Tuesday, June 18, 2013

city council

I attended my first city council meeting today for a final presentation to approve our grant application for the bookmobile to buy more books for the library. (I know, I know, we already have like a million books but these would be new and shiny and some in other languages!) It went great! I got a smile and nod from the mayor, one of the city councilors asked for my contact info so she could donate books to the library and someone else on the council audibly said, "Great job." I am high on civic duty and community action!

They stream the meetings live and post the recordings a few days after the event: I'll post the video of me here when it appears online later this week for your viewing pleasure.

I should have blogged about this right when I got home with all my energy and happiness, but now it is late and I need sleep for work and bookmobiling tomorrow, so you'll have to appease all your wild curiosity with these few tidbits:
  • Iowa City city counselors really do listen to the members of the community that come in to voice their concerns
  • Someone waxed poetic about his daughter's soccer teammate whose mother can never attend his soccer games because she's working and how we should pay our city counselors a living wage so working class citizens can run for office—it was actually great.
  • Councilman Jim Throgmorton is just as awesome as his name suggests
  • Councilwoman Connie Champion is also incredible (and these names, you guys—can you get enough of them? I can't!)
  • I teared up a few times listening to people talk about the importance of supporting reduced bus rates and services to lower-income people and the disabled (differently-abled? what is the pc term these days...?). Regardless, tears my friends. In my eyes. Beautiful moments happened.
  • And, most importantly, all the PIN grants got approved that should have gotten approved—including ours!
So yes. I am filled with civic pride. Just thought you all should know.

UPDATE: Here's a link to the video of the City Counsel meeting. I'm introduced around minute 65,

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