27 Questions

One common need when folks are gathering information and speaking in large and small groups (even one on one) is feedback.  Sometimes a speaker can hazard a guess on how someone or some group is thinking by looking at facial expressions and body language. 

But it isn't exact--not even precise.  Someone may be agreeing with what is said but may be frowning about something alltogether unrelated.

In a one on one conversation you can ask the question:  Do you agree?  Do you disagree?  Or as Pablo Escobar's character in "Narcos" famously (and frequently) asks after stating a course of action "Si or No?"

So what I like to do at my county town hall meetings is to ask the audience agree/disagree questions.  It is an interesting and useful form of immediate feedback for me and staff.  No, it isn't scientific but it does give a really good sense of where the audience is on various ideas and topics.  So these 27 questions, below, are what I will ask the audience at the townhall tomorrow.  And just so everyone knows, and I will repeat this again at the townhall---this is 100% purely voluntary on the part of the attendees, whether or not they will participate.  I find that most do, though.

 

Run of the Show/Agenda for This Tuesday's District 1 Town Hall in Perdido

 

District 1 Townhall Meeting this Tuesday in Beulah

We will have a District 1 Townhall event this coming Tuesday, February 22nd in Beulah.

Like the one we had a couple of weeks back in Perdido/Innerarity--I anticipate this one will be well-attended.  As was the case in the previous Townhall in January, I will have a sizable contingent of County staff on hand to assist me in answering every question put forward by citizens that night.  And any answers we cannot give immediately, we will follow up via email or telephone to provide the answers.  See the agenda for this townhall here, below.

Was the Meeting Noticed Properly?

 

There was a hastily-arranged "town hall" announced this week.  There will be multiple commissioners on the call and an issue that WILL come before the board will be discussed.  Was the meeting noticed properly, though?

Although I believe it is premature and didn't necessarily feel it was warranted yet, before the BCC workshopped the latest DPZ hybrid plan for OLF-8, a "Town Hall" online has been scheduled for next Tuesday afternoon by DPZ Co-Design.

This potential town hall was mentioned at our recent meeting---but again--- I did not know it was a firm, absolute "go" until late Wednesday afternoon.  Thursday, I had my aide Debbie Kenney sign me up online to participate---which I intend on doing.  Participating, interacting, and speaking.

Because although I recognize the current iteration for the OLF-8 field is much better than previous renditions----I still think it needs a lot of work and a lot of massaging to get it just right.  It's not like this is the last and final plan--regardless of who was in a special last minute meeting to cobble it together.  It did not come off the mountain on tablets inscribed by fire and lightning bolts from heaven....

So although I don't think it is ready for primetime and the "town-hall" is premature--I will participate.

But wait--what if my counterparts want to as well?  From the meeting comments and other things I have heard from other sources--it's my understanding at least one or two of my counterparts will be on the livestream townhall as well.

And that is where I think this knee-jerk, hastily called town hall may put us in hot water if we are not careful.  Although this is not a meeting of the board---if one or more board members speak on this land-use  issue at this special "OLF-8 Town hall" meeting (and this is OBVIOUSLY something that will come before the board for a vote)--if NOT properly advertised--- this could potentially be considered a meeting out of the sunshine.  I don't want that to happen.  I am going to speak, and I don't necessarily want my peers precluded from doing likewise.

So in a few hours when everyone wakes up, I'll send an email and find out.  I hope this event was properly noticed, with a 7-day ad.

Otherwise, if it wasn't, it would probably be wise to advertise it properly to a different date.

We'll see though, maybe DPZ and the county team did, in fact, already advertise it.  IF so, no big deal.  See ya Tuesday at the townhall!

Instant Feedback From Citizens on a Variety of Topics

Audience members actively participated in our town hall meeting in Beulah last night, July 15, 2019 at Beulah Middle School

At last night's District 1 Town Hall in Beulah, I tried something new.  Instant feedback questions from the audience present.  On a lot of different topics.

I had no idea how it would be received, nor how it would work.

As it turns out, the audience really got into it and I was able to go through 23 questions very quickly and get a good idea of where a cross-section of my constituency stands on a lot of important topics.  My aide, Debbie Kenney, and I tabulated how the audience scored each question, on a percentage basis, below----very non-scientific---well yes, maybe------but very informative nonetheless!

Some of the answers were REALLY surprising.

My particular favorites were the ones about the Pensacola News Journal(#17 and #18---minute 1:36:20 of this video)----WOW!  Here is the complete list:

Video from Last Night's District 1 Town Hall Meeting in Beulah

We had an excellent turnout for last night's District 1 Town Hall in Beulah.

You can watch the video here.

Interactive Town Hall Meeting in District 1 will Happen on 7-15-2019

On Monday, July 15th we will be holding our next town hall meeting in District 1.  We will hold this town hall in the cafeteria of Beulah Middle School beginning at 6:00 PM.

Staff from the county will be present as well, in order to answer questions and take audience questions/concerns.

In addition to covering the topics above, we will take comments and questions from audience members that wish to participate, and we will also have an interactive session where questions will be asked of the audience with the intention of soliciting opinions from the group via hand-held cards that will say either "agree" or "disagree"--in order to get the group's input on a variety of pressing topics.

This will be an interactive town hall, with audience participation encouraged.  In addition to taping the town hall for later addition to the county's website, we will also be live-streaming the town hall on Facebook for those who cannot make the meeting in person but who want to watch online.

Coffee with a Commissioner this Coming Wednesday, June 26th-Town Hall July 15th

I'll be having my 24th "Coffee with the Commissioner" event this coming Wednesday morning, June 26th from 6:30-7:30 at the Hardees at Wilde Lake and Pine Forest Road.

These meetings are very informal and allow citizens to interact with me directly, with staff members present to take concerns and address issues.

And in three weeks I'll be holding a town hall meeting in Beulah to discuss an upcoming climate survey that will be coming in the mail to residents of Beulah and the northwest portion of District 1.

This town hall will be at 6:00 PM at Beulah Middle School on 9-Mile Road at Beulah Road.

We will be giving an update on multiple topics of interest at the town hall, but the main topic will be rapid growth and finding the best, most intelligent way to manage this growth in this part of the county.

We will also be talking about OLF 8 and the work to master plan that land for the benefit of the community.

I encourage ALL interested citizens to attend one or both of these upcoming meeting so that you can give me your ideas thoughts on how the county can serve you better!

On WCOA This Morning Discussing Beach Traffic and Thursday's Townhall

I'll be on AM 1370 WCOA this morning, discussing the following topics:

--Beach Traffic

--Roundabouts

--Beach Toll Booth

--Paid Parking

--Beulah Fire Department

--District 1 Townhall

You can listen to the audio here