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Tuesday, August 30, 2005

When is a raven not like a writing desk? When he's a Public Information Officer, Dear.

Ah, I'm delighted to report that Los Osos' new, well-paid Public Information Officer is on the job. Apparently, Ron Crawford of theSewerwatch blog sent him several very simple, very specific "public information/historical" questions which the PIO oddly labeled as "debate" and refused to answer.

But, of course! Our PIO publicly pledged never to "spin" information or news, remember? So, I guess, if you can't spin an answer and the truthful answer would cause some people's eyes to fly wide open and their mouths to drop to their socks, the only solution is to not answer at all, which means our new PIO isn't gonna give out PI, which begs a critical question: Is refusal to answer factual public information questions a form of spin or a failure to perform your job requirements?

You can read all about it at Ron's blog at www.sewerwatch.blogspot.com Luckily, Ron's "answers" to his unanswered questions are historically correct and loaded with lots of accurate Public Information.

5 comments:

Churadogs said...

Dear Spectator, You'll have to ask Ron why he allows no comments on his blogsite. Just as I can ask why some people post comments but never leave their names -- just an internet tag -- thereby rendering themselves "anonymous."

And you know what can only be said about "anonymous:" Consider the source.

Shark Inlet said...

I believe Ron's blog covers why he no longer allows comments. Look for the "Journalism 101" entry.

To sum up his point there: "people who post here haven't researched things as much as I have and aren't as careful in their wording as I am so I don't want to allow their comments I disagree with to litter up my blog."

Fair, but still unfortunate.

On the other matter, the fact that some are anonymous by choice ... Ann, you are right that one ought to be more careful about what such people write. On the other hand, I do know of people who have been very reluctant to voice their support for the CSD because they've felt threatened by those who are opposed.

I can see how some might view the televised CSD meetings as evidence that the board is not listening to the community but I view them as evidence that those in the community who support the recall are quite often dripping with anger and hatred. Not a group I would want to know my name.

Churadogs said...

Dear Mr. Inlet,

Your observation that people fear speaking up using their own names makes my observation about the recall even more pertinent. It should have been a wake up call that in a little burg like ours, where everyone sort of knows everyone else, that ANYONE would put their name on a recall petition and do it in the open at the farmers' market at a table across from the Save the Dreamers, right out there where eveyone could see them (no annonymousness there0 and that enough people would actually sign the petitions to qualify it for the ballot SHOULD HAVE alerted the tin-eared CSD that something was very, very wrong in Denmark and they should stop, take a deep breath, and rethink what they were doing. Instead, there set in this crazed blinkered bull headed By God You're Gonna Do What I Tell You To Do or Else! mentality. I saw the same thing happen to the SLO School Board before they went broke, despite two board members repeatedly telling them they were going to go broke and actually naming the year it would happen (it did). Still they wouldn't listen. With our CSD, it's the same old deja vu all over again.

Shark Inlet said...

Just today I was attacked at a party for supporting the CSD and the current project. (I should note that my support is somewhat conditional and based primarily on the fact that I believe that costs will increase if the recall occurs ... I have yet to hear from you or anyone else why costs will suddenly decrease if a new group of newbies are put into office.) It was entirely inappropriate and several people nearby recoiled somewhat and became immediately closed lipped about their point of view.

I don't think it goes entirely one way as you suggest.

I do hope that the vote is very one-sided, no matter the outcome. Then those who oppose the sewer won't be able to claim the majority are on their side or, when the recall occurs and we are fined up the yin-yang and face increased costs, we can't say that it was just some small group who wanted increased costs, but the majority.

Face it ... you are claiming that it is hubris on the part of the CSD board years ago that got us into this mess. I don't see how electing another group of people who "know better" will be any better. Isn't that exactly what the CSD was promising us years ago? To build a cheaper sewer? That is exactly what the recall people are telling us today ... but without a plan that they can explain.

Ugh!

NewsstandGreg said...

Mr or Ms Shark Inlet,

I admire your ability to keep your head in the sand in 2005. Your position, if I totally understand it, is "we can't afford to learn from experience."

Well! The affairs of men and women can be much simpler from now on if we just do it now, and, er, ah...never fix it?

The whole community process of creating a CSD was for the purpose of self-determination. Right? Then the sewer in a park idea was born and rammed forward. No matter what.

The people don't like the con job. Plain and simple. People will learn from experience and apply that to a project underway. The Dreamers had the promotion and marketing muscle to start their ball rolling, but it's taking the will of the people to stop the "train" with a recall vote for a reason.

When the people lead, the leaders will follow. --Greg