A. Format: 4-6.5 pgs. Typed, double-spaced, 12 pt, common font (Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial), at 21 lines per page (at least 84 lines total, 1” margins). MLA/APA format not required, but may be used. If you have a separate title page, it does not count towards the page requirements. Maximum page length: 6.5 pages.
B. Mechanics and Substance: please proofread and correct errors; and remember: a good review should provide a short and succinct summary, as well as an effective and creative critical analysis. Be orderly, complete, and clear in your presentation. Be sure to give examples and elaborate in order to reinforce your essential points. Be sure to number your pages and include your name on your review document.
LOCAL CIVIC MEETINGS AND PROCEEDINGS:
You may attend any one of the city council or school board meetings listed below. If you would like to review a meeting not on the list below, you need to make certain that it is a regular meeting of an elected city council or elected school district board –not a bad idea to double-check that meeting with your professor. This must be a “regular” meeting—check your Agenda before you attend or watch the meeting, it cannot be titled as just a “special meeting, ‘“public forum,” or “workshop” hosted by the council or board. Also, while other government bodies play an important function, special city commissions (such as a Planning Commission) and advisory boards cannot be used for this Review. Agendas and Community Meeting Reviews that do not conform to details described in these two preceding sentences are subject to a zero-grade score. It is strongly encouraged to do an “in person” visit, but if that is not feasible, you can view one of their meetings online. Do an Internet search to find the official site for the school board or city council (then look for special tab for the Board of Trustees or City Council). Be sure your review is on a school district board or city council in the area that you live—that puts you in the best position to answer the Review questions. Boards and councils that have their meetings online should be displayed in those special tab areas. If you view a meeting online, make sure that it is a meeting that it is no older than the one month before the start of your current semester (it can be more recent). Always call these civic bodies in advance to check proper day/times/meeting locations. Staying or watching two hours at the meeting should be sufficient to complete the Review assignment—but you will need to be present for more than the public comments part of the meeting. Keep in mind that you will need to review more about the meeting than just the public comments.
**Be sure that you pick up the official agenda for meeting you are reviewing of the school district board or city council. You should also be able to find that official agenda on the website for the school district or city council. Submission of a copy of this agenda is required for part of the grade for your Review—See #7 under item B, below. This document can be a downloaded copy provided from the school district or city council website or a copy of a printed document from the in-person meeting that has been scanned. The meeting’s official agenda is an outline of what the board or council intends to cover for their scheduled meeting.
Please Note: Community Meeting Reviews will receive zero points if an official meeting agenda is not separately posted by the Agenda due date. That due date will come before when the actual Review, itself, is due.
COMMUNITY MEETING REVIEW GUIDELINES:
A. General Comments:
City council and school board meetings are a good opportunity for students to learn “first hand” and evaluate the operations of government at the most basic level: the community. This project encourages students to gain some insight into the development, implementation, and arbitration of public policy. And hopefully, whatever the experience, good or bad, the student’s appetite for local interests and issues has been increased.
B. Focus Questions and Structure for the Review:
1. Begin your Review with a brief introduction that provides a simple summary/overview to your Review and includes a passage to kindle interest in the reader to read your work. (This section should not be longer than ½ page.)
2. Who were the officials present at the meeting (list city council or school board members, city manager or superintendent/president)? Give the date of the meeting. When is the next regular election for the city council or school board members (that info is usually provided on the city or school district official website—you may have to do research elsewhere for that)?
3. Briefly describe the major issues or business addressed at the meeting. (This section should be about 1.5 pages, your summary and discussion of public comments from the meeting should not comprise more than 1/3 of this section in your paper.)
4. Which government official (identify no more than two) was the most impressive during your visit? Why? Who was the least impressive government official? Why?
5. Has your impression of government changed because of your visit? How? Is the local neighborhood being served and represented well? Explain. Working under the assumption that the revenue to the city or school district is a limited amount and these governments should prioritize their spending, were budget decisions made or discussed with an approach of wise and prudent spending?
6. Does your experience with local politics have any relation to your perception of national politics? Do local politics seem to be any more accessible/personable, equitable, and efficient/effective than national politics? (give specific comparisons/contrasts between local and national politics) Finally, what did you find most interesting or surprising?
7. No conclusion necessary.
Using this link https://riversideca.granicus.com/player/clip/5924?view_id=2&redirect=true