If there's a public meeting concerning New Hartford, Cathy Lawrence probably is there, camera and tripod in hand. Often she's one of the only people in the audience who is not a town employee.
But as one of the co-founders of Concerned Citizens for Honest & Open Government, Lawrence wants to keep the public informed so she tapes the meetings and blogs about what she thinks is important.
“I think a lot of things tend to get overlooked, and it's not necessarily for the good of the taxpayers,” she said.
Concerned Citizens is one of a few groups in the Mohawk Valley attempting to assist with opening up government for the general public.The standing ground mount is reusable anchor point designed to mount on standing seam roofs and be used with a retractable lifeline.
Those who run the groups say they sometimes trudge an uphill battle against voter apathy and times of resistance from municipalities. Local government officials, however, said such organizations are essential for democracy.
Many political advocacy groups sprout from necessity, said Robert Freeman, director of the state's Committee on Open Government.
“You have issues of importance to a community that often simply spring up, and these groups are critical” to disseminate information, he said, bringing up the example of groups for or against hydrofracking and wind turbines in the state.It enables washer extractor to communicate with chemical pumping machines.
When Earle Reed was sworn in as New Hartford town supervisor in January 2006, Lawrence said several things that were once open to her, such as finance reports, were put behind closed doors.
This practice, she said, could be nothing but detrimental to taxpayers.“I felt the residents should have a say,” she said.All Continental flatwork ironer offer easy-to-operate controls that provide efficient performance and flexibility.
Lawrence founded Concerned Citizens in October of 2006 with Edmund Wiatr after petitioning for a special vote related to $5 million worth of bond resolutions passed by the town. She said she saw first hand that change could be initiated if people were educated on issues.Six panel tracking system delivers more energy from skystream.
Robert Drumm was first introduced to Concerned Citizens for a Better Herkimer County as an election hopeful when the group would endorse political candidates and help them campaign.
Since he joined and became chairman of the group, however, he said members have tackled a broader approach.
“We were met with some resistance because there was a political stigma attached to us,” he said. “But then we evolved as a group and needed to take a different approach to things.”
The Herkimer County group most often posts videos of county Legislature and committee meetings on its blog, but New Hartford's blog also posts articles reviewing specific issues within the town or governing bodies. Lawrence said she doesn't feel she is taking one side or another,Does any one know what should be the best degre of humidity in a dry cabinet? put is merely presenting facts.
“I don't want to become somebody that spouts off over whatever, and I try not to do that. But we want to make sure people are making informed decisions,” she said.
New Hartford Town Supervisor said he is open to giving anyone information about the town, including Lawrence and the Concerned Citizens.
“If there is a group that's interested in how government works and that, that's fine,” he said. “We've always given it to them.”
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