Term limits for Woodside council members, volunteers?

My understanding is that local governing representatives have responsibility to stand for the values and needs of their constituents. The Woodside Council has flown in the face of the community's strongly expressed wants in regard to the Pig Scramble. Given that, the means need be supported that would enable townspeople to change council members who refuse to represent the majority. One such council member, did a straw poll of a Woodside neighborhood wherein those opposed to the Scramble outnumbered those who did not object. However, she still refused to support the majority and end the Scramble. A democracy is based upon having representatives for the people.

If you don't like a member of your Town Council, vote for the opponent. If there's no opponent, find someone. It's been done and the fact that we have a small town actually makes it EASIER because a small number of people can make a difference. Just ask Chris Shaw because that's how he was elected.

If enough people agree with you, a new person will be in that seat after the election. If not, then you were in the minority.

That's how it works.

[Part removed. ]

A better way going forward would be for Woodside voters to realize the deep level of malfeasance and secrecy that surrounds our town government, and to raise a hue and cry to do something about it. From the Town Manager on down there is a dereliction of duty: council members do not attend their required committee meetings, minutes are not published in a timely fashion, only recently have warrants been published, until 2 years ago council members represented their own projects in front of the ASRB, ... the list goes on.

We are an educated and bright community: why the lack of concern for what is happening under our noses?

Last night council member Kasten expressed surprise, again, that so few people attended the council meeting. I know that my like-thinking neighbors have stopped bothering to attend, as we've been completely shut out of the conversation.

My hope is that the Woodside Council will indeed vote to cut the dead wood and let some fresh air into community at the next election. [Part removed.]

With all due respect to Pogo, I take the view that term limits are indeed a healthy thing in a Town like Woodside. As a relative newcomer here, I have been quite interested in and followed many of the recent "issues" in Woodside such as ASRB-related problems ("can I just build my damn house please?"), Shaw's hastily put together write-in campaign, the Nancy Reyering business and the legal outlays on this but no "closure", conflict of interest areas where council members did not recuse, and the latest, the pig scramble saga. The conclusion I've drawn is that, despite the wealth and "bright people" who live here, this is a town struggling with basic governance issues like transparency, elected officials making decisions that aren't tainted by private connections, lack of open-mindedness to anything that seems like a new or fresh approach, and a general lack of professionalism. "Nanny state" considerations aside, Shaw's stunning write-in victory is not the norm. Incumbents are usually hard to beat and there is a degree of hesitancy (fear, shall we say?) in Woodside about rocking the boat, stepping up and professing new ideas. After all, one has to live in a very small town where this may have business or other repercussions so better to be silent. Term limits would likely be a good thing here - this would promote new thinking, fresh perspectives, better representation of actual constituents needs and desires, more diversity and more effective governance. I say bring it on!

Let's face it, at the end of the day, this is a small town with many intricate and interweaving connections between town council members and old-timers, business cohorts (like realtors and architects) and even a social club of self-styled cowboys whose antics include kids chasing a bunch of poor, terrified pigs around for giggles. Someone should write a novel. There's plenty of material here!

Grey Seal -- "Let's face it, at the end of the day, this is a small town with many intricate and interweaving connections between town council members and old-timers, business cohorts (like realtors and architects) and even a social club of self-styled cowboys whose antics include kids chasing a bunch of poor, terrified pigs around for giggles. Someone should write a novel. There's plenty of material here!"

*Very* tempted to do so. Should it be a dramatic novel, or a comedic novel (think Carl Hiaasen)?

Re: Retired Realtor "We are an educated and bright community". I could not disagree more. I would rather say Woodside is a conniving and unconscientious community. I agree with Grey Seal. Woodside is a town with "many intricate and interweaving connections between town council members and old-timers, business cohorts (like realtors and architects) and even a social club of self-styled cowboys whose antics include kids chasing a bunch of poor, terrified pigs around for giggles." Other than the saga of the pig scramble which is conducted without a permit by 'self-styled cowboys' , Woodside town council allows a 'business cohort' put a nativity scene on public's right of way.

There's a lack of transparency and secrecy and yet you don't attend council meetings? Are you unable to draw the connection between these two thoughts that are in the very same post?

Actually, write-in candidates and insurgents winning in Woodside isn't unusual at all. Do your homework.

And try attending council meetings. Everything they do is in the open. [part removed.]