IT TAKES ALL KINDS...

You remember the saying: It takes all kinds to make a world? I've never been so sure that we need all kinds to make a world, just that they probably do exist in this world. No matter what, I believe that many kinds of people can work together to make the world a better place.

Believe me, many kinds were represented at a recent Planning Commission meeting:

Person A: Came in for accessory building permit. He had obviously been to the website and had followed directions there to draw a totally complete site plan. Thank you! Smooth process

Persons B and C: Didn't include the required site plan when their accessory building application was turned in, but they were informed of this ahead of the meeting, and they appeared with a complete site plan. Great working with you!! Smooth process.

Persons D and E: Hi, how are you? Have seen a lot of you lately! Thank you for coming back in one more time as directed by Town Board for approval of your amended building plans. No problem; very pleasant. Smooth process.

Persons F and G: "G" is there representing an absent party. Person F is agreeable and polite throughout/despite what followed. Thank You!

However, almost right away, Person H in audience (related to F?!!) loudly and repeatedly (and not very politely) speaks out without being recognized by Chair, rambles on, and finally ends with a pointed "What's your problem?" No problem here; please wait to be recognized by the Chair before you speak and please let us (the Planning Commission) go through our process. Then Person G speaks out of turn to the attorney in what I consider a disrespectful tone. "G" is informed that he is out of order as he was not recognized by Chair. It goes on in kind from there. Not such a smooth process. But at least Person F has his application forwarded to the Board for approval.

NEXT UP:

                                                                                                                                                           

Persons I and J; J is representing I. Both apparently start out presuming ill will on part of Chair. (Chair had a couple days earlier come across these two individuals at Town Hall and took time to try to calmly explain the new process and new Ordinance to them, correcting faulty advice already given to them.) Why "apparently presuming ill will?" As soon as Chair says something that they think contradicts what they thought they had heard earlier and understood, I and J start actually shouting at the Chair, making personal remarks and are joined by Person G from above, also shouting, also making personal remarks.

Okay, how smooth do you think this process was? Not smooth at all! In spite of what I can only call personal attacks, Person I had his application forwarded to the Board for approval. When told that the Chair, who seconded the motion, didn't really appreciate his coming in and talking the way he did (following Person J's lead?), Person I at least had the good grace to apologize and sound as though he meant it.

Considering that Persons G and J were among the individuals who were instrumental in the recent what I have heard some call "The Eureka Witch Hunt" directed (ineffectively) against then-Commissioner Jennings, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

NEWS FLASH: It is no skin off the Planning Commission's noses to recommend approval on something that you are entitled to under the Ordinances! We are there to assist you in the process. The Commission does have an obligation to the entire Township to go through all reviews thoroughly and make sure that all zoning ordinances are followed correctly. That entails checking and re-checking the Ordinances and each and every application to be sure that nothing is being missed. We try to go through the process in a methodical, step-by-step manner. That's our job. We do this for everyone and try to be fair and even to each, thus being fair to all.

Eureka is a small community. Wouldn't we all like to live in peace and harmony by the rules that we, as a community, have agreed to by a public process? Surely, people can meet each other half-way in a civil manner. I would think it is in anyone's interests to act in such a manner. What does one gain by treating people poorly, I wonder? Indeed, there is an adopted Township policy that defines what is acceptable behavior at meetings. I don't think this is too much to expect. Ask yourself: Which people above would you like to work with or even be present in the audience for when they came up? Probably not too hard to decide.