CHANGING THE SPOTS
ON A LEOPARD?*
CAN BUFFALO CHANGE?
Most cities and towns have advisory boards that are formed to recommend policy or make quasi-judicial decisions. An example of these boards or committees are groups such as a "Capital Improvement Plan Committee" or a "Parks and Recreation Commission."
History shows us that Buffalo doesn't take advantage of the typical resident advisory board.
On May 15th, 2009 I received, via US Postal Service delivery, a letter,(how unusual in the electronic age?) asking me to be on a committee for development of a city's Strategic Plan in one of the cities where I still maintain a home and a part-time residence. The letter stated: "WE WANT YOUR INPUT" and later said that they "VALUE YOUR EXPERTISE".
The letter went on to say that the Strategic Plan Committee's job would be to aggregate and prioritize City objectives while evaluating performance within the City's departments.
It said, specifically:
"Accordingly, City Council requests that you... provide recommendations to facilitate the development of a potential list of strategic objectives for the coming fiscal year."
Included in the envelope was a report, provided to assist in formulating ideas.
The letter closed with a summary and an announcement of a planning workshop along with a request to respond within 30 days. The City Mayor signed the request and thanked those willing to participate. He then made mention of being fortunate that the talents and time of certain residents were able to be utilized in guiding the future of the community.
Therein is found the definition of Dichotomy
Compare that letter to the one you received here in Buffalo.
Oh, you didn't receive such a letter? Really? Is that so hard to believe? Inside Buffalo didn't get such a letter from the Mayor of Buffalo. Neither did anyone receive such a letter. Instead we get to read an article in the newspaper written with a purposefully misleading "spin".
Buffalo is now seeking to use similar tactics, however, sublimated.
Things are about to change as Buffalo is looking for residents to serve on the Town of Buffalo's Capital Improvement Plan committee.
Is this REAL change? Or is it faux change? Is it meant to look like change on the surface but deep down it's the same old thing?
Did you happen upon the article, slanted as it was, about wanting applicants for a Town Advisory Committee published on the front page of the Harper County Journal last week?
Take advantage of the opportunity to make your voice known.
Inside Buffalo, in a past article, linked to a town in Oklahoma, one that appears to be much more progressive than Buffalo, about their planning committee.
Hang on a minute. Allow me to take that last statement back - Please?
By making the comment that a town is “more” progressive gives the indication that Buffalo is, at the very least, progressive. That is the furthest from exact that one can get.
We'll rephrase that last comment:
Inside Buffalo, in a past article, linked to a town in Oklahoma, one that is progressive, regarding their needs for volunteers to serve on a Capital Improvement Committee.
The article was about Buffalo's failed Capital Improvement Plan Found Here
The article referenced the City of Newcastle Oklahoma. Click Here to see Newcastle CIP Committee Info
There were no apparent requirements of a resume necessary for serving on Newcastle's Committee. For some extremely odd reason though the Town of Buffalo wants a resume sent in by applicants for Buffalo’s Capital Improvement Plan committee. Huh? A resume?
The article in the Journal stated that the Town of Buffalo: “currently has a committee”.
That’s not true!
The committee which WAS in place didn’t follow the Statutes of Oklahoma. More precisely, the committee failed to follow the law. They failed to pass the proper ordinances as required by Law and they failed further to meet the requirements of a standing (or sitting) committee. The committee was composed of persons no longer on the Town Board - by vote of the taxpayers of Buffalo - causing the committee to be null and void. One committee member doesn’t reside in Buffalo, doesn’t reside anywhere near Buffalo and hasn’t for a very long time. There is no committee and there hasn't been one, legally.
Mr. Leonard, since you wrote the article, you owe the people of the Town an apology as you are not being forthright with them! Why else would the Trustees of Buffalo, led by their Lawyer of record, K. Bowles, recommend that a group of citizens or residents be added to 2 (two) representatives from the Town to form a new committee? Kind of makes an inquisitive person ask why that comment was added to the article? The statement: "The Town currently has a committee” in the article found in the Journal makes it look like there’s no need for anyone to get involved because they have already formed and have in place a committee of advisors. Doesn’t it? WRONG! There is NO committee presently – the Town needs one!
The article is also inaccurate in that it says the committee’s responsibilities include taking inventory of our existing assets - that is erroneous. It is idiocy and poppycock!
To correct the article:
The committee’s responsibilities are NOT to take any inventory of any assets. The committee is assembled to make recommendations on implementing the CIP as put in place by Town employees in association with OEDA. The article makes it look like volunteers serving on the Committee are going to be out and about recording assets, taking inventory of obsolete parts to 1947 tractors and junk in the municipal garage or out at Doby Springs Golf Course counting used lawn mower blades and broken putters. That is not the case!
The Local Capital Improvement Plan Committee’s job is to create strategic plans for addressing the needs for publicly owned capital assets. By prioritizing capital budget needs, a community is better prepared to meet the financial requirements for enhancing its local infrastructure and paving the way for future community and economic growth and stability.
Simple isn’t it?! - That last sentence was taken directly from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce website!
If that's not enough of an idea of what the committees responsibilities include - return to the link above for Newcastle and you'll find this statement:
"Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
General responsibility to assist the City Council in planning for future development, growth and improvement of the city and in preparing, adopting, implementing and annually amending the local capital improvements plan and its related programs, consistent with the goals, guidelines and other provisions of the State Capital Improvements Planning Act."
The committee is to advise – TO PRIORITIZE the capital budget needs, implement the Capital Improvement Plan and strategically plan for addressing the future needs of the Town.
Geesh, knowing the facts paints a much more rosy picture doesn't it?
Just as the letter I received about a Strategic City Plan, the Committees responsibilities are limited to aggregating and prioritizing.
Get Involved! Help plan the future of Buffalo!
Leave the spots, we can't change them. But we can change the way the cat acts and reacts. It can be trained. It can change the way it interacts with others.
*Jeremiah 13:23
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?..."
The notion that things cannot change their innate nature.
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?..."
The notion that things cannot change their innate nature.
