RTP-area local music and culture

[<info AT durhamloop.org>]

http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/hsletters/


Durham is great theater
 
Durham does not need a new performing arts center downtown. The characters
at City Hall provide all the theater we need. 

The City Council's performance on June 7 was originally billed as "Democracy
in Action." After a resounding performance in Act 1 (the budget hearing),
City Council abruptly cut short Act 2 (public input on the proposed $42
million downtown theater) -- to the dismay of more than 60 audience members
who waited four hours for this performance. 

According to the script, the scene was supposed to open with the City
Council hearing public comments about the proposed theater. Then the curtain
would fall on a vote in favor of a four-month extension for further study.
Mayor Bill Bell, star of the show, instead denied public comment and moved
directly to the vote. 

Ironically, one of the reasons so many people came to speak in person was
the lack of previous opportunities for input on the theater. Our comments
would have offered the council a chance to make the best use of the
four-month study extension before making the final decision this fall. 

Because the theater performance was cut short, many in the audience demanded
their money back from the show's promoter (Clear Channel). Word is that
several Broadway producers have expressed an interest in the picking up the
hottest new show in town, "Democracy is Dead in Durham." 


CALEB SOUTHERN
DURHAM
June 14, 2004

***

The right to be heard
 
I'm moving to Durham this week. But after sitting through four hours of a
Durham City Council meeting and being denied by Durham Mayor Bill Bell any
time to speak about the proposed Clear Channel theater, I almost stopped
packing. 

Then to find this event buried under budget reporting in The Herald-Sun
[June 8] gave me further pause. But the reason I am still packing is the
same reason I wanted to move to Durham: citizens at that meeting who give a
damn. It's appropriate The Herald-Sun gave the budget prominent coverage. It
was an inspiring forum lasting more than two hours. What doesn't seem
appropriate is to bury coverage of those who didn't have their voices heard
under coverage of those who did. 

I challenge the local media to give the people a voice outside City Hall.
Clear Channel has silenced competitors and private-label musicians on the
airwaves. Mayor Bell has cut off our airtime at City Hall. We also need to
do our part -- writing letters and standing our ground in government
meetings. 

Many people given the floor at Monday's meeting thanked Bell for the
opportunity to speak. I commend their manners. But airtime in a public forum
is not the mayor's time to give -- it's the citizens' time to take. If we
take more and the media gives more, hopefully the City Council will hear
what we have to say. 


NICOLE QUENELLE
DURHAM
June 13, 2004 


***

City council should listen for as long as necessary
 
It's amazing. These City Council folk speak as if there weren't 60 of us at
the meeting [Herald-Sun, June 9]. We were tired, too. We had been sitting,
sometimes standing, just as long as they had. And their chairs were a heck
of a lot more comfortable looking than ours. But we were there because we
care about this issue, and we would have sat another hour to get our chance
to speak. 

Diane Catotti spoke of a "creative solution" that escaped her at the time.
Here's one: Let the people who filled out cards speak. Be willing to stay up
until 3 a.m. if it comes to that. Is that so much to ask of our elected
officials? We weren't asking them to make any sacrifice that we weren't
willing to make. 

Later in the meeting, Mayor Bill Bell backtracked, saying, "We're used to
staying up this late." They're going to have to work harder than that. We
knew the proposal would pass. All we wanted was the chance to enter our
objections into the record. They denied that opportunity to all but four of
us. 

I appreciate that some members of the council have expressed that they would
do things differently if given the chance. However, I'm afraid it's too
late. Their actions symbolized this issue. Bad decision-making. Closed
process. Concerns of the public not entertained until after the decision is
made. We eagerly await the public forums we've heard about. We will be
there. And we look forward to seeing every member of the City Council there
as well. 


JAMES HEPLER
Durham
June 12, 2004