On CITCOM
Who stays, who goes?
The count is already at four, of young but
mature guys who haven't run before who have told me they will
probably vie for elective office in Royal Oak in 2009. They are from the
left, from the right, and from nowhere. They like and respect, or not,
different incumbents. They seem to share the perceptions that (a) the
mood at the commission table has turned ugly, and (b) personal
animosities are too often and too obviously affecting votes, and (c)
there is no likelihood of that mood improving among the incumbents so it
is time to begin a "full house" change of players. Add those
several
previously unsuccessful candidates, male and female, who may choose to
try again and 2009 promises to be interesting.
Terms expire in 2009 for Ellison, Ginotti, Lelito,
and Miller. The terms of Andrzejak, Drinkwine, and Semchena expire in
2011.
-- 15 Nov 08
Replace the DDA
team, too?
The comments, just above, were written before that -- uh, unusual -- 17
November CITCOM meeting. During Public Comment,
former City Commissioner Pat Capello suggested that a group which
would publicly initiate a political challenge re a Christmas Parade
emcee might well be replaced.
2009 Royal Oak Politics
Readers have suggested that VersagiVoice create a page where they can
find, in one place, ongoing news and comment about local politics, as I did for the
national campaign. [See]
Fire Station conversion
to Historical Museum moving along
While the necessary architectural, engineering, contracting, city
approval process goes forward -- so that the Northwood Fire Station
can be updated to meet code specifications required by the
structure's change of use -- cleanup work is being accomplished.
Volunteer Johanna Schurrer, for example, is scouring and
painting kitchen cabinets. Chuck Button, owner of Button's
Rent It, has just completed triple-sanding and varnishing the
hardwood floor of the upstairs former dormitory. That dorm will
become the major area for storing objects, documents, books, and
photographs not on current exhibit.
[Pictures]
CITCOM
Micromanaging gone mad
Staff was directed to come up with a list of items as part of an
overall plan to address at least one budget-related item on each
CITCOM agenda for some indefinite period, I gather. Last week, after
complaining that the list was confusing to read and demanding a
rewrite, the commission argued about whether to hold a series of
Special Meetings to focus attention on the list. The minority in
favor of Special Meetings maintains that too many commissioners and
the mayor are "sitting on their thumbs" and avoiding addressing
financial shortfalls seriously. The majority counters that many
of the items do not justify CITCOM attention, because they are
operational matters, not policy matters. The 3-4 decision
was not to schedule Special Meetings at this time.
Although I consider the entire exercise
a waste of Staff time, I went through the list and labeled the
50-plus items as I would if I were on the commission: (a)
Operational, (b) Policy, and (C), Not sure. VersagiVoice readers can
find the entire list on the city's website. For the fun of it, they
are invited to classify the following selections, presented here in no
particular order:
Double-sided printing of computer
printouts . . . Refill printer cartridges . . . Sell advertising
on non-emergency vehicles and the website . . . Bill all
departments separately for postage . . . Move the pension system
to the Michigan Employees Retirement System . . . Cost
allocation study . . . Millage Increase . . . Hybrid vehicles .
. . College Intern program . . . Police Department shifts . . .
In my mind, two-thirds of the 50-plus
items are operational. The rest can be brought up one-at-a-time at
regular CITCOM meetings -- on the condition that discussion is
limited to 15 minutes. If more time is needed, then schedule a
Special Meeting for that item only.
CITCOM has a Bah, Humbug meeting
Not much was accomplished at CITCOM's 17 November meeting. Oh, there
were announcements and presentations, but the dominant exchanges were
about a Semchena/DDA-initiated proposal to replace -- at the last minute
-- Commissioner Carlo Ginotti as emcee of the Christmas
Parade. It would take a Special Prosecutor two years to determine the
"truth" among the charges and countercharges; about who knew what, and
when he/she knew it.
VersagiVoice will comment on the meeting
next week. In the meantime, two observations:
-
The angry and personalized
dialogue added to the concern that this particular mix of personalities
is approaching dysfunctionality.
-
The DDA seemed to stake a
claim, in writing, that about some matters DDA's power supersedes that
of CITCOM. Expect a real turf battle to result from this.
City Manager's Weekly
Report
Readers Say
The History of the Christmas Parade emcee
The following communication is provided by
Peggy Goodwin, former Marketing Consultant for the DDA.
As you are aware, I elected not to
renew my contract this year because of other client obligations
after six years of building the holiday magic parade, sponsorship of
it and a concerted consumer marketing plan for Downtown Royal Oak.
I would like to share the facts about parade narration that were
stated, in part, by Commissioners Capello, Ginotti and Lelito last
night. It is so sad to see this debate taking place period, but
especially with the recent tragic pedestrian deaths of a beloved
senior citizen and a woman cycling to work, the escalating rate of
foreclosures, unemployment, etc and yes – the city budget debate.
Mr. Shaw said it best. [More]
County & State
Two years of road construction on Eleven
Mile, from Greenfield to Woodward, have come to an end, except
for some punch list items like landscaping and curb repair which will be
done in Spring. For Huntington Woods residents who live on Lincoln, the
completion is a godsend: Since early 2007, Lincoln has been crowded with
east-west drivers who normally use Eleven Mile. At rush hour, morning
and afternoon, the traffic backed up through several stop signs.
National
Playing the Race Card (continued)
§ Comedian Don Rickles ran into trouble on some late-show or other when
he made a joke about Obama's basketball playing. Apparently, the
audience considered that a racial stereotype and not funny. Forget all the
jokes about the golf games or opening game baseball tosses by white
presidents. Where is Black comedian Flip Wilson when we need him?
(Young folks: Look up Flip at ask.com)
§ Anti-Black episodes, mostly minor ones so far, have increased
since the election, according to news reports. Some observers had
suggested such a reaction would follow an Obama victory. The hope is that the spurt
will prove to be a flash-in-the-pan.
International
'The Beginning Of Hope?'
Obama’s election may lend
succor to those who argue that the laws and
policies designed to remedy racial
discrimination by promoting opportunity and
diversity in education and employment are no
longer necessary. On the same night Obama
was elected, voters in states like Nebraska
passed ballot initiatives outlawing
affirmative action, proclaiming there can no
longer be any “preferential treatment” based
upon race, gender, ethnicity or national
origin. -- PRAVDA online
Science & Health
"I do not know of any environmental group in any
country that does not view its government as an adversary." -- Gro Harlem
Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway
The world is coming to an end --
again.
The Day of the Confederacy, by Nathaniel w. Stephenson
This 200-page gem, published in 1920, provides Northerners with insight to
the South's experiences during the Civil War. A reader learns of the many
similarities between the problems faced by Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson
Davis. And of similarities in how military victory or failure occurs in
warfare, no matter a war's location or time in history. Stephenson writes in
free-flowing story-telling style, whether he is reporting facts or
telling the reader what he thinks about those facts. As so many historians do,
Stephenson also "corrects" previous, nearly contemporary, versions of events
and motivations. At random: [More]
City
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impressionistic reports reflect the tone as well as the content of decisions and comments made by officials and residents.
How
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Split Votes
Do televised CITCOM meetings last longer?
City Manager's Weekly Report
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