Dear Editor,

I’m fairly new to Mentone. Quite frankly, between work, family, and interminable laundry, I haven’t felt the desire to be involved in town matters. But someone encouraged me to attend a town council meeting, simply because the hot topic was the big “S,” safety. And nothing brings a community together like telling them the safety of their town and school is being compromised.

So I did a little research and came informed and prepared. I had sugar-plum visions of attending the meeting, asking one or two relevant questions regarding the “S” and perhaps chatting with the council members afterward to offer some simple suggestions for garnering community involvement and improving transparency, which Mentone council matters lack. They do not post council member contact info, agendas, meeting minutes, meeting dates or the budget publicly online.

My dreams were dashed. I walked into a meeting that quickly escalated to angry mob status and was over as quickly as it began. I knew that the meeting would be personal. Many were there to support an officer who unexpectedly resigned.

Initially, I was sympathetic to the council. Some attendees demanded answers about the resignation, but personnel matters can be tricky and difficult to handle in a heated public setting. But the council members blatantly ignored other relevant questions that were shouted from around the room. They literally pretended like no one else was in the room. They abruptly ended the meeting and left, making no attempt to answer many of the questions from the community or to bring any order to a room of shouting people.

I care about where I live; it’s a personal reflection. And I knew this meeting would make the news. I was embarrassed.

I’m upset, and not because of a resignation (although it raises questions). It’s because the meeting was a joke — unprofessional, disorganized and unruly. The council was behind a wall, taking no control and offering no answers to questions that deserved them. I came with thoughtfully prepared questions of my own and had no opportunity to ask them, which should be my right as a tax-paying member of the town.

If a room full of people are yelling at you, stand and acknowledge them. Say, “First and foremost, we hear and value your concerns. Everyone will have an opportunity speak tonight, one at a time.”

If you cannot answer a question, say, “That’s a great question; I understand your concern. Unfortunately, I’m unable to provide further details now, but we’ll address this next month. In the meantime, here’s what I can tell you …”

Have an agenda. Have a plan. Address heated topics head-on. Own your decisions. Thank everyone for coming. You represent them. They showed up. Without them, there is no town.

I understand it’s hard. Council members are in a hot seat. But when you sign up to be a leader, you must lead. The first step is showing respect. The second is listening. Everything else will fall into place. Mentone council can do better.

Chris Treber,
Mentone resident