Elected representatives in Hendersonville are trying to improve communications with the public. They are exploring investing in a number of new forums, like radio programs, blogs, and meet and greets.
This is preferable to the way we do things in Asheville. To address city council, one gets the impression one must invent a persona with a character name and costume, and then lead such an empty life as to afford the luxury of spending an entire evening or night waiting for three minutes on TV.
Over at the Buncombe County Commissioners’ chambers, the scene is different. Perhaps because they do not televise public comment, these periods are usually Jerry Rice’s oyster. Rice is one of those guys who has something to say about everything, but I don’t mind. I saw him yesterday again at the nursing home. Whenever I run into him out in the community, which is often, he is always doing a good deed, unlike the no-shows who never get enough of telling me I don’t give enough.
