Why This Blog Exists: I want to see a more open, thoughtful, and balanced debate and discussion within the community regarding issues affecting the governance and future of Hansville. I do not think I am alone in this desire; indeed, events during the past year make it clear that many people in Hansville have the same desire.
What I Want For Hansville: At the most fundamental level, my goal for Hansville would be to "let Hansville be Hansville." I believe that the great majority of Hansville residents, especially those who have lived here for many years, live in Hansville and treasure the area for what it is and has been, not for what some people like to re-make it to be. The Hansville that I know has always been a quiet, easygoing community where people tend to mind their own business, not impose their views or desires on others, and where the Kitsap County government has generally operated with a modest, unobtrusive presence, and a light touch.
The Means and Process of Political Dialogue Within the Hansville Community Must Expand and Improve: For decades, what little local governance Hansville required was typically worked out through evening meetings at somebody's home or a community center, publicized (if that is the right word) to the Hansville citizenry at large by means of sandwich board signs on a street corner, or perhaps a mention in the once monthly Hansville Log. Sometimes a flyer posted on the bulletin board of Hansville Grocery, or a rumor exchanged over a cup of coffee while waiting in line at the post office, served to help inform Hansville residents of activities and issues in their community.
I submit that those mechanisms are no longer adequate, if indeed they ever were. It is one thing to entrust to such mechanisms decisions such as which flowers ought to be planted at the Hansville Cemetery this spring; the menu for the annual Pancake Breakfast at Hansville Community Center; the drop off dates for the Rummage Sale at Hansville Community Center; or even, perhaps, discussions about development and improvement of the Greenway Trail network. But those mechanisms and means of dialogue are no longer adequate, and cannot be adequate, for meaningful debate and dialogue about more fundamental, and potentially divisive, issues pertaining to Hansville's governance.
Decisions relating to traffic and road network policy, development of public parks in the area, zoning and infrastructure changes, and coordinated efforts at developing a more vibrant business district within "downtown" Hansville all require a more open, accessible, and inclusive dialogue process. They also demand that involved and concerned citizens be afforded easy, open access to source information and documents, so that political dialogue and decisions can be driven by facts and objectively verifiable information, rather than second or third-hand hearsay from somebody who happened to be at a meeting at somebody's garage last week, or the sketchy, incomplete, and probably inaccurate minutes of a meeting held by one committee or another.
Transparency and accountability are everything - and I hope that this blog will be a force, however modest, for significantly advancing the level of both within Hansville.
The Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council - Friend or Foe? One of my primary concerns is that the County has abdicated, and will continue to abdicate, its responsibility to listen to all of the citizens of the Hansville area, and to make decisions of political governance based on a fair and comprehensive assessment of those competing viewpoints. Our current un-elected commissioner, Steve Bauer, and his predecessor Chris Endresen, are the two people primarily responsible for this dangerous trend.
The primary example of the County's action in this regard is its June 2007 decision to "officially recognize" a body known as the Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council (GHAAC), as constituting the "primary voice" of the Hansville community, and the primary - and perhaps, if truth be known, sole - source of input to the County for political decision making affecting the Hansville area. The governing documents of the GHAAC, and its conduct in purporting to speak for the residents of the Hansville area, clearly establish that it is a non-democratic organization, providing superior and disproportionate representation to specific, self-selecting individuals and groups, while disregarding the voices and needs of a majority of the citizens of the Hansville area.
The Bedrock Principles -- Consent by the Governed, and One Person, One Vote: Should governance of Hansville remain at the Kitsap County level? Or, should local government be formed for the Hansville area, to afford greater responsiveness and effectiveness in meeting the future needs of Hansville and its citizens? I do not profess to know the right answer to this question. But, regardless of where Hansville's government is located, I stand by the bedrock principles on which the political system of our state, and indeed our nation, were founded: that those who shall be governed by a government must consent to be governed by that government, and that within that governance structure, the rule of "one person, one vote" must control. There is no other way to create and maintain over the long term an involved, democratic, representative governmental structure.
What I Hope to See from People Who Post on This Blog: Again, this blog is not intended to adhere to any specific political creed, nor is it meant to support any particular substantive political objective for the Hansville area and its citizens. In the course of future dialogue and discussion hereI simply ask that persons involved in that debate adhere to the following basic principles, which I believe will benefit everyone in the Hansville area.
What I Want For Hansville: At the most fundamental level, my goal for Hansville would be to "let Hansville be Hansville." I believe that the great majority of Hansville residents, especially those who have lived here for many years, live in Hansville and treasure the area for what it is and has been, not for what some people like to re-make it to be. The Hansville that I know has always been a quiet, easygoing community where people tend to mind their own business, not impose their views or desires on others, and where the Kitsap County government has generally operated with a modest, unobtrusive presence, and a light touch.
