We hear it all the time, but do we listen and learn? Residents want transparency and communication.
Newsday reports the Manhasset-Lakeville Water District already spent $200,000 so far with another $55,000 to soon take down the 190-foot tall radio tower it constructed on its water tower land near Dogwood Lane in Munsey Park at border of Flower Hill and much to the surprise of myself and residents who first learned by seeing it from their doorstep.
While the exact cost may be debatable, MLWD’s failure to communicate in advance wasted money. More important is the hope that every municipal related entity learns by taking appropriate advance communication measures that can prevent such waste, both in dollars as well as the aggravating time and effort needed by residents and villages to resolve it after the public became aware.
A 190-foot radio tower is difficult to keep secret and it’s ironic that its goal for increased radio communication failed due to MLWD’s lack of communication.
The 1920s to the ‘60s were the decades of Robert Moses’ mantra, “Build it fast. Answer questions later.” That has evolved to be unacceptable in 2013. Some entities unfortunately continue to feel that involving their constituents unnecessarily wastes precious time.
While it is true that communicating does take additional time, and they’re not always kumbayah moments, but that time and effort is often far less expensive than the cost of correcting an error after the fact.
Communicating is a simple concept, but actually takes considerable effort. Manhasset has some very good community communication tools that help increase constituent input to the many municipalities and special districts that provide services to us.
Gone are the days to tout “come to our meetings, they’re open.” Few constituents have the time to attend yet another meeting to perhaps learn about something new or in the works that may affect them.
An article or notice in our local papers, e-mail notification to civic organizations and to any related inter-municipal entities, hard copy direct mail with all directly affected homeowners, or an effective website are all tools readily available in 2013. In this case, anyone who had visited the MLWD Web site would have never known the project was even in the works.
While the MLWD Web site does provide good information for MLWD consumers, financial statements, and its budget, it posts no recent news section, nor any agendas or commissioner meeting summaries to show what’s new. It’s hasn’t yet achieved transparency.
While far from perfect, Greater Council’s Web site (manhassetcivic.org) strives to become a model for community information and maintained with total volunteer efforts. All municipal related entities have far more resources to implement websites capable of regular updates providing quality transparent communication with constituents.
All entities need to use these tools better. Not just legal notices that often require a law degree to understand, but real communications that help understand and improve a project, measure community support or opposition, as well as provide opportunities that improve a plan or project based on resulting feedback when it matters.
The job of those elected is to recognize when advance communication matters.
Silence (the lack of communication) can be deadly at worst, but is frequently costly. When any project is planned and executed in relative secrecy, any special district or municipal related entity needs be prepared for a walloping blow from constituents.
While I also applaud MLWD for rapidly realizing its error and fast remedial action, hopefully the lesson learned by MLWD and many more will be that advance communication does count.
Pete Seeger’s 1962 “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” lyrics say it best, “When will they ever learn?”
Rich Bentley
President of the Council of Greater Manhasset Civic Associations
