Dear Editor:
I attended the June 13th Weiser City Council meeting in which there were six items on the agenda, one of which was the FY2023 Annual Budget for the City of Weiser. Besides those who had business on the agenda (and some of them didn’t even attend) at the meeting, I was the only attendee of a city of more than 5000 people.
The decisions made by the city council affect us all. These decisions affect the city services, public safety, housing, planning and zoning, code enforcement, how business is done, social activities, and the cost associated. Our daily lives are impacted by these decisions and by not attending these meeting you are granting the City Council permission to make decisions for your life and family without your knowledge. You can watch the council meeting on-line, but by that time it is too late because the decisions are already made.
Public comment is generally not allowed at these meetings, but by just being there, the council knows we are paying attention. You can also speak with the council members and city staff before and after the meeting to ask questions and get further details about agenda items. I personally had lots of questions and requested a meeting with Mayor Hibberd for clarification.
Having sat down with Mayor Hibberd, I have a new appreciation to what he brings to the table for our little town. While I may not always agree with his views and opinions, he does have a solid grasp on the financial dealings of Weiser. We discussed some long-term burdens that affect homeowners in Weiser, and I was surprised to find out that he is working to find solutions that will be quite favorable if successful. We also discussed how the city council meetings are run. I suggested that those attending should be able to submit written questions because opening it up for verbal questions could be disruptive. He is going to take that under advisement.
All in all, I feel that my presence at the meeting and follow-up with the mayor had impact. Just imagine what can be accomplished if we fill the city council meetings to capacity.
I will miss the July city council meeting so I am hoping that many of you will attend. I can’t say it enough, the decisions made at these meetings affect us all and we all need to be part of the process.
Regards,
Christina Marie Stanley
