BRTF speaking examples

[tylerdurden]

Everyone should know by now about the BRTF meeting on October 21st.

YES ON 2
See you at the BRTF meeting on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 1:30PM and 7PM
Hilton Long Beach & Executive Meeting Center
701 West Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90831


For those that are wondering what to say, or what the format will be, here is an example:

http://www.cafisheriescoalition.org/video/mlpa_scrsg_09-10-09.wmv

All of these comments were included because they were helpful. Ranting and raving, and losing your cool at the microphone does not help. Slamming the MLPA process at this point doesn't help. The process is going to conclude on schedule, and there is no stopping it. The best thing we can do right now is provide support for the best map out there, and constructive criticism of the lines on the maps. We need to be specific in your comments about the proposals, and very specific about the geographies you are discussing.

[tylerdurden]

Verbal Comments at Meetings
All meetings of the MLPA Initiative process will offer a minimum of one opportunity for public comment. Guidelines for general public comment at meetings include:
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Comment cards will be available approximately 1.5 hours before the start of each public comment period. Speakers are requested to choose one comment period in which to speak.
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Comment cards are requested to be submitted 15 minutes before the start of a public comment period. No new comment cards will be accepted once the comment period has begun. Speakers must be present and turn in their own cards (this also applies to all individual speakers who wish to cede their time to other speakers).
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Comment cards will be counted and, at the discretion of staff or the chair, the time allocated to each speaker will be based on the total available time and number of individuals wishing to speak. Time allotments will be enforced.
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Speakers with a shared message or from the same organization are encouraged to combine speaking points. Additional time for comment will be given to these ‘spokespeople’ and those who have ceded their time can stand to show support.
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Speakers with ceded time will be placed at the front of the queue. All other members of the public will be invited to speak in the order the speaker cards are received.
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Speakers are welcome to distribute written material to the audience. Other media presentations, such as slides and videos, are only permitted by prior arrangement (contact Kelly Sayce at 310-738-2665 or kelly@strategicoceansolutions.com) and may be limited depending on time availability. Please arrive early and let staff know if you have a media presentation. An alternate space in the venue will be provided for displaying any additional media information, as needed and as space is available.
Revised October 2, 2009
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The time for public comment will be noticed in the agenda for each meeting.
o
For the upcoming MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force meeting:
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On October 21, 2009 specific public comment will be taken at approximately 1:30 p.m. for approximately three hours. All comments provided at this time should be directly related to developing a final recommended MPA proposal for the south coast.
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On October 21, 2009 general public comment will be taken at approximately 7:00-10:00 p.m.
o
We request that you choose one comment period in which to speak at the upcoming BRTF meeting. If you request to speak during both comment periods, your comments during the evening session must be related to something other than developing the preferred MPA proposal to recommend for the south coast.

[tylerdurden]

Public comment is one of the cornerstones of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative planning process and is greatly valued by the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) to help inform our decisions. In anticipation of our upcoming meeting on October 20 – 22, and building off the recently distributed MLPA Guidelines for Public Comment, I would like to share some thoughts regarding the types of comments that are most useful to us:
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Comments directed to specific MPA boundaries, types of MPAs (classifications) and regulations are most valuable to help us make our decisions.
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Our goal from public comment is to understand why certain MPAs, or proposals, are more or less desirable than others to help us make the best possible decision. Repeated speakers with the same message of “I like” or “I don’t like” a particular proposal are less helpful.
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If you do not support a proposal, or a component of a proposal, please offer an alternative and explain why that alternative is more desirable to you.
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If you support a proposal, or a component of a proposal, please indicate why this proposal is most desirable to you.
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We understand that the limited time for individual comments often makes it difficult to convey your views to the task force. I would like to reiterate that we strongly encourage written comments be submitted to the MLPA Initiative by midnight on October 11. This will give BRTF members time to review the details of your comments. You can then refer to your written comments during the public comment period and highlight the key points. We also recommend that multiple speakers with a shared message combine their time to present a cohesive message.
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Public comment will be taken at the upcoming BRTF meeting on Wed., Oct. 21, 2009 at approximately 1:30 p.m. and again at approximately 7:00 p.m. The BRTF will assess the need and may consider additional public comment throughout the meeting. Please refer to the MLPA Guidelines for Public Comment for more details; I encourage you to take these suggestions into consideration prior to providing comments.
On behalf of the BRTF and MLPA Initiative staff, I wish to thank you for your constructive participation in the MLPA Initiative and for your dedication to California’s marine resources. Please feel free to contact us with any questions at one of the following:
Email: MLPAComments@resources.ca.gov Phone: 916.654.1885
MLPA Initiative Fax: 916.653.8102, Attn: MLPA Initiative c/o California Natural Resources Agency 1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311 Sacramento, CA 95814

[tylerdurden]

bump