From John Patten
To: Mayor and all members of Venice City Council
Subject: thoughts on Gondo's "Talk to the Pam" article
Date: 10/17/2008 3:00 PM
If what the article purports is true (as to Woodley's instructions), it is
news to me. The way I've been getting information has remained the same --
go straight to the person who would have the info.
This is one of those bright ideas that every manager at city hall has tried
at one time or another, and it has failed every time, usually with
disastrous results.
Trying to control information flow is short-sighted and self-defeating for a
number of reasons. It is counter to the way information flows naturally and
it is counter to way humans interract. It is also very counter to campaign
promises made last year about open government.
To the media and to the public, this kind of directive says that you have
something to hide.
George Hunt tried this in his last year or so in office. This kind of policy
turned out to be a great tool for me in uncovering shenanigans as folks felt
stifled and started coming out of the woodwork. Ditto for Marty Black. In
both cases, these were policies that came immediately before their falls
from grace and these were policies that directly contributed to their falls.
From Woodley, a policy statement like this says that she feels that she is
losing control. The fact that staff is, so far, totally ignoring the
directive shows that indeed she has lost any semblance of control. The fact
that she was allowed to issue this kind of suicidal directive shows that you
have lost any semblance of control over the interim city manager.
As far as I am concerned, a policy like this only makes it easier to gather
news. In one of those strange twists of human nature, it is actually easier
to get the inside scoop on city hall shenanigans during an information
blockade than it is when things are totally open. It kind of blocks the
Gondo and the Herald-Trib, as they have less connections than I do, but boy
oh boy, this kind of policy has given me plenty of evenings when my phone
wouldn't stop ringing. Which is fine by me. So to Woodley from a personal
and selfish perspective, I can only say "You go, girl! Bring on the
clampdown."
Each and every council member that has any interest whatsoever in open
government needs to go on record opposing this directive, preferably by
sending Woodley an email that is publicly visible stating your opposition to
this directive.
I do find it ironic that this directive was issued at the height of election
season. If I had a cynical nature, I might be inclined to infer that this
may have been a deliberate attempt at derailing current council before the
elections. That's if I was of a cynical nature. Which, as you all know, I am
not. I'm an upbeat, positive kind of guy who always sees the good in people.
So this directive couldn't possibly have happened out of Woodley's political
or career interests.
---------------
From: Mayor Ed Martin
To: John Patten, members of city council, Greg Giles of the Venice
Gondolier, Kim Hackett of the Herald-Tribune
Subject: Re: thoughts on Gondo's "Talk to the Pam" article
Date: 10/17/08 4:44 PM
John, Dr. Woodley and I have discussed her idea. I think you know she has
no political issues and has not been identified in her service to the City
in that regard.
She explained that there had been occasions when City officials and
employees had felt their views or actions were not portrayed accurately and
either wrote or wanted to write replies through letters to the editor, etc.
She felt if Pam Johnson would be the point of contact we could both
strengthen her role as a spokesman for the City and also have a more
effective communication with the media.
In addition Dr. Woodley and I are going to re-initiate regular meetings with
the [media], probably on the Monday or Tuesday of Council meeting week.
You and other media reps are welcome to attend.
Ed Martin, Mayor
---------------
From: John Patten <jpatten@veniceflorida.com>
To: To: Ed Martin, members of city council, Greg Giles of the Venice
Gondolier, Kim Hackett of the Herald-Tribune
Subject: Re: thoughts on Gondo's "Talk to the Pam" article
Date: 10/17/08 5:46 PM
[My] comments are inserted:
On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 4:44 PM, Ed Martin <emartin@ci.venice.fl.us> wrote:
>> John, Dr. Woodley and I have discussed her idea. I think you know she has
>> no political issues and has not been identified in her service to the City
>> in that regard.
>>
>> She explained that there had been occasions when City officials and
>> employees had felt their views or actions were not portrayed accurately and
>> either wrote or wanted to write replies through letters to the editor, etc.
That's not exactly how the Gondo portrayed it. Your answer in this
letter entirely misses the point.
>> She felt if Pam Johnson would be the point of contact we could both
>> strengthen her role as a spokesman for the City and also have a more
>> effective communication with the media.
Good luck with that. Prior performance in the marketplace would
indicate that success in this area is highly unlikely.
>> In addition Dr. Woodley and I are going to re-initiate regular meetings with
>> the [media], probably on the Monday or Tuesday of Council meeting week.
Oh joy of joys. Oh frabjous day. Calloo! Callay!
>> You and other media reps are welcome to attend.
Any way I could just get a video so I can fast forward through the boring
parts, which would most likely be the bulk of these meetings?
I don't know how the media works on the planet you are from, but down
here on Earth in the 21st century, we hear about stuff, we need
answers, we go and get them. Waiting two weeks to sit through a
meeting with Godzilla, Mothra, and the clone of William F. Buckley
just so we can get a standard reply of "I don't know the answer to
that, but I'll get back to you" just ain't gonna fly.
>> Ed Martin, Mayor
Yes, we know who you are.
Can I use your desk to bang my head on? Mine is getting damaged from
overuse lately.
