My roommate came home coffeeless, Sept. 26, after a short walk to a nearby coffee shop. It’s not that she had changed her mind about an evening study-session caffeine boost, but rather, she told me she had made it to the coffee shop, purchased a coffee, and then proceeded to throw it in the garbage.
I delved further into the odd situation. She said the coffee shop barista had burnt her coffee, she thought it was gross and she threw it out.
In my head, I worked through the details. A student, on a student income, treated herself to an overpriced coffee and then immediately threw it in the garbage? It made no sense.
“Did you get your money back?” I asked.
Her answer was “no.”
She didn’t complain, she didn’t ask for a new coffee and she didn’t ask for her money back.
She made the trip to the coffee shop, paid for a coffee, made the trip home and ended up without the coffee she invested her time and money into.
My friend complained to me about it but stayed tight-lipped when the circumstances could have easily been altered.
Do you know what you get when you stay silent? Exactly what you have. So if you’re unhappy with that, you will remain unhappy.
It’s Communication 101.
Sometimes people don’t know there is an issue and simple communication could change everything. It seems simple – and it really is.
Think about it.
How do you feel about the elected bodies that represent you? What about the stores that you shop at? How do you feel about the content in this newspaper? Are you happy with the reporting in it?
Did you know that we, as a newsroom, love hearing feedback, tips and receiving letters to the editor from you? We produce the news that is delivered to the public, you are who we are providing the service to and therefore your opinion matters.
You impact our newspaper, just as you can impact your elected bodies and anything else you care about.
The forces that affect your lives are often also the ones that you directly impact.
The Village of Beiseker recently held a Town hall meeting, Sept. 24, and about 35 people turned up.
Mayor Ray Courtman said he wanted to create transparency at the municipal level of government. Residents had the opportunity to see how council runs their meetings as well as ask council questions or provide input.
Many questions arose, and council answered these to the best of their ability with the intention of addressing all issues further by having the CAO document resident concerns.
It is fantastic for the Village and residents to have the opportunity to communicate openly. The abbreviated council meeting during the Town hall session accurately represented the meetings I have attended and there seemed to be a lot of resident concerns that were addressed.
While the idea of a Town hall meeting is great, it’s also unnecessary.
Citizens have this exact opportunity at every council meeting, and this doesn’t just apply to Beiseker. Residents can attend meetings, find out what council is up to, listen to the debate that dictates the decisions that affect them and even have a say.
Residents can make presentations to council that can affect decisions which impact them.
According to Courtman, residents are talking about Village issues in coffee shops, often leaving council in the dark about their concerns. Issues go no further than their second cup of coffee.
Courtman hopes to see Town hall meetings every six to 12 months. That is potentially hundreds of cups of complaints.
Take the caffeine buzz from the coffee shop and march to the Village office and make an appointment to address council. You only need to give six days notice, and you only need to take 15 minutes on council night to do it.
If you’re unhappy, it doesn’t have to be that way. If you have a legitimate concern, sometimes all it takes is bringing it to light and communicating.
If nobody knows there is an issue affecting you, nothing will ever change.
If that barista isn’t told that she roasted the espresso beans for a bit too long, everyone will have burnt coffee forever.
