Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Open thread: Tinges in city hall vs. city council?

Among yesterday’s spirited comments was this from IAH:

I have to be honest. Lately, there does seem to be a "give the executive branch a pass" tinge here at NAC. (please note "tinge").

That’s an excellent point, and I’m glad you brought it up. Knowing that this will inspire rage and teabagging within the Luddite bloc, it remains fairly simple to me.

The bulk of the mayor’s stated campaign platform echoes my personal concerns. Although too much of it has languished, and I believe the executive branch has erred in its parsimony with its political capital, at least there has been recognition of problems, ideas for solutions, and a general pattern of recognizing these, if not epochal success in achievement.

Meanwhile, the Coffey Council has largely pursued its traditional strategy of politically-motivated (and in my 3rd district councilman’s case, congenitally vacuous) obstructionism without advancing a coherent vision of its own.

At all.

Yes, I know that there are council persons who get it. However, in the main, and as Steve Miller once presciently noted, “time keeps on slipping into the future.”

That’s the way it looks to me. Notions of positive solutions in the executive branch, and more petty posturing in the legislative/purse string branch. I’ll take the side that has articulated a position over the side that hasn’t, but that’s just me.

You are quite free to disagree, here, according to the usual guidelines of identity-based responsibility. I’ll monitor Mrs. Baird’s blog for replies of the other sort.

12 comments:

Iamhoosier said...

I'm no Council apologist. However, it's pretty easy to shoot at a body whose actions are done in public twice a month. It's even easier when a few of the members wave and holler "SHOOT ME".

The executive branch says they want to work with the Council. Then they give raises after the Council turns them down. I'm told, here, that's it's not that much money. My point is, it's not about the money at all, it's the idea.

Council appropriates money for a pension. Turns out not needed, executive branch declares an emergency and buys a boat with the money. Emergency, yeah right. Says the money will be paid back when other boat is sold. As of a week or so ago, we still have both boats.

Brings 10mil bond issue to the Council with no plan. How do I know? Mr. Malysz promised them that the administration would be getting that plan to them. Yeah, there was study done but we've never seen a study ignored before, have we? There needs to be an actual implementation plan.

Inconsistent statements of "policy". Resident vs. non resident. Contracts?

This is just the stuff that has come to light. How the administration operates(not just this one, any of them)is really not public. There are no regular "meetings" to tell what's going on. Did they ever get back to the neighborhood association that they promised answers to in 30days? Or just more lip service? We all know the reputation. During the campaign, it was said things would be different. Is it?

I'm not saying that anything illegal is going on. Legal and the right thing are not always the same. Maybe it's a communication thing.

Iamhoosier said...

I know, it's me again.

Might it just be a tad bit easier to articulate a position when it is one elected official doing the articulating vs 9 elected officials?

Apple and oranges.

Okay, I will shut up for awhile.

Or not.

Larry M. Summers said...

The last I heard, we had not heard back from the Mayor's office. I am dissapointed but not surprised.

G Coyle said...

I remember publicly boycotting the meeting where he promised "solutions in 30 days" I think that's when Jeff started his tirade against me for attempting to undermine ALL progress in NA. All I said was he was just there to pull a PR lie, why waste your time...

The New Albanian said...

On Facebook, if I recall.

Randy said...

I don't like spiders and snakes
And that ain't what it takes to love me, like I wanna be loved by you.

Can we keep reading? is it OK? if we're dissatisfied with both spiders and snakes?

greedygus1 said...

Talk about something that smells! You should be following the ongoing saga of Eastridge,Inc. / CCE,Inc. / Silver Street, LLC or whatever it will be tomorrow. For almost 5 years this business has been in violation of Local Zoning in one form or another, numerous violations of IDEM, and also in violation of Dept. of Homeland Security(Fire&Bldg.Safety). And all of a sudden we hear voices in the wind saying the City may buy this pig in a poke, possible ???contaminated soil and all. How much will this cost the taxpayers?

But don't worry County residents this same business is fouling your landscape, too. Check the valley on the left of Corydon Pike as soon as you cross the 2nd railroad crossing as you head out the Pike towards Edwardsville. Beautiful shredded tires, they were cited by IDEM for starting this without necessary permits, but check the new County Zoning Codes and you will find it is still in violation even if they have a permit!! Again it is on going. What the Hell!!

Christopher D said...

Greedygus1,
You know we have been fighting Eastridge and CCE for nearly 8 years now. Constant code violations, cease and desist orders, lawsuits, all are issued, none are followed up on. By the city, by the state or by the feds. A slap on the wrist for gross violations of code, environmental laws, noise law, etc....
Why does this continue to happen, the answer is simple and unsavory, we are NOT living in an area that is considered, well anything.
Culbertson Ave area gets millions upon millons, constant attention. We, hell we dont even get our council person to drive through.
Mansion row gets a "quiet zone" for trains, we get, well hell we cant even get them to enforce the "no trucks though laws".
Daisly lane get redone, Silver and Indiana continue to collapse under the axles of the trucks that are supposed to use Monon...
It's us vs. them (CCE) and thus far we have been marginally successful, but until the city steps up to the plate and does whats right, and it has been multiple administrations, we may as well bang on a gong and bark at the moon.

The New Albanian said...

greedygus1, please read our "NA Confidential's mask-free policy on reader comments" on the right of the main page.

Thanks

Roger

Christopher D said...

And as I typed that post, NAFD is pulling in to CCE again, looks like another small tire fire.

Daniel Short said...

And Gus, no talking about the county...ok?

Christopher D said...

And to add photos to the collection of the violations and hazards of the property, just had a nice conversation regarding photographic rights, and the ability to take pictures day and night, 24/7 and there is nothing they can say or do about it.