Council Recap: Public Engagement

At the October 16, 2023, Richardson City Council meeting, the City demonstrated it can react quickly to suggestions if it has a mind to. The City Council meeting agenda had this item:

"D. REVIEW AND DISCUSS STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT"

This was a direct outcome of the September 16, 2023, worksession to develop the 2023-2025 Council Goals. At that meeting (which was not recorded or documented by the City, so I'm relying on notes taken by Justin Neth), Jennifer Justice wanted to establish a Community Engagement Board. Mayor Pro Tem Arefin suggested adding a Diversity Board. The Council felt that this was covered under the Community Engagement Board. Now, just a month later, City Manager Don Magner brought this tactic to the City Council for their deliberation:

"Explore the creation of a board to celebrate and promote diversity, inclusion, accessibility, etc."

Invasion - S01 (TV 2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

Invasion - S01 (TV 2021): Earth is invaded. The show follows four stories around the world. How these individuals respond to the spreading awareness of the invasion is the focus of the show. By midseason, when the aliens are finally shown, we are fully invested in these characters. B+

#VeryTardyReview

Council Recap: 2023-2025 Goals

The October 16, 2023, Richardson City Council agenda held promise:
"B. REVIEW AND DISCUSS CITY COUNCIL GOALS FOR THE 2023-2025 COUNCIL TERM"

Consultant Rick Robinson spent seven minutes showing slides. They were drafts of new versions of "Role of Council," "Rules of Engagement," "Vision Statement," "Goals," and "New Key Strategies." All of these slide titles were preceded by the word "Proposed," so I assumed the "discussion" part of this agenda item would be a spirited review of the proposals. Instead, the Council spent exactly 20 seconds doing this. Or rather, Mayor Bob Dubey did. I quote verbatim the entirety of the Council's discussion before the mayor moved on to the next agenda item:

Bob Dubey: Thank you. Council, any comments? I think you've captured everything, said it exactly the way we said it. And we appreciate your hard work and commitment to the City of Richardson to make us better, transparent, and more efficient. So thank you very much.

Source: City of Richardson.

Because the Council didn't care to discuss their work, I guess it's up to me.

POTD: Shakespeare and Company, Paris

From 2022 12 25 Paris

"Words and worlds inside,
Whitman's legacy lives on.
Old bookshelves hold tales."
—h/t ChatGPT

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Shakespeare and Company, a bookstore on the Left Bank in Paris, opened in 1951 and renamed to "Shakespeare and Company" in 1964 "in tribute to Sylvia Beach's bookstore of the same name founded in 1919." The founder, George Whitman, called his venture "a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore." Today, tourists stand in line for as long as 30 minutes just to get a chance to enter.

POTD: The Eiffel Tower from Montmartre

From 2022 12 25 Paris

"Parisian skyline,
Eiffel Tower claims its space,
Montmartre's distant gaze."
—h/t ChatGPT

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Montmartre in Paris. It shows the Eiffel Tower, two miles away. No matter where you go in Paris, your eye looks up to try to find the Eiffel Tower. For orientation. For beauty. It's like pinching yourself to be reminded, "I'm in Paris."