Public input important in decision making | Opinion

Perhaps of greatest public concern is the matter of the possible privatization of the city’s residential trash pickup and collection service. Although not an action item at last week’s meeting, the council did hear a presentation from a company that specializes in preparing a request for proposals and in guiding the city through the outsourcing process.

Speaking in a public forum, former city attorney Larry Schenk reminded the council of the outcry that came from the public when the city considered trash privatization in 2005. The outcry resulted in a city-wide election when 1,072 residents voted 59.3% to 40.7% against outsourcing the service, according to newspaper records.

“I don’t understand why we’re doing this,” Schenk said. “I have not heard a great hue and cry for people wanting to get rid of our current trash service. In year’s past, the council conducted public hearings on this issue before taking any action. Do you Intend to conduct public hearings?”

A public meeting to further discuss pros and cons would be in order.

On another matter, the council sent revisions to the city’s future transportation system back to the drawing board with instructions for staff to obtain the opinion of a traffic engineer. The delay also gives landowners in the areas where future collector streets and four-lane arterial roadways are to be constructed both a heads up and further opportunity for input. Landowners did receive notification by mail of a presentation earlier this month about the city’s Master Thoroughfare Plan before the Paris Planning & Zoning Commission.

Until recently, the public had no opportunity for input when city planners made decisions about where future streets should be located as pointed out Monday night by landowner Tommy Haynes. The Haynes family owns acreage east of the North Lamar ISD school district and along the future collector street that is to serve the new elementary school and then proceed eastward to Stillhouse Road through much of the Haynes property.

“We did not know about the new master thoroughfare plan until North Lamar was notified that they would need to redraw their new building plans because it interfered with the master thoroughfare plan,” Haynes said. 

Since then, city staff has implemented a practice to notify landowners within 200 feet of a future roadway being considered as part of the plan.

Kudos to the current city staff for recognizing the importance of public input when decisions are made about future roadways. Hopefully, the council will follow suit and provide ample opportunities for public input before a decision is made to privatize the city’s sanitation services.

Public involvement in the decision making process produces community buy-in to final outcomes and results in a more community friendly place to live. That’s why this newspaper attempts to keep the public informed about upcoming governmental body agendas and then reports about action taken whether it be city, county or school districts.

After all, an informed public and transparent governmental bodies equate to a thriving community.