Independence Day was July 4. Independence Day signifies the rights of people to be free of arbitrary government rule.

When our local government acts unfairly, or against the general welfare, regular people can fight back and they can win. The lesson of July 4 needs to resonate again and again.

In particular, if City Hall is on the verge of approving a developer's plan that will destroy your community, your voice needs to be loudly and effectively heard . I represent many groups opposing bad development plans, and will share some of my observations with you below.

With increasing frequency, "regular" people (we are all regular) are learning that they can really make a difference. Whether it is working to uncover corruption that resulted in illegitimate permit approvals, or revealing wrongful assumptions that allowed local regulators to authorize wetlands destruction or other environmental harm, informed local groups can and do make a difference.

The following six points should be considered by any community organizer.

1. Concrete Objectives

   Before you fight the fight, make sure that the group agrees on a few common, ultimate goals. Do you want to kill the project, or just trim it? Or, perhaps will a different use, or mixed use do? Or, in extreme cases, do you want the local prosecutor to investigate an act of alleged corruption? I believe that this point is the most important one. You simply will never win if you did not agree, in advance, on exactly what will constitute a win. I think that most citizen groups that fail do so because they have failed to concretely define their objectives.

2. Get The Word Out

   To be effective, you need to get your story out, over and over again. You need to do this to attract group members and to gather public support and political interest. If no one knows about your group, your group will go no where.

3. Raise Cash

   Many citizen group fights require experts and lawyers. Let's face it, the other side will always have experts and lawyers, and therefore you need to have them as well. While some of these services are often donated, you will usually need to hire a lawyer and some experts. Fund raising is a must. I have seen garage sales, coin tosses and talent shows. Some groups charge their members small membership fees.

   Of course, not everyone who supports your group will do so for exactly the same reason. For example, local merchants may help your group oppose a strip mall because doing so is good for their business. You need to decide where you draw the line.

4. Have One Spokesperson

   The press will usually be attracted to groups opposing high profile projects. You need to speak with a common voice. Therefore, have one spokesperson.

5. Delegate Responsibilities

   Everyone is good at something, no one is good at everything. The group must split up tasks. One member may do press releases. One may lead fund raising. One may find experts and legal counsel. Perhaps issues can be divided so that one member handles environmental challenges, another handles political issues, etc.

6. Keep Disagreements Within The Family

   Your group needs to be well organized and needs to develop a mechanism for resolving disputes. While you should have vibrant internal discussions, you should appear to together to the public, including the press.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.