Hunter Bonner/Contributing writer
This past week, a presentation was held regarding railroad quiet zones. This event was an opportunity for people to obtain information on what quiet zones are, and what all is involved in establishing one.
Freely exchanging information, as it relates to public policy, is a hallmark of how our system of government, even local government, is supposed to work.
As with anything new, the initial meeting is not representative of what the citizens of an entire city may or may not think about a topic affecting public policy.
However, it was disconcerting that some council and city board members refused to see this meeting for what Mayor Baker rightly described it as.
“Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker re-iterated that this was just a first step in getting this information and that the Council needed to consider where to go from here – whether that was establishing a committee or appointing an individual to get the updated information – had not been determined yet but that he felt Council should discuss where to go from here.”
JEDCO President Bubba Haggard and Alderman Richard Turner clearly entered into this meeting without an open mind regarding the topic at hand.
In comments in the meeting and online, they expressed their own personal bias against having a railroad quiet zone.
In fact, Haggard even admitted both of their own biases by stating the following,
“What you see here [on Facebook] is people that want a QZ saw what they wanted and the ones against it saw what they wanted, so nothing is changed (sic) very much.”
About Alderman Turner: “Alderman Richard Turner expressed his opposition to a QZ citing that the City should be using any funds for improvements instead of a QZ.”
However, citizens and other council members, rightly asked questions about costs, power requirements, insurance coverage, etc.
All of these are valid to discuss.
What was clear from the meeting is, no one is saying to pull the trigger on this.
On the contrary, it would seem many in attendance are wanting more information before making a decision.
That is indicative of a thoughtful and open-minded approach.
So the question is, where do we go from here?
Alderman Taylor-Johnson suggested contacting the City of Daingerfield, who recently established a quiet zone, to obtain more information.
This is an excellent idea, especially considering that the city has a small population, like Jefferson, and is a local example.
As previously mentioned, Mayor Baker suggested that a committee be formed along with council discussing this further.
This is also another great idea and invites the public to participate in the process by exploring the topic further, versus slamming the door shut.
However, council members themselves need to dig deeper on this.
Every single member of this council should already be holding periodic Ward meetings with the people they represent on what is going on in city government.
For those council members that have stated in passing conversations, and online, “No one in my ward wants a quiet zone.”
You should make it a matter of public record then.
Post a public notice on the city website, and invite the people you represent to a Ward meeting and get their feedback on a railroad quiet zone.
As I stated in a July article, “Being an elected official, or an appointee by an elected official, means that they have a responsibility to consider everyone’s point of view, and not their own personal agenda.”
Holding Ward meetings regarding the quiet zone, along with other things the council is currently discussing, accomplishes the task of being inclusive and transparent. To date, only Alderman Will Thomas has held a general Ward meeting.
Members of the council that decline to hold periodic Ward meetings on various topics, such as the railroad quiet zone, or any other topic of public interest, send a clear message to voters. “Your feedback is not important nor solicited.”
Should some Aldermen or Alderwomen decide to go that route, let me remind everyone that 3 out of 5 seats on the council have terms expiring this coming Spring.
Hunter Bonner is the President of the Marion County Republican Assembly, and a lifelong activist. He can be reached at hunterbonner@outlook.com. His views expressed here are his own.
These people are ELECTED to represent their constituents. Thus, by being elected they represent what those constituents want. So, Mr. Bonner, your tagging someone with “bias” seems a bit judgmental to me.