[at-l] Second Alligator Death---

[lbooher at pure.net (Leslie Booher)]

>the Sanibel Council changed their rule and culled 44 alligators from the island. They just did it secretly.<

That's why I go to town board meetings.  The public has to be allowed into them under sunshine laws.  When we first moved here, David and I showed up at a town board meeting.  They wanted to know why we were there.  "Because we're the public.  We're here to keep you honest."  

At the time, they were meeting around a big table in a small room.  There were 4 or 5 chairs over in the corner to accommodate the press---and me.  David usually doesn't go.  Anyway, over the course of 4 years, quite a number of people show up at the meetings, the board have moved out into a large space where they have a proper desk where they're all facing the citizens, etc.  They even have a public comment time.  

This happened in New Harmony, IN, too, when we lived there.  When I started going to town board meetings, there were a handful of people present and no women on the board.  When we left, each meeting was standing room only, and the mayor was female, as were a couple of other board members.  

Over the course of time, you'll discover that it's much better entertainment than television, and you learn lots about how your town's run.  

anklebear