This man is who made me who I am love you grandpa proud to be your granddaughter! Kristina, I thought even further about our discussion later last night and this morning. Here are some thoughts that you may have already acted upon, but just in case you have not, I’ll share them. NEIGHBORS ARE KEY. In a municipality (like MLT) a very high priority is placed on keeping “the natives from becoming restless” - in other words, keeping peace in the neighborhoods. You might even want to consider having a complimentary open house/brunch or BBQ or two or more, because not every one of your neighbor’s schedule will fit with just one single date. Be patient. Win them over one at a time. It’s kind of like eating an elephant: “one bite at a time.” USE THE OMBUSDSMAN. Many governmental agencies have them as a fulltime position, or else someone who helps fill that need as an additional duty to their normal job description. One of my best friends was formerly the City of Seattle Ombudsman - their first one ever. One of their major roles is to help newbies like yourself navigate through the labyrinth of governmental departments; and to be a mentor for the ordinary citizen. My friend might even be available to consult with you and even represent you. He is not an attorney, which might even make him more of a good choice. If he believes in your position he can be a dogged advocate. He is very giving. He was even willing to meet with your brother Rob (at my request) in order to help Rob become comfortable with starting to go to a nearby Presbyterian church. My friend might even be available pro bono, but might want a modest fee if very much time was involved. He is married and lives in downtown Seattle along the waterfront. He and I were very good friends and skiing buddies in high school and remain as close friends even today (we and our wives sat together at our 60th HS reunion last Sunday. DECISION-MAKING BODIES are composed of mostly ordinary people like you and me, but they already have their minds made up before the opening gavel of the meeting; partly from their own life experiences and prejudices, but also from studying or lobbying-style input from advocates, and from conversing about it with their peers and trusted friends. The BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT (or whatever it might be called in MLT) or other governmental jurisdictions such as Snohomish County, is like a court system’s COURT OF APPEALS where people can obtain a waiver from restrictions in an ordinance - very much like the situation you’re dealing with. I served on the City of Edmonds Board of Adjustment (zoning variances) for several years and was the chairman of the board for a year or more. We heard cases like this, which were then sent to the City Council and/or the City Planning Commission for providing people with “conditional” and temporary reprieve from the sometimes overly tight stipulations of cold hard rules, laws, ordinances, etc. The rulings are subject to withdrawal if other problems arise, especially if they arise repeatedly. Variances are typically granted for only a specific time period and may need to be renewed (subject, of course to there being an absence of ongoing problems in the neighborhood). LOBBYING IS KEY. Good lobbying will be very important for you, and doing it privately, one-on-one whenever possible. Visit decision-makers in the privacy of their offices or other space. Ask for 5-10 minutes, and then stick to the time constraint with carefully crafted points that are articulated succinctly. When the 5-10 minutes are up, state that you appreciate their time and that you are prepared to leave unless they wish for you to remain longer. Be prepared to leave a typed outline or summary of your points so the other person can accurately reflect on them at a later time, or have them to use later when discussing the matter with their peers. Keep it simple and ordinary, nothing fancy or expensive-looking. It might even be better if it is hand lettered in ink pen onto a 3x5 index card (more home spun, so to speak). (Men like those because they fit into a shirt pocket.) A distinctively different color of paper might be helpful so it stands out from the piles of white paper they must deal with. Don’t stop with one contact per decision-influencer. Follow up often; kindly, and succinctly; leaving good, short, effective messages on voice mails, etc. if you miss the direct contact. Have lots of empathy by putting yourself into their shoes. The issue is forefront in your mind because it is so crucial to you. But, it is just one of many issues that they must deal with. Contact repetition is very important because it is so true that “the early bird gets the worm, and the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Best wishes, Grandpa Ted
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 00:53:12 +0000
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