away. I think the Mayor brought it to me himself.
Bernie O'Hare said...
Ken, Mea culpa. They gave me the password right away. I think the Mayor brought it to me himself.
Well I guess bottom feeding bloggers have more pull than people who volunteer for positions in the city... (you will have to pass it to me at the next meeting)
Is that Brenda in the photo?
You'll have to ask her. She's on Facebook now.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002421488522&sk=wall
You know, regardless of its issues, nobody at Lehigh County Council has ever had a laptop fired up during a public meeting. It hasn't happened. Not Once.
Most of the people on Allentown Cty Council seem like good people and fair public servants, but it does seem rude.
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