What part of the people's voice do they fear

Experts focus on Verde River issues here Friday…By Joanna Dodder Nellans, The Daily Courier …Wednesday, February 06, 2008 … PRESCOTT - An impressive collection of experts will offer their perspectives about Verde River issues during a two-state conference in Prescott Friday morning.Organizers are inviting the public to attend the plenary session that includes six speakers and a panel discussion from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Prescott Resort, on the hill at the intersection of highways 69 and 89. The conference is a joint annual meeting of the Arizona-New Mexico Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and the Arizona/New Mexico chapters of the Wildlife Society. Members generally work as fisheries and wildlife biologists. The Friday morning panel discussion will focus on Verde Watershed management and fisheries issues, including questions from the audience. "These are huge issues in the Verde, and the rest of the world is watching," said Pam Sponholtz, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fishery biologist who is helping to organize the conference. Outsiders hope to learn from what happens here, she added.The cost for the plenary session is $10 at the door, compared to the full-conference fee of $150 that includes dozens of talks about the latest wildlife and fisheries research. The public also is welcome to register for other parts of the conference.Following is the speaker schedule for the Friday morning plenary session:• 8 a.m. - Introduction by Amy Unthank, Arizona-New Mexico Chapter president of the American Fisheries Society.• 8:15 a.m. to 8:35 a.m. - Abe Springer, associate professor of geology at Northern Arizona University, on "Why is the Azure of the Verde so Unique?"• 8:35-8:55 - Chuck Paradzick, wildlife biologist for the Salt River Project: "Managing Water Supplies and Conservation of Fish and Wildlife: Salt River Project's Perspective."• 9:10-9:30 - Carol Springer, Yavapai County Board of Supervisors chair: "The Future of the Verde River."• 9:30-9:50 - Dan Campbell, Verde Program director for The Nature Conservancy: "People and Wildlife in Balance."• 10:05-10:25 - Michael Byrd, executive director of Prescott Creeks: "Community-Based Restoration - A Headwaters Effort."• 10:25-10:45 - Michelle Harrington, rivers conservation manager for the Center for Biological Diversity: "Viva el Rio Verde! - Habitat and All."• 11-11:30 - Panel discussion.Dozens of other topics are available Friday and Saturday for those who pay the full conference price. They range from Arizona pronghorn research that the Arizona Game and Fish Department is conducting to reports about how native fish are doing in Fossil Creek above the Verde River after a dam decommissioning.

So what part of it’s the people’s voice only which needs to be heard don’t you political wonks understand … ?

What is it about hearing John Q. Public that you politicians, academics and political wonks find so frightening and fearful…?

Is it that you are not able to structure and control the agenda as well as tenor of the discussions, keeping them within predetermined parameters…?

Is it that you fear you will be caught totally unaware with your pants down by a totally sensible question from the public for which you don’t have that scripted answer at your finger tips…?

Experts, my eye, each of the panelists have purely vested interest. It’s clearly another example of pandering and poorly disguised in my opinion.

Let the public speak and listen to them.

I believe you will find they have solutions which have eluded you.