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Wednesday, October 5. 2005
Off Track Betting in W. Chicago
This interview took place in Nora's Red Carpet Lounge, on the notorious and historic lower two blocks of Silver Street in beautiful downtown Hurley, WI. As I entered the local watering hole, Senator Fawghourne was on a stool near the window concentrating on the video slot machine in front of him.
This article is brought to you courtesy of a kind contribution by Jeff Gannon in celebration of his happy years as the only male escort in the White House Press Room.
| WegoWeb | Hi, Senator. Taking time out for a cool one or trying to become rich? |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | Hi, Bob. Actually kinda bored. After the first hour or so of watching the Weather Channel, you almost wish they'd switch back to the Food Channel. |
| Margaret (the bartender) | Hi, Bob... a Lite? |
| WegoWeb | Yes, please. |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | I'm kinda surprised to see you here. Didn't you have a Planning Commission meeting last night. |
| WegoWeb | Yes, but it got out early. They didn't have a quorum. |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | I noticed in the legal notices in the West Chicago Press that you were to hear testimony in a Public Hearing about the text changes necessary to have Off Track Betting |
| WegoWeb | Not just the text change permitting Betting, but also a request for a special use permit to allow it to be started at the entertainment complex on Route 38 that includes Synergy. So, where do you stand on it? Pro or Con? |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | I think you can conclude from what I am doing right now that I am not absolutely against gambling, although I also admit that I have friends who are. What I am doing right now is entertainment. It is not going to take food off the table or make the kids go to school barefoot. However, gambling is a real problem to a lot of folks and not just becoming addicted to it. Some people gamble with money that they would be better off spending in other ways. |
| WegoWeb | OK, yes, that you are playing a video slot proves you are not against gambling, per se. So why did you ask me to meet you here? |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | I am more immediately concerned with public input on this issue. They were informed by notification in the "Legal Notices" section of the local press. How many people do YOU know that read the notices? Putting it there is one step up from depositing the information in a black hole. The agenda was posted on the website. Literally, few people were informed of the hearing. If it were a problem with a garage built on a property line, the applicant would have had to post a sign on the property and send a special delivery to every property owner within 250 feet. This is a decision affecting the entire town and probably of interest to a significant number of people, namely church goers, and the notification requirement is weaker than a small problem with a garage. |
| WegoWeb | I'm sure they met all legal requirements of notification. |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | That doesn't matter. Good governernance is not meeting minimum requirements. It is doing whatever is necessary to make sure that the public is fully informed. It is making sure that people have an opportunity to speak to their elected officials and that requires that they be told when issues are coming up. It's not a question of the minimum required notification... it is a matter of doing whatever is allowed and reasonable to make sure the message goes out. They could have gotten a little bit creative. They could have sent a letter to every church and organization in town. They could post it on a sign at city hall. They could have had their public relations people send releases to the news outlets. |
| WegoWeb | OK, I could have done something about it. I could have posted an item, but I am on the Planning Commission. I should stay reasonably open minded until having heard the testimony during the Public Hearing. I can see what you are saying. I should have posted a link to the agenda with a summary indicating what important topics were to be discussed. But I can't run from church to church posting "Stop Off Track Betting" signs on the lawns. |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | There is no fairness in staying silent either. The applicant will speak in favor of the text change. There is guaranteed to be someone at the meeting to present the pro off track betting position. However, absent some kind of real notification, the other side may well not be represented. You are not taking sides by informing people that the issue will be discussed. |
| WegoWeb | I'll bet you a dollar that the applicant's attorney, if he learns about this essay will ask that I recuse myself. I would if I were him. |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | I won't take that bet, but that doesn't absolve you of an obligation to inform the folks. |
| WegoWeb | OK, I promise to do better about posting links to the city's agendas. I WILL do better. |
| Sen. Fawghourne: | Have a good day. the colors are great in the Penokee Range and I'm going to go look at the trees. |
| WegoWeb | Take care of yourself. |
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