POL 2302 American State and Local Politics VII

Unit VII Assignment

Students will write a 3-page review of a local council or commission meeting.

For this assignment, you will attend a local government meeting to observe (firsthand) and analyze the decision-making process of your city or county (parish/borough) council or commission meeting. For students unable to attend in person, viewing a recent (within last 4 months) meeting online is an acceptable substitute.

You will review the topics covered on the meeting agenda and note relevant discussions and outcomes. You will then provide an analysis of the meeting and determine whether you agreed with the steps and actions taken by the council or commission. You will need to explain why you agreed or disagreed.

Be sure to include the following information in your paper:

· an introduction;

· review of items on the agenda;

· items that required a vote, the voting process, and the outcome of those votes;

· whether you would have voted with the majority on each vote;

· any contentious issues and your thoughts on the problems;

· other items of particular interest;

· your overall impression—was the meeting what you expected; and

· a conclusion.

Be sure to identify the leaders who were present, any community services that were addressed, and whether you observed any partisanship or bias. A copy of the official meeting agenda must be attached as supporting documentation at the end of your paper as Appendix A.

Your paper must be at least three pages in length, not counting the title, reference, and agenda or minutes pages. All sources used must have citations and references properly formatted using APA Style.