Friday, September 21, 2007

It's Almost Over

Monday night, 9/24/07 the Shawnee City Council will receive the report and recommendations of the Smoking Task Force that was appointed to review the smoking question.

This meeting will give the city council the opportunity to not only review those recommendations but then to discuss them, in open session. Additionally, the public will also have an opportunity to listen, and if desired, to be heard.

The process at work. Whatever the outcome is, it can never be said that the citizens and business owners of Shawnee weren't given the opportunity to voice their opinions and to be heard. Unlike what took place in Lenexa, KS where the council just went ahead to enact an ordinance on the eve of a holiday. Maybe I should ask the members of the Lenexa City Council to explain their definition of a participatory republic.

With the exception of two members of the council who attempted to short circuit the process, on two separate occasions, this has been a positive lesson about the process.