Pardon Me your Honor, But Do You Have a Clue???

Once again the old axiom comes home to roost...The more things change, the more they stay the same! Thursday's New Albany Common Council meeting played to the script verbatium.


The first item on the agenda was Resolution R-07-39 which was introduced by CM Messer. It basically stated that if passed it wouild make null and void Resolution R-07-35 which the Plaintiffs have made clear that they will not sign.


After a brief discussion in which CM Krump asked for reassurance from Council Attorney Ulrich that this resolution and its attached consent decree (which the Plaintiffs, their attorney, and three Councilmen have signed) would in effect cancel out the pending lawsuit, a vote was called for. As predicted, it failed to pass muster with a vote count of 6 Nays and 3 Ayes (those being CM's Krump, Messer & Zurchmeide).

G-07-15, a proposed Animal Control Ordinance (patterned after the one that the Floyd County Commissioners recently passed) was next on the agenda. This issue served to prove another axiom (Never say never!) as Dan Coffey and myself came dangerously close to agreeing on something. For whatever reason, CM Coffey called for amending the rules of Council and asked for all three readings of this bill to be completed at this meeting so as the Animal Control officers could get on with the gettin' on.

David Hall of the Animal Shelter approached the podium to comment and CM Gahan asked if it was vital that it be passed this evening as he (Gahan) had not taken the time to study it thoroughly. Mr Hall's response was that the sooner the better but if the Council would be more comfortable postponing the 2nd and 3rd readings until the next meeting, so be it.

The vote was called for and it passed 1st readiing 9 to zip.

Following that were two ordinances. One pertaining to vacating a right of way that had been abandoned by the city eons ago, and the other amending salaries for 2007 Non Bargaining Unit Employees.

Then came the nailbiter. G-07-14 otherwise known as the Schmidt Redistriting Plan. Again with litttle to no discussion it passed both 2nd and 3rd readings with a 7 to 2 vote with Messer and Zurchmeide voting no. CM krump voted yes with the proviso of "Don't call me after December 31st"!!

This was quietly follow by an ordinance concerning Amendeing the Code for a building project that I honestly didn't catch. It passsed 9 to 0 and there being no other business and no non agenda public commentors, the meeting adjourned.

Myself and two of my cohorts in crime made our way to the Speakeasy for NABC Elector, wings, and intelligent conversation as we disected that which we had just witnessed. The beer, food and conversation was excellent but alas our conclusions were non conclusive.

For me now the burning question is what kind of suit to buy for court. Do we all dress alike to confuse or do we we each don our individual fashion statement?

Ahh the perils of life! A courtin' we will go, a courtin we will go, high ho a merry 'o a cour......