Good morning, Whitewater
It’s a busy day today in Whitewater, with a greater number of public meetings than yesterday. I’ll set out the schedule, as I’ve learned it. All meetings on the agenda, with one exception, take place at the Municipal Building, 312 W. Whitewater Street.
Beginning at 9 a.m., in the City Manager’s Conference Room, City Manager Kevin Brunner offers a sixty-minute seminar entitled, “It Takes a Vision: Running a City through Committees, Commissions, Task Forces, Ad Hoc Groups, Surveys, and Long-Range Studies.” Brunner will talk about solving problems challenges through words alone, with special emphasis on quotations in a weekly report, and use of PowerPoint presentations to convey a sense of achievement.
Later, at 10:30 a.m., with no particular stopping point, Council member Dr. Roy Nosek will speak to law-abiding, mature, serious, good people from across Whitewater on the topic, “Persuasion through Sensitivity.” Reportedly returned after an extended visit to an ashram in Oregon, Nosek will explain his new-found desire to speak softly, and pleasingly, to all people, as we’re all part of one circle of life. Particularly, Nosek will remark on his respect for the contemporary college experience, love of students, and need to just, well, reach out and show you care.
At noon, Council member and would-be town historian, Marilyn Kienbaum, will address residents of this unique community on the topic, “Remember when …. Reflections on the Whitewater origins of the Cotton Gin, Electric Lightbulb, and Horseless Carriage.” For those interested, Kienbaum will explain the origins of the term “Smart Growth,” one she personally coined, along with tips for how she drafted 17 Smart Growth plans, the Marshall plan, and Plan 9 from Outer Space, all on one side of a cocktail napkin.
At 2 p.m., Whitewater Police Chief Jim Coan will show slides, from his carrousel slide projector, of his recent (and self-funded) trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. Entitled, “My Highly Special Excellent Adventures in Policing,” Coan’s slides will provide never-before seen glimpses of Las Vegas. For a mere $5.00 per attendee, Coan will offer reproduced and autographed photographs of himself sitting in the audience of Siegfried & Roy’s ‘Masters of the Impossible‘ show, from the Bellagio.
Finally, at 3 p.m., from an undisclosed location, blogger John Adams, along with former Vice President Dick Cheney, will speak on the topic, “Damn-it, It’s Hard to be Misunderstood,” “Clarity in Writing: How We’ve Tried to Make Our Meaning Plain.” Both will recount their life-long struggles to write, and say, what they really mean, without ambiguity. Cheney and Adams will offer attendees a card with 10 easy-to-remember steps for feeling confident about expressing themselves.