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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland man sentenced to two years for marijuana money laundering scheme ... OSP detonates suspicious item at Bear Creek Plaza ... Woman says she found snake head in can of Western Family green beans ... Ashland man sentenced to two years for marijuana money laundering scheme ... OSP detonates suspicious item at Bear Creek Plaza ... Woman says she found snake head in can of Western Family green beans ... FROM THE COUNCIL From the Council: To change things, you need to show up Comment By Kevin Stine MailTribune.com By Kevin Stine Posted Feb. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Kevin Stine Posted Feb. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News When decisions are made by the City Council, there are few voices in the room. The audience in the City Council chambers consists of about a dozen city employees, Damian Mann from the Mail Tribune, sometimes a reporter from Channel 5 and/or Channel 10, and very rarely someone from Channel 12. The extent of the citizenry starts and ends with Rene and Lane Forncrook, who both serve on the Cemetery Commission. A big thank you to them. At every meeting, both at the noon and 7 p.m. session (if scheduled), the city has on the agenda Oral Requests and Communications from the Audience. This gives anyone the opportunity to speak about whatever issue they would like to. Three minutes for any individual, or five minutes if you represent a group, to talk about whatever is on your mind. When the mayor gets to that part of the agenda, we look into the audience, and frequently see no one coming forward, and move on. There have been some past issues that brought a crowd. Marijuana-related issues such as the ban on medical marijuana dispensaries and the ability of people to grow caused quite a stir. Those issues have been settled for now. The potential pit bull ban issue in 2014 brought a full house, and died a quiet end. The Urban Growth Boundary brought groups of people (mostly with a financial stake) to talk about where the city’s borders should grow. There is a non-attributable saying, “If you aren’t at the table, you’re on the menu.” That might be a bit strong in terms of the decisions the council makes, but it is true that if you want to change things, you have to be, as President Theodore Roosevelt said, “in the arena.” I do not know anything that has been changed based on comments on Facebook or the Mail Tribune website. I do know of issues that have been affected based on public comment, when someone has come up and not just pointed out a problem, but also offered a solution. Saying that we need to reduce the meth problem, add another public swimming pool, add an aquatic center, add affordable housing or need more living-wage jobs, among other things, is talking to the choir. The council knows this, but do you have a solution for it? I have heard that there is too much regulation in the city of Medford. When I ask what specifically needs to be changed, there is no response. Any ordinance created by the council can be eliminated by the council. I have no desire to keep an ordinance that may be outdated or overly preventative towards growth, but I can’t help you without knowing what it is. If you want to serve on a committee or commission, we are always taking applications. If you have a suggestion, send us an email, or talk with us at a City Council meeting. The doors of City Hall are open, but it is up to you to walk through them. Kevin Stine, kevin.stine @cityofmedford.org, represents Ward 3 on the Medford City Council. The views expressed in this piece are the individual's and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of the City Council. By Kevin Stine MailTribune.com By Kevin Stine Posted Feb. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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