I just received a note from my friends in Tennessee that they attended a visioning meeting and had a new Delphi tactic used on them. We have seen it used here in California as well. Our Tennessee Agenda 21 fighters asked what they could do to combat it, and we thought we'd share our comments with you here.
The classic Delphic technique tactics have you come into a room where you are with a large group and you're either seated in an auditorium or you'll be broken into groups at tables. This gives you access to all participants, at least for a while, and you are able to voice your objections to the entire body.
The new tactic being used by planners is the OPEN HOUSE. The Open House tactic invites the 'public' to drop in at one of several locations at different dates. There will be a planner on duty to explain the plan and solicit the public's input. Usually these open sessions are about 2 hours long. There is often an informational video shown. There is no opportunity for interaction between members of the public.
There is also an online survey that can be filled out by anyone in the public to give their input on the project. There is no way of knowing who is using these forms.
HOW TO COUNTER THIS: What we have done is to prepare a flyer and give it to people as they are going in to the building. You can do this in shifts (one hour each) at each of the locations. The flyers are essentially the 'Notice: You Are Being Delphi'd' ones. I've attached one here. This particular flyer is specific to our regional plan but you can easily adapt it. Also there must be an open meeting law in your state similar to the Brown Act in California. You can put that on the back or something else that's pertinent. The thing about this tactic of theirs is that with the online survey anyone in any state or nation--or world, I guess-- can weigh in. It's a farce, obviously.
We also suggest that you go to your council meeting/supervisors meetings and speak out about this in public comments. Take as many people as possible and do it more than once. Also go to the MPO meeting, their board meeting and protest. You can bring bullhorns and signs and stand out in front in protest. The point is to drag it out of the shadows and embarrass as many of them as possible. Expose it to the light. How many people will be making this 'binding decision' for the huge area covered by the plan? What percentage of the total population? Exploit that shockingly small number.
THIS IS NOT YOUR PLAN. LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THEY ARE BEING DELPHI'D.
The classic Delphic technique tactics have you come into a room where you are with a large group and you're either seated in an auditorium or you'll be broken into groups at tables. This gives you access to all participants, at least for a while, and you are able to voice your objections to the entire body.
The new tactic being used by planners is the OPEN HOUSE. The Open House tactic invites the 'public' to drop in at one of several locations at different dates. There will be a planner on duty to explain the plan and solicit the public's input. Usually these open sessions are about 2 hours long. There is often an informational video shown. There is no opportunity for interaction between members of the public.
There is also an online survey that can be filled out by anyone in the public to give their input on the project. There is no way of knowing who is using these forms.
HOW TO COUNTER THIS: What we have done is to prepare a flyer and give it to people as they are going in to the building. You can do this in shifts (one hour each) at each of the locations. The flyers are essentially the 'Notice: You Are Being Delphi'd' ones. I've attached one here. This particular flyer is specific to our regional plan but you can easily adapt it. Also there must be an open meeting law in your state similar to the Brown Act in California. You can put that on the back or something else that's pertinent. The thing about this tactic of theirs is that with the online survey anyone in any state or nation--or world, I guess-- can weigh in. It's a farce, obviously.
We also suggest that you go to your council meeting/supervisors meetings and speak out about this in public comments. Take as many people as possible and do it more than once. Also go to the MPO meeting, their board meeting and protest. You can bring bullhorns and signs and stand out in front in protest. The point is to drag it out of the shadows and embarrass as many of them as possible. Expose it to the light. How many people will be making this 'binding decision' for the huge area covered by the plan? What percentage of the total population? Exploit that shockingly small number.
THIS IS NOT YOUR PLAN. LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THEY ARE BEING DELPHI'D.
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