Georgetown Students Get Some Ink
A couple quick updates this time. Paige Menking is a VP at Southwestern’s Students for Environmental Activism and Knowledge, the group that is working to get Georgetown’s obstinate City Council to just listen to a couple brief presentations regarding their long range energy plan. She submitted a letter to the editor to both the Williamson County Sun Times and the Austin American Statesman. Her letter was printed (old-style ink on paper kind of printed) in the Statesman yesterday:
Georgetown’s energy plan
A group of respectful, well-prepared and informed Southwestern students recently were turned away from speaking at the Georgetown City Council meeting about the city’s 2030 energy plan, its support of San Antonio’s proposed nuclear project and information about practical alternatives.
Had we been allowed to speak, we would have explained that Georgetown is locking us into the most expensive form of energy available and that CPS Energy’s plant will place huge stress on the Colorado River, diverting up to half its flow.
And we would have expressed our desire for more public input in Georgetown’s energy policies, which now seems even more necessary.
So we will be back at the next meeting, pushing for a cleaner energy future for Central Texas. We will not be discouraged, and we will make our voices heard. Because we will be inheriting the high costs of nuclear — both environmental and financial.
Paige Menking
menkingp@southwestern.edu
Georgetown
Congratulations Paige! Just another clear example of why people in power should try just an itsy bit harder to be open and democratic instead of using questionable procedural tactics to quash debate.
Which brings me to update numero dos. SEAK’s President, Connor Hanrahan, went back to the City Secretary’s office last week to sign up students and experts to testify to City Council once again. The staff there expressed sincere apologies about what had happened the week before and said that they were pretty confused themselves about exactly what had happened. It was clear what the intent of the students was and it was clear what the intent of the City Secretary’s office was. So exactly who decided we shouldn’t be allowed to speak?
