Last week I invited people on Facebook to come to the Village Council meeting. So many people complain about what is going on or not going on in Coconut Grove, yet they never participate in anything from Village Council to BID meetings to Chamber events. So I thought it would be nice to have some new blood attend.
What I didn't realize that what is normal to me and many others, is horrifying to those looking in on meetings. To me the quarreling and squabbles are just what goes on here, even at Bed Race meetings there have been knock down drag out arguments. I just thought that that was how it is. Apparently not.
Matt Herzberger, a Grovite, came out to last week's Village Council meeting to sit in and see what it was all about. The next day, he left this message on the Grapevine Facebook page:
"The meeting wasn't exactly an awe inspiring display that lifted my spirit and makes me want to get involved. Quite the opposite, I thought the demeanor of those in the crowd and some members of the council was very unprofessional. There was so much bad blood displayed I really couldn't believe what I was seeing. Maybe you have become immune to the way things are at these meeting but I was genuinely disappointed by the lack of respect shown to the council. I work in the world of academia and this quote seems fitting "Academic politics (insert village politics) is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low." Further more, going to your post recently about the BID and there being so many representatives for such a small area. Then also learning of even more oversight groups was a real eye opener to me. To use a sport analogy championships are won by teams not individuals. I think the Grove needs to get it act together and start thinking with that mentality before things will ever turn around."
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