How to reach more citizens.

I would like to hear from our citizens on how we can engage them more into the process of getting information, sharing information, asking questions of your government. I do understand that sometimes issues are being addressed and you will hear CIP and GMO and Master Plan or how about TIF, COLA or MDR.
There are alot of people that know a few of these, but do they really know these items as they pertain to how it effects them.

It's not that people discuss these things on a daily basis at the coffee shop and it is understandable that some of these issues are just too complex to give a short description about.

Having spent the last 10 years on Planning Board and Town Council I do see the importance that these items have. However I feel that the public should be able to learn about these doctrine at least in it's simplest form to appreciate just what these items do for us in the town of Derry.

For instance, The GMO or Growth Management Ordinance was talked about in the late 90's. The planning board at that time understood that residential growth was happening at a very fast pace. In fact, so fast it was putting a burden on our school system, our roadways, and our police, fire, public work services. Something had to be addressed because taxes were climbing at a very fast pace. Now we all know that land owners have tremendous rights in the US.
If you own the land, you have the right to do what you wish with that land as long as it conforms to zoning laws.

In Derry in the mid 80's and early nineties. large parcels of land were being bought for top dollar and developed- At a very fast clip. ( chester is now experiencing this ) And the Growth Management Ordinance that we now have, which the courts have allowed says that we can limit the residential growth accordingly (so that we don't get a spike which effects the tax rate quickly, however in exchange for being allowed to do this we have to have a Master Plan and CIP. Both are road maps of how and when residential development takes place. Without following this PLAN. The courts will basically say that we will not be able to control residential as we want.
This is a very scary scenario: With 93 coming we all know that more pressure to build residential WILL BE COMING!! No MATTER WHAT. so do we follow a plan that planners worked very hard on or do we let this development happen? The facts are this: we are getting very close to "build out" meaning within the next 20 years Derry will be what we allow it to become.( one with a plan the other without)
And if we are more residential- NOTHING will be done to lower taxes. Our fate will be sealed. And for me and many others who plan on staying in Derry for the rest of out lives will be footing the bill for being shortsighted.

So the more our citizens know, the better we will be. I hope this blog forum is just one way to get some message out. What would you recommend?? Click om to the bottom panel to comment. I'm interested in what you have to say!