HomeMy WebLinkAbout1969 Suspicions and the CS Council EditorialTHE DAILY EAGLE
Page 10 — SECTION B
Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1969
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Suspicions And
The CS Council
"There they go again, being suspi-
aous."
College Station Mayor Pro Tem 0. M.
Holt made that observation during a city
council meeting last Friday as Mayor
D. A. (Andy) Anderson was questioned
about how he decided whose terms on
the planning and zoning commission
should be terminated.
The mayor explained he drew four
names out of a hat before the meeting,
and that was that.
We submit the mayor's method was
so irregular that mere curiosity, let alone
suspicion, could have prompted ques-
tions. In fact, Anderson's method of
deciding who goes and who stays was
so irregular that we don't even feel call-
ed upon to expound on it, trusting the
citizens will note the significance of the
occurrence without our help.
However, Holt could have been right.
The questioner could have been suspi-
cious, especially considering some of the
other things which councilmen said at
the meeting, things like:
"How can we adopt policy with the
public there speaking too ?" and;
"Can't we establish a philosophy to
vn,;dP nc without the Dublic being there?"
Councilmen James Dozier and C. H.
Ransdell asked those questions of their
colleague Joe McGraw during a rather
heated discussion of what constitutes a
secret meeting.
McGraw's transgression, it turned out,
was inviting the public to attend a joint
workshop meeting of the council and the
planning and zoning commission, where,
presumably the main topic was to be
zoning.
Zoning has given both the council and
the planning and zoning commission
more headaches than any other function
of city government.
Citizens complain of spot zoning,
speculators ask for zoning changes mere-
ly to enhance the value of their property,
and neighbors howl.
In short, the public in College Station
is probably more concerned about zon-
ing than any other local issue —and the
majority of the city council apparently
wants to exclude the public from dis-
cussions aimed at clearing up the zoning
mess.
Despite McGraw's invitation, Mayor
Anderson declared the joint meeting
closed and it was moved up from tonight
to a supper session at a motel last night.
The council may have circumvented
the public last night, but it will do no
good in the end. The zoning furor will
not be settled until the public, which is
bound to have a lot of questions in mind,
is satisfied
If the council continues on its present
course it will no doubt inspire in the
public feelings not of satisfaction but of
suspicion.
Which, by the way, Mr. Holt, is a
good, old- fashioned American attitude
about government, in o opinion. _