Winton's proposal is disappointing

Commissioner Johnny Winton recently proposed legislation that makes it easier for commissioners to remove advisory board members they appointed who disagree with them.

Working in a room full of ''yes men'' is not going to give our commissioners advice, but will only sustain their belief in a path others may think is wrong. Differences in values and opinions are reflected in our community and listening to them is what good government officials do to reach the decision that will best serve their community.

Citizen advisory boards are supposed to be comprised of people who are experts in their fields to give our commissioners advice about their areas of expertise. Turning them into the court portraitist (the royal family was always painted to look beautiful even if they were truly unattractive) will not make better government and, just as the queen will not become beautiful because her portrait says so, the result a commissioner wants may not be the best one just because his ''yes man'' tells him it is.

We elect our commissioners to be leaders, not a uninformed dictators. If they listen to their advisors and still disagree, they have the power to disregard the advice. Firing citizen advisors to replace them with people who always agree with the commissioner who appointed them defeats the whole purpose of having advisors. The members of the advisory boards will be afraid to give honest advice, qualified people won't want to serve, and the advisory boards will become meaningless rubber stamping stops in the process of a wasteful bureaucracy. If commissioners find themselves badly out of synch with the advisors they have chosen, maybe they should consider whether they are also out of synch with the constituency they were elected to represent.

As one of Commissioner Winton's constituents, I am extremely disappointed in this latest proposed legislation.

After sending correspondence to the commissioners regarding Winton's proposal, only one commissioner, Tomas Regalado, responded, stating:

"Since you copied me on your e-mail, I would like to tell you that I had not supported the concept as it was presented to the commission. At my request, the city attorney modified the ordinance and now if a commissioner wants to remove a board member, this commissioner has to come in a public hearing and explain the reasons why he wants to replace a board member and then the whole commission has to vote. This way there will be transparency.''

Although the modification is a step in the right direction, the fact the issue was raised by Commissioner Winton in the first place and the chilling effect it may have on the citizen advisory boards, is disturbing.

MICHELLE M. NIEMEYER

COCONUT GROVE

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