Governmental Gripes in Central

Complaining about what the government does, or fails to do, is both a legitimate concern and a national pastime, and we here in Central are no exception.
    Central has two local governing bodies that most affect our lives, the City of Central and the Central Community School System.  Whether you have legitimate concerns about a specific issue, or you just want to keep up with the issues of the day for intelligent conversation, here are four options for staying informed, listed from most difficult to easiest.
    1. Attend Meetings – The Central City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month and the School Board meets on the second and fourth Mondays.  No ordinances, policies, or rules can be changed, and no tax dollars can be appropriated, without a vote at one of these public meetings.  No new major subdivision can be built and no zoning can be changed without a vote of the City Council.  If you want to be on the front line, have an opportunity to give your opinions before a vote, and hear the discussion that goes into the decision, make your plans to attend.
    2. Read Agendas and Minutes – The agendas and minutes for each public meeting are posted online at least one full business day prior to the meeting.  Go to www.CentralGov.com under “Government” and select “Council Agendas.”  You can also read the minutes of prior meetings on this web page.  The School System page is www.CentralCSS.org under “School Board” select “Meetings & Agendas.”  Read up, and if something is important to you, attend the meeting.
    3. Read Central Speaks – At Central Speaks we publish all of the information supplied to us by the City and School Board.  Additionally, we try always to report on items of importance to the community.  Remember, while we do post meeting agendas when they are available in time, most of what you read in any newspaper has already happened, so if you just want to be informed, read, but if you want to participate, get involved by attending meetings before the decisions are made.
    4. The Easy and Fun Way – In much the same way as we all know what Coach Miles SHOULD have done in yesterday’s game and what call WE would have made to win the game that HE lost, we also are confident that we would have made a better decision than any elected official from the President of the United States down to the local Dog Catcher.  We all do this in one way or another, and I completely respect this approach if such musings are only for casual conversation and entertainment.
    However, if your goal is to stay informed and involved and to exercise your right to have an impact on the decisions that affect our City and Schools, consider one of the more difficult approaches to keeping up with the issues.  That would be Good News for a Great City.