ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS ATTEMPTS TO MEET SECRETLY WITH ACTIVISTS
If you've been following our actions at the ONE BAY AREA meetings with other groups, including East Bay Tea Party, 9-12 groups, property rights groups, and other Tea Parties, you know that we have deeply upset the game the Government (Association of Bay Area Governments--ABAG, and Metropolitan Transportation Commission--MTC in league with their public/private partners, Silicon Valley Partnership and Greenbelt Alliance) is playing.  The Delphi game is to pretend, and get you to believe, that your input is solicited to craft the plan when in fact it is already set up before you show up.  This is a Regional Plan, a stepping stone to Mega Regions and then to Global Government.  We haven't been going along to get along.

So out of the hundreds of people who attended their 'workshops,' in the 9 county Bay Area, out of the 7.5 million people in the Bay Area who would have questions about this plan if they knew about it, just four of us have been invited to a private meeting with ABAG-MTC.

Who are we?  Heather Gass, East Bay Tea Party Leader; Mimi Steel, 9-12 Leader; Carol Tomlinson, North Bay Patriots Leader; and me.

Here's the email they sent:
Ms. Koire:
 
The Executive Directors of MTC and ABAG are extending an invitation to meet with them at the MetroCenter to discuss issues and matters brought up at the Winter 2012 PlanBayArea workshops. There are three possible meeting times - one will be selected based on availability of invitees. Please reply to accept the invitation and indicate your preferred meeting date.
 
Thursday, Feb 16, between 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm
Friday, Feb 17, between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm
Friday, 3/2/12, between 9:00 am 11:00 am
 
regards,
JoAnna Bullock
Senior Grant Administrator, Urban Planner
 JoAnna Bullock JoAnnaB@abag.ca.gov 
 
Association of Bay Area Governments
MetroCenter 101 Eighth Street
Oakland, CA  94607       
  
I had been checking into the American Planning Association propaganda and saw that they have now put out a seminar on how to handle us.  That's you and me. So this is what I sent back:
 
You must have gotten this guide from the APA 

"Preparation
Second, be proactive
 Reach out to groups likely to oppose
 Request a meeting with them to listen to 
concerns and ideas
 Do not try to change their minds –collect 
their input
 Encourage them to provide you with 
materials (books, websites, etc.)
 Research local activist networks"

But Heather wanted to get more information.  I'm glad she did.  Here's her exchange:
Ms. Bullock,

I have several questions about this invitation that need to be cleared up before I consider attending.  Will this be a publicly noticed meeting subject the Brown Act and open to the public, Executive Session or an informal (private) meeting not subject to the Brown Act?  Who are the invitees? Is this open to the public or to just a handful of people? Which MTC/ABAG Executive Directors will be in attendance? Also, I am unclear as to the purpose of this meeting? What “Issues and Matters” will be discussed. I would like an agenda for the meeting.

Heather Gass
 -------------
Ms. Gass,
 
This is a invitation to meet informally with the executive director of MTC, Steve Hemminger and the executive director of ABAG, Ezra Rapport. The invitation was extended to the following attendees of the PBA public workshops:
Carol Thomlison
Rosa Koire
Mimi Steele
This will be an informal meeting, not a public meeting - no elected officials will be present so it is not subject to the Brown Act. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity to those that expressed issues and dissent at the PBA workshops to speak directly with the executive directors. The executive directors prefer no agenda - this is opportunity for open dialogue.
 
regards,
JoAnna Bullock
Senior Grant Administrator, Urban Planner


How 'bout that, folks?  Now they want an 'open dialogue' outside of the eyes and ears of the public and for the sole purpose of finding out about us.
      FORGET ABOUT IT.  
      NO GOOD GERMANS.
 


Comments

Alex fan
02/16/2012 22:16

This is the way to blow them out of the water, Rosa. You were great on Alex's show today and have nerves of steel, too. With people like you taking these scumbags on we have a chance. I liked how you could just be so natural with Alex and be on his level but not so frantic. That calm strong attitude is what we need. Thanks a lot for everything you do and we will support you. Your efforts are helping us to be informed and to know what to look for in our areas. Thank you and God Bless.

Reply
Cheryl Meril link
02/17/2012 08:39

Seriously Rosa, you need to step up the message on the Internet updating your tools. Without a Facebook page, you have no linkability with the masses who need this information. I can't "subscribe" to your updates, and your web page is based on the old style of information delivery. This blog integrated into your website just doesn't cut it. Few will come to your site to visit your blog daily which is why you have such a low comment ratio.

You need to:

Get a Facebook page, in spite of your dislike for this medium, it's the only effective way of distributing your information to a larger audience. Use it, it's free!

Get a Twitter account and update information such as what interviews you wiill be conducting on the radio, etc.

Get a wordpress or blogger blog that will get up high in the search engine, and link posts with Facebook.

Get a Linkedin Account so people can see your professional background history and link with you.

Without these things you will be made into a nutjob on the Internet as an outcast who people won't pay much attention too and that's the bottom line.

If you don't have the time, hire someone to implement a social network for you and your book. I will forward your information to people who I think can help you. I'm not doing this to make money off of you're needing a presence, I'm doing this because the message needs to reach a larger audience fast.

Reply
Pam
02/26/2012 06:53

I found you w/ FB Rosa :). And I share your site w/ all my friends and with anyone whom I discuss politics with. All of my neighbors are circulating BTGM because I bought two copies. :)

Reply
Pam
02/26/2012 06:55

I meant w/o FB! Without FB!

Reply
Janette
02/26/2012 19:39

So did I. I also sent your link to everyone in my contact list and posted on FB. Those of us who are interested in this stealth takeover are happy to spread the word.




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