Every comment I read from Provo city council members and the mayor are hostile in nature towards students. Comments range from how students are misunderstanding, rude, and now according to Cynthia Dayton, how students refuse to serve in the community as a neighborhood chair. What Ms. Dayton doesn't point out is that the neighborhood chairs hold no real power, making that a position of meaninglessness.

And what makes me laugh about this issue is that the Council first offered up a completely outrageous parking permit plan, and then after students AND homeowners pointed out the plan's countless flaws, the Council released the "compromise proposal" to make it appear they were listening to students' desires.

And finally, if students really are represented by the Council, why does every member of the Council have nothing good to say about the students, and why did the members vote 7-0 against students back in October when a similar parking permit program was proposed east of 9th East? That to me doesn't sound like representation. And unfortunately, all five council districts converge just south of campus where most students live, making it impossible for students to elect a fellow student to the Council.

My BYU friend,

With respect, I point out an error in your original premise: "that the neighborhood chairs hold no real power, making that a position of meaninglessness."

My experience is that neighborhood chairs hold a great deal of influence in Provo. For example, a neighborhood chair told the city council and mayor that residents wanted play equipment in a part Veterans Memorial Park. Go down there now. Play equipment, plus a world map that shows where America's great battles took place - and are taking place. Kid's learn as they play. Win win. Wise neighborhood chair.

Perhaps it is my fault, but perhaps it is not publicized well enough to know that a neighborhood chair even exists.

Still, I agree with the the first commenter's impression of the council's attitude toward BYU students and (as a result) BYU. It shows a lack of appreciation to have such an asset as BYU not be accommodated in your city. Many areas would be much more appreciative of such an asset in their city.

Surely people will discover that there is no utopian answer per the congestion south of BYU in the Joaqin neighborhood, but tinkering haphazardly and hastily (making proposals, for instance, based on statistics that applies to all of Joaqin neighborhood, not specific to the area of the policy, is quite a blunder) with a policy of this magnitude does not favor a desirable outcome for the students or the city. And if the claim is true that there has been no dialogue between BYU or the city council until just before the proposal, that says something of the desire to accommodate BYU as well. What is good for BYU is good for Provo; someone should remind the city council about this.