Having been Mayor, many thought I might be able to conduct an interview from the viewpoint of having been there. I found Liz sitting behind her desk in the Mayor's office surrounded by the mounds of paperwork that eventually find its way to this office. I did notice, however, that her papers were more neatly stacked than mine ever were but we won't go into my utter dislike for paper work at this time...

Q-1. You stated during your campaign that you wanted to change certain things in the way that the city government is being run. Now that you are Mayor, what specific changes do you intend to make?

There are a number of things that we (I include Deputy Mayor JJFridge here as the entire campaign was a cooperative effort and we work together towards common goals) would like to change and/or improve upon during the course of our administration. Some of these things we are actively working towards at this time, while others are still in their planning stages. We have already established and are maintaining an open door policy whereby we are available to all Cybertown residents to discuss concerns, proposals, etc. And we have (and will continue to) encourage all Council members to spend as much time as possible in open chat so that they too will be able to keep their finger(s) on the pulse of the community.

We are currently involved in a full review and revision of both the CERB Guidelines and the Unified Ban Policy. This will serve many purposes, including but not limited to:

1. Streamlining the process by which those in need get their case(s) before CERB for review.
2. Clarifying for CT's Citizenship what is considered inappropriate behavior and what consequence there is for a violation of established rules.
3. It will ensure that the dissemination of information between CERB and Security is speedy and complete, thereby providing appellants a quick resolution to their pending case(s).

Another ongoing project involves the promotion of tolerance and a greater understanding of our diversification. At this time I have scheduled to meet with the Latino sector of our community. It's my hope that we can work together to develop a plan of action that will bring about activities, events and educational opportunities to solidify a relationship between the various cultures represented in the City. In addition to these active projects, there are many ideas waiting to begin development, with more coming in all the time. We not only have our own ideas to put forth in future, but listen carefully to what CT's users are talking and/or posting about. We take that information and try to incorporate it into our plans whenever possible.

Q-2. Effective city government depends, among other things, upon mutual respect and cooperation between all departmental heads and the city council.

a. Has your relationship with the city council developed to the point where you feel you can be an effective leader?
b. Can this relationship be improved? If so, how?

Having served on Council as a representative of Entertainment Colony, there was already an established relationship upon which to build; an element of mutual respect for each member was already in place, which has helped tremendously. Can the relationship be improved, of course; I don't know of any relationship that can't be. I believe however that the relationship we have now enables me to lead effectively.

It's my feeling that with continued open, honest communication between Council and myself the relationship will further develop to an even higher level of respect, appreciation and cooperation. I am available to all Council members at any time (via inbox, email and phone) should they need to address an issue; I am open to suggestion and am always willing to listen to all sides, to advise or assist them in any way. I'm looking forward to the time when the proposals currently under development are put forth; having their input is important to me.

Q-3. You stated that you would like to see 'open' city council meetings.
a. When can we, the citizens, expect this to take place?
b. How will this affect issues of confidentiality?
c. When are the scheduled city council meetings?

This is an area that is still in its development stage. Its important that the final proposal we submit contain as much information as possible with regard to how this can be accomplished with the least detriment to issues such as confidentiality and productivity. While we believe it to be important that the citizens of Cybertown have an opportunity to see their government at work, we also recognize that it must be done in such a way so as not to deter Council from getting the job done. A delicate balance must be maintained in order for this to succeed, and that is what we're working towards bringing forth in the proposal.

At the present time we are holding meetings twice a month, on the first Wednesday at 10pm CyT and the third Saturday at 2pm CyT. This schedule permits us to accommodate the various time zone restrictions of our members, which in turn leads to more productivity. Anybody who is unable to attend one of these meetings is provided with a full log and continuous discussions amongst all members are then carried on via email.

Q-4. With city council meetings open to the public, a 'bottle neck' affect on every issue that comes before the council would be the obvious result.
a. How will you get a policy into force that never seems to get past the continuous public debate stage?
b. Will this limit your ability to 'take action' when immediate action is called for?

Having open Council meetings does not in itself translate into open public debate. My goal is to establish a means by which both can take place without interfering with the day-to-day functioning of the government. I believe this can be accomplished by establishing a specific order by which public participation is implemented. While still being refined, the basic concept I am working on would go something like this:

1. A form will be provided (via an established web site) so that citizens can communicate directly to us what topics/issues they wish to bring forth for discussion.
2. The input from this form will be placed in a central database, analyzed on a monthly basis, and depending on variables such as time restrictions, current atmosphere in town, etc., two or more issues will be chosen as current topics of discussion at public meetings.
3. Public meetings will be held on a monthly basis in City Hall. Each month, as the topics for discussion are chosen they will be advertised throughout the city and those who wish to take part will be invited to speak. They will be encouraged to prepare in advance so as to be able to make their point in a concise manner.
4. Information gathered during these meetings will then be used to assist us in reviewing and/or revising current policy, as well as establishing new policies, events, etc.

If you have ever attended a public forum where you live, or viewed one on public television, you will have a better idea of what it is I am trying to establish. If you haven't, I'd encourage you to do so at least once. There is a definite order to these meetings, which is what we wish to develop here in Cybertown. There will be specific times established for public debate, after which decisions will be made. Ultimately, the goal is to provide an avenue by which CT's citizens can have their voice heard in a positive and constructive manner/forum so that Council can then utilize these ideas and suggestions in its efforts to make CT the best that it can be.

