This Land is Your Land: Our Right to Free Speech

As I write this, we American still have the right to free speech. It is one of our most cherished freedoms.

Free speech is showing signs of erosion in Washington, DC these days, but technically, we still have it.

You have it locally, as well, and I encourage you to take advantage of it, especially by addressing your city council, county board or town/township board at meetings. The advantage of this method is that you can reach the entire board as well as appointed officials and others in attendance at one time. In addition, the press may be there to record your comments. Don't be shy.

Here's the schedule of the major board and council meetings in our community:

Marinette City Council, usually meets first Tuesdays, 6 p.m., city hall. Check the schedule here.

Marinette County Board, typically meets the last Tuesday of the month at the courthouse. Download a meeting schedule here. Meetings can last most of the workday, depending on the agenda.

Menominee City Council, usually meets the third Monday of the month, 6 p.m., in council chambers at the Menominee Municipal Complex, aka City Hall. Find upcoming agendas and past minutes here.

Menominee County Board, meets when it feels like it, apparently, as I've never been able to discern a regular schedule, although there must be one. The board meets at the courthouse, usually, but can take its show - and I don't use that term jokingly - on the road to places like the MSU/County Fair/4-H building in Stephenson, often called the Annex. Here's a list of agendas and minutes.

A few things to keep in mind:

Regular meeting times and dates can change. Check the links above frequently.

• These oversight boards all have committees that meet, usually but not always monthly, and you can express your feelings there, too, before issues make it to the final stages.

• Each state has open meetings laws that dictate when they must publicize or "post" a meeting. Here are Michigan's; here are Wisconsin's.

• Certain issues like compensation, personnel, negotiation, etc., may be addressed in closed session.

• Governing panels must be transparent about most other things. If an item changes between the first time it is arises and the time it is acted upon, question it. Something is awry. This occurred on the Marinette side recently with regards to the anti-mine resolution passed in July. Although an alderman questioned the issue, it was apparently ignored. Read more here (scroll down).

• Minutes generally contain motions, not notions. So unless a meeting is being taped, what is actually said may be lost to history. That's another good reason for attending meetings in person and not relying on minutes or press coverage.

• Be prepared to state your name and address. Transparency applies to you, too. You may also be asked to sign an attendance sheet for the meeting's secretary.

• Don't expect meetings to be dry and boring. They aren't. Tempers rise, emotions get in the way and sometimes, people seven talk out. (Meetings can be kind of fun, actually.)

• Finally, keep in mind that elected officials must listen to you without belittling you or your point of view.  Come armed with facts, cogent arguments and even solutions. If that doesn't work and an official attacks you or your opinions, then that official has a problem. That's why office terms are finite!