Hodge Podge ? (or perhaps frustration!!)

Ever notice how on certain blogsites (FOS & Steve Price-My Vision, to name but two) that questions are asked, or statements of alleged fact are issued but we are not allowed the opportunity to answer the questions or discuss the sources of the information presented?

Several cases in point follow.

On CM Price's blog on Friday the 19th he states the following; "Several neighborhood associations wanted a full time city attorney-when it was presented, they changed their mind." No Steve, we did not change our minds, we did further research into the subject to insure the feasability of the idea. We found that a full time city attorney was not the best course of action and thus opposed it when it came before the council.

On Freedom of Speech for Monday the 15th under the question "What do we do when we have a problem?" it is implied that we throw good money after bad and get absolutely no results.

For instance; "Delinquint sewer bills are not collected or liens filed." Wrong ! As per an article in the CJ on September 10, 2006 the mayor stated that some $80K of delinquint sewer bills have indeed been collected. Liens have indeed been filed on some properties but the legal processes of such action are painstakingly slow.

Another FOS statement from the same date: " Unsafe buildings are not demolished." Wrong again! Steve Laduke, president of the NA Building Commission, reported at this weeks Common Council meeting, that several unsafe structures have indeed been demolished recently and listed several more that are on their worst of the worst list to be addressed soon. He also asked the council for the funds to put the Demolition fund back in the black as well as additional funds to pay for more demolitions. Of course he was met with the standard protocal of suspision and enuendo by some council members.

Yet another from the same FOS post; "Junk cars are not towed away." Wrong yet again! At the November meeting of the Uptown Neighborhood Association, Cheif Harl reported that the police department had finally found a facility to store said vechicles and many had recently been towed. Again, there is a legal protocol that must be adhered to prior to hooking on to a car and towing it away. To not follow those procedures sets the city up for even more legal costs in form of lawsuits. That is indeed a waste of $$$!

Finally, one more from FOS that I'm going to tie into CM Price's latest post; "We hire engineers and pay for a study." as though once again money was spent irresponsibly. I'm not sure whether they are referring to a past study or one that may be forthcoming.

However I do know that at a recent Sewer Board Meeting, Todd Solomon recommended that the city have an independent study done of the 15th street lines in particular to determine, amoung other things, the costs involved in correcting that potentialy disasterous situation.

Now here is where I link this to CM Price's post on Saturday January 20, 2007 in which Steve poses the question " While the issue of the railroad is being addressed, what about New Albany's role?"

I follow with questions of my own. First, not if but when this proposal does come before the council, are the members going to view it as a part of the solution in conjunction with CSX's contribution, or are they going to dismiss it out of hand as being just another handout to the spoiled child?

Secondly, if the study is indeed authorized, funded, and conducted, is the council going to follow the recomendations that come forth from said study and appropriate the monies needed to do the actual needed repairs? Or are they once more going to do the politically expedeint thing and reject this information again, out of hand, as being yet another handout to the spoiled child?

Finally, shall we all stand, bow our heads, and hold our breath as we wait for these answers?

Damn! I didn't realize a coin had so many sides!