As for public participation affecting my ability to take immediate action when necessary, no, it will not limit that in any way. If a situation arises that requires "immediate" action, I will as always review the information provided to me and make a decision. Such situations usually affect the safety of the city and its residents as a whole and there can be no debate where that is concerned. The well being of CT's residents is always given top priority.

Q-5. Will you continue to have public 'town meetings' as did the previous administration?
a. If so, when?
b. If not, why?

Yes, as discussed in response to your previous question(s), we do intend to continue to have public town meetings. I hope to start these in late January or early February, following the beginning of the New Year. With holidays rolling around I think it is best to wait until that time; it also gives us time to firmly establish the guidelines that will be used during these public debates/meetings.

Q-6. Security is an essential part of our city. What changes, if any, can we expect in our security department?

Our current Security team, under Jayna's leadership, has been doing an outstanding job protecting the city and its inhabitants. Working as a member of the Security team is very demanding. In addition to the current review of the UBP that was discussed above, which will benefit both citizen and security member alike, the addition of more staff to Security is of utmost importance. This is already underway; applicants are currently being interviewed, hired and trained. It is hoped that by adding to its workforce we can provide CT with broader coverage during all hours of the day.

Q-7. The C.E.R.B. is an essential part of our established checks and balances system.
a. What changes, if any, can we expect in this department?

With C.E.R.B. now celebrating its one-year anniversary, we feel it's important to review current guidelines and streamline the process by which it conducts its business. This is being done now, as stated above. A new Chief, waynewins, was recently named and we are working closely with him to determine what areas might need improvement and to act upon them accordingly.

Q-8. Do you favor term limits for Colony Leaders?
a. If so, how will you see to it's implementation?

I know that many have expressed a desire for term limits for this position, however I am not at this time personally convinced that it is necessary. Looking back at the development of the various colonies in Cybertown, and in particular at the ongoing change(s) in their leadership, we see that the majority of CL's have voluntarily stepped down from this position within a two year period of taking it on, putting the colony into the care of another in doing so.

Additionally, the position of Colony Leader is not an elected position; it is a job which one is hired to do, same as BD, BL, ND, NL, CD, etc. The only difference with Colony Leader is that this individual is hired by the City Council as a body and not by a single individual as is normally the case with the others. Colony Leaders, as employees of the city, are subject to termination as are all other positions of this nature.

I can understand and support the idea of term limitations for positions that are elected, whether by public vote (as in the case of C.E.R.B. Representatives, Deputy Mayor and Mayor) or by process of elimination via questionnaires and interviews (such as the various Ambassador positions awarded each year). However I do not see a need for this in any of the employment-type positions throughout Cybertown. This is not to say that there will never be a need for this type of limitation, but at the present time I have to question such a need: Why would this be needed when historically these positions have had a turnover period, for the majority, of not longer than two years?

Q-9. You have been Mayor for several months now.
a. How would you grade your own progress?
b. What areas, if any, do you feel need improvement?

In actuality, at the time I am answering these questions, JJFridge and I have not been in office for a full two months yet as we were sworn in on Thursday, September 6th. Its difficult to look back on such a short span and truly grade performance. However, I believe that in this brief time period we have successfully settled into our new roles and have been making great strides towards the full development of those proposals we brought forth during the campaign.

We have developed a good working relationship with City Council, and most importantly, have been open and honest with CT's citizens when troubles and/or issues have been brought to us. We have made every effort to assist those in need, and continue to do so on a daily basis.

It's my firm belief that as a human being I have a duty to work towards continual improvement of self. This naturally carries over into whatever tasks I endeavor to undertake. As such, I will always look for ways in which to improve the way I do my job, and will nudge others to do the same. One of the most important things that I can do as Mayor is lead by example; treat others in a manner that conforms not only to the social guidelines established in our fair city but to those which affect us in our daily lives as well. I shall continue to look for additional ways in which to accomplish this, as well as finding and/or developing improved methods by which Cybertown's residents can contribute to their surroundings.

I am my worst critic and I always strive for the best. I have learned in the past that the best way to measure how I am doing is to ask the people I work with. Maybe that is something that needs to be addressed to them.

Q-10. Rumor has it that JJ Fridge, who was seen leaving the Black Sun Club in the early morning hours, pointed a twinkie at Mina in a threatening manner while yelling, 'Give me twinkies or give me death' when she refused to let him get up on stage and sing his version of the instrumental hit 'Wipeout' during a recent 'Butterflies, Acts of Terrorism or Mind Control?' symposium held there recently where he was slated to be one of the key note speakers.
a. Why does Mina have so many jobs?
b. Why did she quit playing the banjo?

As a general rule I do not pay much heed to rumor, so on the issue of JJFridge accosting Mina, while I would normally say 'no comment' I must at this time express my disbelief at this accusation. This is based upon the knowledge that Mina has not been seen in Cybertown since prior to the time warp which threw us all into a tizzy earlier this year.

As for Mina, to begin with, it is important to recognize Mina for what she was; a very sophisticated VR 4000 X Simul Android that was carefully constructed to handle the workload of many humans without batting a lash. As such, she was often called upon to take on a vast number of tasks at once, a challenge that she rose to with exceptional robotic dignity. Since our poor Mina apparently fell victim to the time warp, her job titles have been maintained out of a show of respect.

Since there have been no recent sightings of this missing bot, I am not sure where you would have gotten the idea that she had stopped playing the banjo. It is quite possible that she is happily plucking strings either in the future, or that she finally took that final step and has settled in to begin life with her long time boyfriend from another galaxy.