How to speak at a public meeting
Arlington dog owner and blogger TJIC has some really good advice to those who speak at public meetings:
Tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them, then shut up.
For example:
I’m going to speak for 60 seconds. Please cut me off if I go over.< a few claps, and general good cheer >
I’d like to make three points:
1) I heard a lot earlier about how dogs “were not originally part of the plan”. Well, this area has been inhabited for over 400 years. Harvard was founded over 350 years ago. This place used to be a forest, then a farm, then a dump, then a park. Uses change. People change. Opinions change.
2) The master plan did not use the word “dogs”, true. It used the word “recreation”. However, I note that it also did not use the words “soccer balls”, “Frisbee”, or “tricycle”. People recreate in various ways, and dogs are one of those ways.
3) I live about 30 feet from the park, and I think that dogs there are a great idea.
Thank you for your time.