The Means and Process of Political Dialogue Within the Hansville Community Must Expand and Improve: For decades, what little local governance Hansville required was typically worked out through evening meetings at somebody's home or a community center, publicized (if that is the right word) to the Hansville citizenry at large by means of sandwich board signs on a street corner, or perhaps a mention in the once monthly Hansville Log. Sometimes a flyer posted on the bulletin board of Hansville Grocery, or a rumor exchanged over a cup of coffee while waiting in line at the post office, served to help inform Hansville residents of activities and issues in their community.
I submit that those mechanisms are no longer adequate, if indeed they ever were. It is one thing to entrust to such mechanisms decisions such as which flowers ought to be planted at the Hansville Cemetery this spring; the menu for the annual Pancake Breakfast at Hansville Community Center; the drop off dates for the Rummage Sale at Hansville Community Center; or even, perhaps, discussions about development and improvement of the Greenway Trail network. But those mechanisms and means of dialogue are no longer adequate, and cannot be adequate, for meaningful debate and dialogue about more fundamental, and potentially divisive, issues pertaining to Hansville's governance.
Decisions relating to traffic and road network policy, development of public parks in the area, zoning and infrastructure changes, and coordinated efforts at developing a more vibrant business district within "downtown" Hansville all require a more open, accessible, and inclusive dialogue process. They also demand that involved and concerned citizens be afforded easy, open access to source information and documents, so that political dialogue and decisions can be driven by facts and objectively verifiable information, rather than second or third-hand hearsay from somebody who happened to be at a meeting at somebody's garage last week, or the sketchy, incomplete, and probably inaccurate minutes of a meeting held by one committee or another.
Transparency and accountability are everything - and I hope that this blog will be a force, however modest, for significantly advancing the level of both within Hansville.
The Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council - Friend or Foe? One of my primary concerns is that the County has abdicated, and will continue to abdicate, its responsibility to listen to all of the citizens of the Hansville area, and to make decisions of political governance based on a fair and comprehensive assessment of those competing viewpoints. Our current un-elected commissioner, Steve Bauer, and his predecessor Chris Endresen, are the two people primarily responsible for this dangerous trend.
The primary example of the County's action in this regard is its June 2007 decision to "officially recognize" a body known as the Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council (GHAAC), as constituting the "primary voice" of the Hansville community, and the primary - and perhaps, if truth be known, sole - source of input to the County for political decision making affecting the Hansville area. The governing documents of the GHAAC, and its conduct in purporting to speak for the residents of the Hansville area, clearly establish that it is a non-democratic organization, providing superior and disproportionate representation to specific, self-selecting individuals and groups, while disregarding the voices and needs of a majority of the citizens of the Hansville area.
The Bedrock Principles -- Consent by the Governed, and One Person, One Vote: Should governance of Hansville remain at the Kitsap County level? Or, should local government be formed for the Hansville area, to afford greater responsiveness and effectiveness in meeting the future needs of Hansville and its citizens? I do not profess to know the right answer to this question. But, regardless of where Hansville's government is located, I stand by the bedrock principles on which the political system of our state, and indeed our nation, were founded: that those who shall be governed by a government must consent to be governed by that government, and that within that governance structure, the rule of "one person, one vote" must control. There is no other way to create and maintain over the long term an involved, democratic, representative governmental structure.
What I Hope to See from People Who Post on This Blog: Again, this blog is not intended to adhere to any specific political creed, nor is it meant to support any particular substantive political objective for the Hansville area and its citizens. In the course of future dialogue and discussion hereI simply ask that persons involved in that debate adhere to the following basic principles, which I believe will benefit everyone in the Hansville area.
- I ask that you speak with attribution. If it is important enough for you to say it to your fellow citizens in the Hansville area and government representatives, it is important enough for you to put your name to it. BUT - I also understand that some people may feel uncomfortable, for whatever reasons, with giving their names out in connection with a particular comment or issue.
- Be respectful, and understanding of the fact that in virtually every topic of debate, reasonable persons can have differing opinions. You can disagree, quite forcefully if you wish, but still maintain a professional tone.
- Whenever and wherever possible, supply verifiable factual information, from primary sources if at all possible, so that others interested in your thoughts can look for themselves at the factual information on which you rely.
- No commercial content, advertising, etc. -- this blog is a forum for political dialogue and discussion, not for people to plug their own commercial or financial interests.
Thanks for reading - I look forward to hearing from you.
2 comments:
What a succinct and insightful summary!
It would be terrific if you would place The Greater Hansville Area Advisory Council - Friend or Foe! and its two paragraphs in its own post. This will educate the citizenry of Hansville and Eglon (yes, it governs Eglon too) as well as invite public comment and inquiry on the subject.
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