Public voices weren't heard

The Arizona Republic
Mar. 18, 2006 12:00 AM

This letter is in response to The Republic editorial titled "Public not muzzled on freeways," March 2.

I have attended most of the South Mountain Citizens Advisory Team meetings and thought this editorial absurd. Here is why:

The first year ADOT assembled and sponsored SMCAT, meetings were held. They were unpublished and not open to the public. I attempted to attend the meetings as a public observer but was unsuccessful. After citizens wrote and lobbied various state and local authorities, ADOT relented and the dates and locations of the meetings were published.

Once the meetings were open, I remember two distinct meetings. The first had North American Indians discussing and asking questions. In another there was a group of west-side residents asking hard-hitting questions on the effect of this highway on their small community if the proposed South Mountain Loop 202 should be constructed. Some time after this, a statement was read letting the meeting attendees know that the public will now only be allowed to submit written questions, which will then be read aloud at the end of the meetings.

At times, the questions couldn't be answered when they were read aloud and received the response that they would be answered at a later date or in the environmental impact statement. Many of the questions were poignant, valid and credible.

The public input process again changed to where the public could submit questions that would not be read aloud but answered via the next meeting or on the ADOT Web page. When this happened the public really didn't have input during the meetings.

Many times the ADOT-sponsored SMCAT meetings would run late with the schedule and agenda always being set by ADOT. The last item of the agenda was always to read the public questions aloud. I mentioned this information because The Republic editorial stated, "The team (SMCAT) was being kept late to hear what amounted to soliloquies and rants from repetitive sources against the highway."

Is it possible to purposefully run the meetings late so when the questions are finally read they will have less of an impact while being more of a required final item before the SMCAT members being able to leave?

The editorial also stated, "Some audience members refused to behave within civil boundaries and made catcalls that disrupted meetings." I can only remember two meetings of the total of approximately 35 SMCAT meetings where the public was out of turn. I would think some of the out-of-turn statements must have been from frustration at not being allowed to at least have your question read aloud at the end of the meeting.

We are ordinary citizens of Arizona hoping to be treated fairly from the individual branches of government. I am forced to use this editorial page to be heard, not being able to do this at the SMCAT meetings.

- David Folts, Phoenix