Message from Tom Champion (verbatim)

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

From the beginning, my informal communication via LiveJournal has been problematic for a variety of reasons:

* When am I speaking for myself, and when for the city?

* Am I setting myself up as some alternate channel that competes with legitimate lines of inquiry and process, such as 311? Am I just ego-tripping?

* My "tone" has been questioned on several occasions and I certainly don't want anybody to judge the city by one snarky employee -- especially since I have the responsibility to speak officially for the city as well.

* Twice in as many weeks I have, in a rush to be timely, mis-communicated on important issues, and had to apologize for it.

* My first responsibility at all times is to my friends and colleagues in city government. They're my team and I must never create even the appearance of second-guessing them -- because I'm not. It's simply inappropriate for me to pretend that I can "unofficially" take part in any online community -- even as decent and thoughtful a community as DSLJ.

This was, therefore, a mistake. The InterWebs are tricky places, and we learn as we go.

In future, I think the best way for people to communicate with City Hall is to call or email 311 -- and the best way for City Hall to communicate with DSLJ members is by official announcement only, so I will explore setting up an account for that purpose.

Comments

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

I'm personally jealous of his name.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Maybe we should all change ours to show solidarity?

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Why do people like this butthurt douchebag again?

As far as I can tell he enjoyed basking in attention until the first minor incident in which he flounced tremendously.

[tomchampion.livejournal.com]

That is, in fact, a very perceptive observation.

The "basking in attention" thing was always questionable and has a lot to do with why I shouldn't do this anymore.

And nobody should gang up on on_reserve for being right or being snarky: what I learned was that I shouldn't interfere to the degree that I had begun to. As I told on_reserve offline, this wasn't Jim Kotzuba's mistake. It was mine.

Re-flouncing.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Okay, I take back the 'butthurt' remark.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Well, I missed the incident entirely, so I can't speak to the flouncing.

But you could change your name to [two_stabs] Villain, if you preferred!

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

I'd prefer to just continue developing my reputation.

[diatomacearth.livejournal.com]

Lord knows, he's nicer than you.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Lots of people are nicer than me. You're nicer than me. But where are your adoring fans?

[diatomacearth.livejournal.com]

They've got too much good taste to hang out here.