I find it interesting that a Loxahatchee Groves town councilman, who once has told me that he wants to work together on things, is upset that the town’s finance committee had the audacity to offer something to the town council that council did not solicit. The advisory committees are the town’s committees, not the council’s committees.
I concur with the concept that advisory committees are established as a vehicle for individual citizens to share their opinions and perspectives, to provide a think tank to study issues, and formulate recommendations in a focused, small group structure.
The primary purpose of advisory committees is to provide judicious advice, from a citizen perspective, to the town council, which is the town’s elected policy-making body.
Advisory committee activities may include the study of critical issues, hearing public testimony, independent research, and reviewing staff reports and recommendations — all of which are intended so that the committee is prepared to discuss, formulate and forward well-developed, thoughtful recommendations to the council.
I grew up in the Old Dominion. The Commonwealth of Virginia invented American government; a government for all the people and by all the people. Apparently, that news has not reached all of South Florida.
Some great advice for a select group on the Groves town council: it is not your decision on what the town’s advisory committees are to consider and not to consider. Listen to your committees, listen to your citizens, then speak.
Keith Harris, Loxahatchee Groves
