No Backsliding on Transparency

In the 2009-2011 City Council term, Richardson took some significant steps towards improved transparency -- televising council meetings, posting checkbook register online, passing a code of ethics.

After the jump, how's that holding up?

Redistricting Musical Chairs

Every ten years, the whole country plays a game of musical chairs called redistricting. Congressmen, state senators and representatives, county commissioners, even city council members have to play the game. Depending on where the new lines are drawn, your future as an elected official could be enhanced or jeopardized.

State Representatives Angie Chen Button and Stefani Carter, State Senator John Carona, and Congressman Pete Sessions all look like they'll be able to hold their seats as long as they want because their redistricting is in friendly hands. Ambition might lead Carter to give up her seat sometime in the future when opportunity presents itself. Chen Button is more likely to stay put. Carona was once rumored to be interested in running for Dallas Mayor, but that obviously didn't happen. Sessions looks comfortable in Congress and has no other prospects on the horizon (with the possible exception of Vegas casino greeter, but that's down the road a bit).

There does appear to be one musical chair newly available, which caused one Dallas County Commissioner Tuesday to flip out. After the jump, how the game is played in the Dallas County Commissioners Court.

Chicago Expects to Feel Like Baton Rouge

A funny thing happened on the way to a world changed by global warming. While the environmentalists who seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are just as convinced as ever about the seriousness of the problem, and the climate deniers are just as determined as ever to stop them, there's a third group that is quietly at work, mostly out of the spotlight, trying to adapt to the reality of climate change.

"Cities adapt or they go away. Climate change is happening in both real and dramatic ways, but also in slow, pervasive ways. We can handle it, but we do need to acknowledge it. We are on a 50-year cycle, but we need to get going."
-- Aaron N. Durnbaugh, deputy commissioner of Chicago's Department of Environment

That's from an article in The New York Times describing Chicago's attitude towards the need to adapt.

After the jump, what adaptation looks like.

Does Richardson Need Term Limits?

If you said to yourself, doesn't Richardson already have term limits, then congratulations. It was a trick question. The Richardson City Charter was amended in 2007 to include term limits for City Council members.

3.01 (b). "No person elected or appointed to the city council at the May 2009 city officer election or thereafter, shall serve as a member of the city council in any place for more than six (6) consecutive terms until at least one full term shall have elapsed from the expiration of such person's last term of office."

So, why would I even raise this question? The answer, after the jump.

Coterie Pajama Party

From 2011 06 Coterie Pajama Party

"Coterie" is an organization of Richardson-area friends who get together three times a year for dinner and entertainment. The theme and activity for each occasion varies. The June 2011 Coterie party was a Pajama Party with Karaoke entertainment.

For a slide show of the evening, click here.