Description

Greetings from the Paradise of America, Northampton Massachusetts. I'm honored to be joining the Valley Advocate team of web log correspondents.

With many suggestions for naming this web log, I fell for "Northampton Redoubt" including with that title an image of the roofline of Northampton's City Hall, which strongly resembles that of a fortress. It has been a strong media image of Northampton and lately too appropriate. Perhaps William Fenno Pratt should have designed a crystal glass hall instead for a better representation: transparency in government of and for the people.

For what it's worth I intend to offer my views on Northampton's public policies. A native to this area I've been following local events, involved in some while observing others. To be clear my recent civic history is as an activist and would-be councilor, not a journalist. Nonetheless, I've been moderating an online discussion group for a while, known as the Paradise City Forum (http://www.paradisecityforum.net), and often offer my views for others to consider, including with those my personally imperfect grammar and spelling.

Like this web log, the Forum was created in order to overcome a perceived lack of community discourse on a range of issues. While local reporters of all types provide somewhat descriptive news coverage, they often seem content to merely disseminate information from local leaders and mention the politically recognizable often enough to secure material for future stories. While there are appropriate relationships that develop between public officials and reporters, I've grown weary and suspect of praise published on behalf of officials for doing nothing more than going through the motions of their office.

In my view Northampton's City Council has served as a partner for most of what transpires from the mayor's office. Our legislative body is supposed to serve as a check and balance on our chief executive but fails to represent residents at times, as exemplified by its docile approval regarding the controversial Smith College Educational Use Overlay District in the fall of 2006.

I promise to appreciate being corrected when I've written something inaccurate so take the opportunity to offer clarifications or your own commentary. This blog is meant for open conversation so help yourself to the space, but please use appropriate language and refrain from personal attacks on others that are not based on verifiable evidence.

Welcome.

-Daryl G. LaFleur
Northampton Redoubt