Communication

[Kelley Putman <kputman@attglobal.net>]

Two-way communication is essential to all projects.  Local residents have a knowledge base of their locale that is necessary in the evaluation and implementation of every project.  It is unfortunate that our "news" media on every level does not do a very good job of informing the public regarding how most of government functions on any level.

I feel our high schools are underutilized as a focal point of dissemination of information to the community.  One of my ongoing criticisms of high school education is that it does not train students in the practical tasks of adulthood, such as participation in local political issues as well as knowledge of local and regional laws, personal finance and insurance, among others.

In the communities,both rural and city, where I have lived in Iowa, when notice of public forums is given in a consistant and timely fashion, these forums are well attended.  Posting a small notice in the backpages of a public newspaper is not adequate.  A fleeting reference on a local news program is not adequate. 

Too often I, as a member of the public, have gotten the impression that most public forums are merely "window dressing" for an agenda and course of action that has already been decided upon, and that public dialogue is considered a nuisance by government officials.  I would definitely like to see more ongoing action on the part of the EPA to involve local citizenry in fact finding and planning of its projects.