(back)

Connecting with Tempe
'Week-in-the-life,' a personal perspective

By Pam Goronkin

Have you ever tuned in to a Tempe City Council meeting on Channel 11? You can usually catch us on Thursday evenings, when our official meeting begins at 7:30.

However, I’ll warn you: Some of my friends have told me they find these sessions  B-O-R-I-N-G!

The televised meetings are pretty formalized. Because of the Open Meetings Law, only items that are on the published agenda can be addressed.

We have streamlined the process by using a “consent agenda,” consisting of items requiring formal council approval that have been recommended by staff, usually without public objection.

Council acts on these numerous items with a single vote unless a councilmember, or a member of the public, requests that the item be removed for separate consideration. Unless there is something fairly controversial, most formal city council meetings are relatively cut and dried.    

“So, what do all of you do the rest of the time?” I’ve been asked.

It’s never the same from week to week or from councilmember to councilmember. But I’ll try to paint a “week-in-the-life-of” picture from my perspective.

Where the time goes

Friday afternoon marks the beginning of the council week. That’s when staff distributes our “council packet” for the upcoming week.

In our 4- to 5-inch-thick packet we will find numerous calendars, memoranda and briefing reports.

Staff also provide draft copies of the agenda for the formal council meeting, executive sessions, study sessions and any subcommittee meetings during the coming week. These agendas come with fat attachments of reading material for each agenda item.

If you want to be prepared, you’d better plow into this daunting stack over the weekend!

It’s rare to have a weekend without public appearance commitments. Some deal with celebrations or dedications, some deal with functions for a variety of service organizations that benefit our community. All are important. 

During the week, responding to email, snail mail and phone calls from constituents takes priority--as does keeping up with current events that impact Tempe and the region.

Staff provide electronic “clippings” from a wide variety of newspapers, journals and legislative bulletins to assist us. You can’t make good decisions if you’re not informed. 

Also in a typical week, I usually respond to about 20 formal invitations for workshops, neighborhood meetings, dinners and events of various kinds.

This takes time, excellent staff support and careful calendar management. You just can’t do it all!

Meantime, following my packet reading, I’ve got lots of questions! I make phone calls and gather additional data. I may discuss some issues with one or two other councilmembers, the City Manager or the City Attorney. Thursday is looming.

During the week I might  have lunch with a member of the Tempe Employee Council, attend a grand opening of an important new business in town, chair a meeting of the Finance and Diversity Committee, participate in a Youth Town Hall or a Community in Schools Roundtable, or a workshop on Private/Public Partnerships.

Members of the development community and groups with ideas to safeguard their neighborhoods also deserve attention. Carving out time for your own vision and plans is important, too.

Then you quickly change for the evening’s dinner commitment. Some days are 14 hours long. Most aren’t. 

One thing about this job: It’s never boring.  There is such a diversity of issues, opinions and people to deal with that it’s fascinating. I am humbled and honored by the challenge and responsibility. My job is to learn all that I can to make the best choices that I can for Tempe; it’s what I was elected to do.

Yours in service…Pam Goronkin     

(back)