Tillicum discussion informs crowd
Posted on September 5, 2010By David Anderson, Tillicum
An estimated 110 people were in attendance Sept.2 at the Tillicum-sponsored panel discussion of the Camp Murray Gate relocation proposal. Moderator Dave Sclair did an excellent job of orchestrating an informed and engaged discussion. There were at least four major outcomes:
1. Democracy was collaborative. There was substantial and respectful exchange between elected representatives of every level of government - city, county, state and congressional - and the people they were elected to represent.
2. The emphasis was on the right syllable. Planning that is vision-driven rather than money-driven; thinking strategically as opposed to short-term plugging of holes; moving dirt once, not twice; emphasizing community as a place to be, not a place to get through - these were the reoccurring themes throughout the evening.
3. Tillicum is 'professional-grade'. A community is a community not because outsiders say so, nor is a neighborhood neighborly through infrastructure or superstructure. We are what we are because of the people who call it home. The door-to-door newsletter distributors, greeters at the door, the volunteers providing refreshments, those creating the panelists' seating, the card-collectors, the program designer - all first-class. Tillicum can.
4. Our mission we believe was accomplished. All parties that have a stake in this issue - that were present last night - appear to be calling for a time-out. Procedure, by which 'buy-in' is obtained - or should be, has evidently been rushed to the extent that this gate as planned may be put on hold.
So, in the words of Brian Moura, assistant city manager in San Carlos, California, the Tillicum-hosted panel was a "big win in terms of civic engagement and involvement" and, provided that it results in a "more educated citizenry and better policy decisions", it might just serve as a model by which government at every level goes about its (the people's) business.
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2 Comments
September 8th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
WONDERFUL!!! I'm sorry to have been out of town, but sounds like the citizens of Lakewood came through once again. Too many years have gone by where Woodbrook/Tillicum has been like it is on the "outskirts" of Lakewood, and not actually a part of Lakewood. 60 years ago, it was still where "the playground of the rich" came to enjoy their summer; how soon we forget. What a wonderful testiment to W/T Lakewood from Brian Moura. I feel sooooo proud for the folks who live in W/T. Thank you David for sharing this feedback. Sincerely, Kristy Kernen
September 8th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Kristy,
Thank you for your comments. I was certainly not trying to imply however that Brian Moura was writing about Tillicum although it is evident how you might have arrived at that conclusion for which I apologize. Moura's quote was simply lifted from an article about how cities across the nation are increasingly encouraging participative democracy and transparency and that was what our own local, county, state and congressional panel - together with the citizens of Tillicum - demonstrated the night of Sept.2.