A great deal of our conservation work in North Idaho depends on attending long boring meetings. We know that people have actual lives, and that going to long boring meetings is not something that most people enjoy. Unfortunately, though, that’s often where work gets done, deals get made, and progress can happen. That’s why we go.
On the other hand, there are a lot of meetings where nothing gets done, nothing happens, and progress is not even part of the mindset. The Bonner County Property Rights Council meeting on November 7th was one of those meetings.
Mercifully short by some local standards, the meeting was still a bit more than an hour of valuable time lost to pointless local bureaucracy. The Bonner County Property Rights Council is a controversial and ideological advisory group established by the County Commissioners to review property rights issues in the County.
On the Council’s substantive agenda were “reports” to be presented regarding their review of County’s watershed protection ordinance and regarding a property owner with a wetlands issue. As it turns out, the Council’s report for both agenda items was that there was no report at all.
Instead, the Council spent most of its meeting time addressing deficiencies in its bylaws as directed by a recent letter from the Idaho Attorney General. Responding to the AG’s criticism, the Council agreed to place provisions in its bylaws to abide by Idaho law when it comes to public records and open meetings – laws that apply to the Council regardless what their bylaws might say. Also responding to the AG letter, the Council removed a problematic provision in their bylaws that required an oath to be faithful to “free market” and “property rights” principles in order to participate. Instead, participants must now “commit” to such principles. Whatever that means.
And finally, the Council magnanimously agreed to allow “all points of view” to be heard in public comment at Council meetings. But limited to three minutes per person. Because, heaven forbid, the Council wastes people’s time.
Wow, this sounds exactly like the last Property Rights Council meeting I attended. Both the Watershed Ordinance and the Wetlands topics were on the agenda, but were addressed by saying there was nothing to say. This was followed by an excrutiating point by point discussion of the bylaws, which was educational and alarming all at the same time! But the best was yet to come, the public comment period… Comments put forth in support of the Counci were received with graciousness and all around pats on the back. Comments that did not support the Council were received with the graciousness of a 4 year old and responded to with snarky comments and chuckling. All in all, an “interesting” experience.
Best blog title ever!
I may steal that sometime.
I’m glad you’re going to these meetings and paying attention to this strange taskforce. Keep up the pressure.
[…] not all boring meetings and troublemaking. Part of being a non-profit organization in the 21st century is being sure that online […]
[…] not all boring meetings and troublemaking. Part of being a non-profit organization in the 21st century is being sure that online […]
[…] We do the work so you don’t have to. There are so many meetings, hearings, and events to attend. There is so much research to do, comments to write, and phone […]
[…] We do the work so you don’t have to. There are so many meetings, hearings, and events to attend. There is so much research to do, comments to write, and phone […]