As this local blogging thing starts to gain about a thousand legs, I feel the need to say a thing or two about my relationships, my scruples and how they pertain to what you may, or may not, read here in the future.
As any of you with whom I have had dealings with over the years know, I am... for the most part... a man of discretion. If I wasn't as I describe, you would have already known it by now because you have told me things that, if reported here, would have already caused a major uproar or two. Take last night....
In a semi-private conversation after the City Council meeting one council member explained why the vote for the billboard for water resolution failed (N&R) by a 5-4 margin just as every other council vote has gone over the years that is aimed at limiting billboard propogation in the area. The personal relationships and dynamics between billboard pushers and those elected officials who continually vote to allow them along our 'scenic corridors' (what a joke) were itemized in great detail. The explanation was credible and believable and explosive. What's more, that particular conversation was also overheard by a reporter for the print media.
Now I don't know what that reporter may or may not do with the information gleaned from that conversation - but as you can see, it is not on these pages. In my case that's because the council person stated 'now, that's not for the blog', even though the request came after the conversation. Request granted. But aren't 'off the record' requests usually made clear before the conversation? Perhaps, but that is the point of this open letter... it was a 'conversation' not an interview - I know the difference.
I did choose to blog about the part of a separate conversation with Yvonne Johnson that had to do with if she was going to run for mayor this year or not. But this is because Yvonne has made it widely known that her decision to run is contingent upon Mayor Holliday's decision to seek a third term. There is no news here on that front, Yvonne just 'feels' that Holliday is going to run again, she is not sure of it. This was important to me because common wisdom dictates that one should not seek an office unless there is a vacancy. In light of that very wise advice, many dominoes are waiting to fall on the Mayor's decision. The balance of my conversation with Yvonne is just between us and will remain that way.
I say all of that to say this. As we move to the next level of citizen media - aka weblogging - all public officials need to be made aware that their world is changing. I am under no constraints about what I write here except for my own sensibilities and the fact that I have to look at myself in the mirror every day and decide if I've done good or harm to my community. Others, however, may not adhere to any such standards... so be careful what you say and to whom you say it. You have no way to know what might be thrown out for public consumption any more.
Now if I were a 'real' reporter, or I had the time, I would follow up on why it was suggested that five votes went a particular way last night like so many times before... but that is not how I pay the bills. However, if I were one of those Council Members who were clearly implicated in that conversation... I would be nervous.
It is, after all, an election year.
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Update: From a background email , I am reminded that a statement I made above is incorrect: "I am under no constraints about what I write here..." Sure I, or anyone, can write whatever they want - but there is always that little legal term known as libel. It hasn't happened yet in the blogosphere that I know of, but I am confident that pretty soon some blog will learn the full implications of the term.
8:53:03 AM 
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