Participate at the School Committee and City Council Meetings... which are now on Channel 22

By Joe Viglione

The big news is that the Government Channel has moved from Comcast Channel 16 to Comcast Channel 22.  A PBS station appears to be on 16 now, though no fanfare and little mention of this in the press to date.  Mayoral candidate Johnny Byers (yes, people, he announced on WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM a week ago Thursday, May 31, 2012, that he's running for the top office again in 2013) phoned to tell us that the picture is clearer...and that the station has moved.  So I quickly tuned in and - lo and behold - the City Council meeting of June 6, 2012 was being replayed on Thursday, June 7, with the date stamped on the left hand bottom of the screen.  This is great news for a city that has not been able to watch replays in regular "rotation" for over a year or so.

THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE AT ALDEN CHAMBERS

There are approximately 56,000 residents of Medford along with employees and owners of businesses and people who participate in Medford civic groups.   The number of people active in Medford life could be more than 75,000 keeping in mind those who get involved in some way, but who do not live in our city.  

So it amazes me...I find it stunning, actually, that only a handful of people attend the School Committee meetings held just about every other week on Monday (but not during summer vacation) and the City Council meetings held on Tuesday nights (but only about once a month in July and August).

In a city where one Mayor has controlled things for the better part of two and a half decades -  more time in office than the age of many of his constituents - one would think the community would rise up and want to be heard.

We need the community to come out and speak.  You don't have to subscribe to my politics, you don't have to agree with my personal positions, but you should care about the potholes in your neighborhoods, the crosswalks not painted in a timely manner year after year, the public safety issues, parking enforcement, empty storefronts, the onslaught of litter making this once beautiful city resemble a third-world country.

By making your point at the "people's forum" you can bring information to your elected officials and alert them to the fact that they represent you, not just their own perspective.

And that's the key here.  The more citizens that show up and make their concerns known, the more the elected officials will realize they are being scrutinized - and that your vote has to be earned, not just taken for granted. 

One Councilor in Medford does a good job of bringing sports teams and school children up to the Alden Chambers to be congratulated.  This is a nice touch to community life, though some of the people in the audience may feel that the one councilor - in particular - is making political moves at the same time that he is patting the students and young athletes on the back for their accomplishments.   Still, it's a positive thing he is doing, whatever the reason, and it does educate the young students to the fact that there is a forum, there are televised broadcasts, 

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What will it take to get people from all walks of life up to the City Council or to the School Committee meetings to speak out?   The "Methadone clinic" alleged crisis was said to have gotten members of the community up in arms...but that was about 10 years ago, back in 2000 or so.  The Mayor listened.   People need to stand up and be counted.  The Mayor responds to big numbers.  He takes the "temperature", so to speak, and if he feels not enough people show up for a "Performance Evaluation Hearing" of the access TV channel (October 29, 2008), our Mayor, Michael J. McGlynn, tends to just sweep the issue under the rug.  The fact that he spent approximately $10,000.00 on an audit and $3,900.00 on a retired judge to scrutinize the issue doesn't seem to phase Mayor McGlynn.  Heck, it didn't come out of HIS pocket, did it?

That's why voices need to be heard.  Through public records requests that you, dear resident, are free to file on anything to do with how your city operates and how your money is spent, through City Council and School Committee meetings, through the local media and through your alleged opportunity to be on your public access channel - and to be free to speak about anything going on in the city - including how that access TV station operates - well, only by standing up, being heard, being counted, being professional, polite and firm in your opinions...that is how to get things done.

We have had successes.  We have made great strides...and those successes were achieved because more people came forward.  It's not a lot of fun to be a lone voice howling at the moon... but when five, ten, forty, seventy people show up that old cliche kicks in "there is strength in numbers."   

This is something very important I'm talking about today.  This is your home, this is where you live and work and play.  This is your opportunity to shape your environment, to make it a fabric with a rainbow of colors, not just one man in the corner office making decisions for people he doesn't seem to really care to want to get to know.   Your vote, your voice, your face on video talking about issues, they matter, all of it does matter.   I'm inviting you to be heard because your elected officials don't seem to be reaching out to you to speak your mind.

Community activism is a good thing.   Meet us up at City Hall on Tuesday nights when the Council is in session.  You will get to know your neighbors on a first hand basis.  And equally important, you can make improvements in your city by speaking up, being heard and holding your elected officials accountable for their actions at City Hall and in their everyday lives.