When public pressure is intense, what can you do?

By Ann Macfarlane | January 21, 2021 |

At a recent workshop, a director from a school board split by pandemic-related decisions asked me what board members can do in the face of intense public pressure. These are…

Danger Will Robinson! Public comment ahead!

By Ann Macfarlane | June 12, 2019

This post offers our readers a brilliant paper by municipal attorney Brett Vinson on the dangers of public comment.

The 12 stupidest meeting mistakes

By Ann Macfarlane | May 31, 2018 |

In the 20 years since Jurassic Parliament began, we’ve seen a lot of dumb things happen at meetings. Here’s our dirty dozen—a list of the 12 stupidest meeting mistakes. If…

How to stop rude behavior

By Ann Macfarlane | November 20, 2015 |

Don’t you hate it when you’re interrupted? How about when somebody else says something that feels like a personal attack? Being disrespected feels awful for any normal person. And the…