Sunday, March 19, 2006

Procrastination + Politicization + Negative Motivation = Cerebral Constipation

Ok I know! Lots of big words to begin with so I'll follow with a vocabulary lesson lest I be totally misundertood.

Procrastinate; to habitually put off doing something unpleasant or burdensome until a future time. ( ie; table the motion)

Politicize; to make political in tone, character, ect. ( ie; the other side said _______!)

Motive; Some inner drive, impulse, intention, etc. that causes one to do something or act in a certain way. ( ie; think outside the box)

Constipation; Backed up, stopped up, unable to move. ( I had to sterilize this one for the kiddies, but you get the idea)

Now on to today's lesson! I have been going to New Albany City council meetings with as much regularity as my schedule will allow and I have observed a couple of themes that seem to be repetitive throughout them all.

The most prevailant is quote " This is the first I've ever heard about this issue !"

The second, which is being mouthed before the first is even completed, is quote " This occurred prior to my arriving here!"

This first is, in my humble opinion, a total copout. If one is serving in a public office and can't find the time to accquire the needed information to serve his/her constituency, that person would better serve the public by sticking to his/her dayjob. In today's world, lack of information can only be attributed to a lack of motivation to look for it. It only requires one to know what questions to ask. Every blog, coffee shop, and water cooler in the world is discussing in livid detail the issues that are on the peoples minds on a particular street corner. If one will only listen, one will learn what's on the peoples minds.

The second is in many ways even more lame. The fact that one's predecessor dropped the ball has nothing to do with the now. The question before us is what's the plan for going forward while dealing in as positive way as possible in cleaning up the broken glass simultaneously. And, by the way, doing both in such a manner as to minimize the possibility of the former mistakes repeating themselves.

Tall order? Damned right!! But it is what we in the real world have to deal with on a moment by moment basis in our daily functions of trying to make a living and hopefully enjoy the fruits of our labor. For those who represent our interests in government to be allowed to get by with a lesser standard is unacceptable.

Poignant examples of both afore mentioned issues arose at last Thursday's City Council meeting. When the subject of the 2004 budget audit came up there were laments applenty from all sectors of elected officialdom stating that "I haven't got a copy of it yet!" At this point a private citizen came forward with enough copies for each of the council members to have one of their very own.

Albeit I know first hand the dangers of assuming anything, I have no reason at this point to doubt the authenticity of said documents. How and from whom it was procured I know not. Was there an agenda at work in the process? Probably, but the fact that it took away an excuse for the council members to deny knowledge of it in the future is a plus as far as I'm concerned. Their only fallback position now is going to be that they will not or cannot read it!

On a personal note, I would have taken the high road and given the Mayor a copy as well but since I had no input in the action, I can't speak to why he didn't get one.

Following that, the Mayor arose to defend his position and did so very well considering he too was apparently hampered by lack of current information. Although I acquiesce to the fact that this debacle is not of his making, I tire of hearing it as an excuse for not moving forward. I prefer to hear a specific hardwired plan for cleaning up the mess while moving forward.

Now this is thinking out of the box. We have in this area a variety of schools of higher learning at our disposal. What if a student or group of students whose major was business from one or more of these institutions were to work with city officals to research and correct the long history of acccounting snafus? The students could do it as a grade enhancement in their field, get some hands on experience, and have no reason to deal in anything other than the facts before them. The city would be out very little if any money for the project, and just to keep it aboveboard one or more city councilmen could participate in the process along side of the administration and the students. What a novel concept!

No! I haven't been drinking! Maybe that's a detriment here.

Class Over! Discussion anyone??

5 Comments:

At Mon Mar 20, 01:58:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's a GREAT idea Lloyd! And it's one that has been tried in the distant past and proven to actually work!

The "university," as we now know the institution, developed out of various cathedral schools in the 11th and 12th centuries (AD). These were used to increase the power of kings. How? By providing educated clerics and royal administrators (which didn't exist under the older monastic education system). With these new administrators, kings could collect taxes more efficiently, assess property more accurately, administer justice better and on a wider basis, etc. Besides establishing royal authority better and more completely, this also GAVE KINGS FULL TREASURIES, with which they could then use to finance STANDING ARMIES, as opposed to the older feudal armies.
This increased the power of Kings, reduced the power of, and need for nobles, and led to further GROWTH OF CITIES, which kings viewed as valuable centers of royal administration and commerce ( to increase tax bases).

In short, this idea literally brought western civilization out of the middle ages and into the Renaissance and then early modern times.

It was not, however, a "new" idea, even in the 11th century. Charlemagne was the first to connect higher learning with governmental administration in the AD 800s, and Alfred the Great copied his idea. Their successors, however, were not as capable and reverted back to dealing with nobles and succumbed to the pressures to keep the status quo until society was ready (after c.AD 1000).

YES!! Sir Highwayman, I like your idea, and there is PLENTY of historical evidence that it can work!

I think we should involve political science and history majors too!

Roz Tate

 
At Tue Mar 21, 08:03:00 AM, Blogger Iamhoosier said...

I like your idea. The other part of your post is something that ALL sides need to ponder. Note that I said "ALL" not "both". Most of the time it seems like 2 but surely there is more than that. If not, we are all damned.

 
At Tue Mar 21, 10:10:00 AM, Blogger Ann said...

I could be mistaken, because I wasn't at this council meeting, but I think Valla Ann handed a copy of the audit to the Mayor as well as the council.

 
At Tue Mar 21, 05:15:00 PM, Blogger Highwayman said...

New Albany Annie,

Although I didn't see it , she may very well have.

If so, my humblest apologies. The last thing i want to do is feed the rumor mill and/or cause more derision.

I just commented on what I observed. If I'm in error, again I apologise.

 
At Tue Mar 21, 08:31:00 PM, Blogger Highwayman said...

OK! So I can't spell!
APOLOGIZE!!

 

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