City Hall is busy
The day I dropped off my wife's and my Absentee Ballots, I stayed around for about an hour just to see what went on.

Well, in that hour some 50 people came or left or came and left. Seniors, mothers towing kids, middle aged men and women. A handful dropped off their Absentee Ballots. Most went to the City Clerk's counter. Some went there first then went down the hall to the Treasurer's counter or the Assessor's counter. Two or three times, it was busy enough that short lines formed at each end of the hall.

I made it a point to watch the behavior of the city employees. Except for a handful of exasperated looks (never an exasperated sigh), the workers were cordial to friendly. None of the residents left exasperated or in a huff. Most departed offering a pleased "Thank you."

Three department heads separately stopped to chat with me for a few minutes. I asked each for a head-count status. Each has lost  workers. I sensed a little weariness accompanied by a determination to get done what has to be done -- on time.

I was unable to spot one of those lousy, lazy employees that city hall haters complain about.

Beyond the gunslingers
19 July CITCOM meeting, Part 2
Once the gunslingers finished their circus act during Public Comment last week, CITCOM got to work and accomplished routine business.

• Reluctantly but unanimously approved the agreement for paying the Oakland County Sheriff's Office for its coming help in policing the Arts, Beats & Eats festival. There was some grumbling that Royal Oak taxpayers already pays those guys and surprise that the city has to pay overtime rates ("not  even a discount?"). In a later news report a Sheriff's Office spokesman commented that the department doesn't offer free service to a for-profit event, suggesting that any comparison with their work on the Woodward Dream Cruise is misguided.
• On a 4-3 vote, thought they had approved a proposed Charter Amendment which had been revised at CITCOM's request. A correction to the Synopsis-Minutes pointed out that a change to the charter requires a super majority, so it failed. Voting against the amendment were Drinkwine, Poulton, and Rasor. The amendment would call for the next best vote-getter in the latest election to be appointed to fill a commissioner-vacancy which occurs within the first year after the election.
• Unanimously authorized City Manager Don Johnson to proceed with adjusting AFSCME hours to 32 per week and to close City Hall and Department of Public Services office any one day per week as he deems necessary. The details are a bit confusing, since some employees will be working in city hall, even though the facility will be closed to the public, and there may be changes as collective bargaining continues. Friday is the day city hall will be closed.
• Voted 6-1 to approve the Liquor Control Committee's recommendation to grant the transfer of liquor license from Memphis Smoke to Cantina Diablo. Because Diablo had agreed not to have not even piped-in music on its rooftop, there was a bit of confusion over whether the extensive sound-proofing installation still needed to be installed. Especially since the petitioner has made it clear that he will be back seeking permission to have music, that sound-attenuating installation is part of the approval. Capello voted No, saying, "This isn't just a transfer; it's an expansion."
• Very clear, yet detailed, budget amendments were unanimously approved. Go to the CITCOM meeting's agenda on the City's Website for those details.
• Although Rasor suggested there is no need to rush, he joined in making unanimous the decision to request City Attorney Dave Gillam to draft an ordinance intended to "protect" for recreational purposes several parcels of land near Thirteen Mile and Coolidge. The ordinance will be placed on the November ballot. If approved, only another vote by the residents could reverse the decision.
• As part of visualizing Royal Oak "ten years from now," Rasor introduced the concept of a "Central Park" replacing the parking lot outside city hall. No action was required but he has planted the idea -- which local architect Frank Arvan has dreamed of for years and which he supported during Public Comment.

Six good men running for 26th District State Rep
Madison Heights and Royal Oak voters can't go wrong choosing any one of the six candidates hoping to be their State Representative.

Speaking style aside, the four Democrats and two Republicans who participated in Thursday's League of Women Voters Candidates Forum at the Royal Oak Library are (a) equally impressive in terms of familiarity with state issues and (b) not far apart in philosophical approach to most of those issues. The Democrats are Frank Houston, Bob Klotz, Kevin McLogan, Jim Townsend. The Republicans are Ken Rosen and Bill Shaw. The auditorium was filled, probably more than a hundred in attendance. Here is a flow-of-conversation summary of that 90-minute forum.

• Five of the six maintain this is not the right time to hold a state constitutional convention. Houston said necessary amendments can be presented to the electorate without spending the $20-30 million needed to go through the convention process, and "Will the voters ratify?"  Shaw voted Yes, his thought being that substantive changes are needed to get the state out of its bureaucratic "quagmire." Townsend said regional collaboration can accomplish much of any reform needed. Rosen stressed that "we can reform government with our votes," pointing our that there are many open seats in the legislature and other elective posts.
• Five of the six said, "yes, yes, yes" about supporting the three millage proposals on the August 3 ballot. Rosen: "But no new taxes. Is the money being well spent? Shaw said that unfortunately, the problem "won't be solved in Lansing," apparently agreeing that regional collaboration may be t he way to address such matters.
• Maintain Public Benefits for that "one-quarter of Michigan's population that currently requires them? Klotz and McLogan, both emphasizing mental health as well as Medicare and Medicaid, agree the safety net must be maintained. Townsend says maintain it, but reprioritize the spending. Rosen thinks a safety net is essential but should not be a "butterfly net," from which there is no escape. He offers that non-profit groups are more effect than government in rendering such services. Shaw: "This is a conundrum." If the choice is between using government's "limited resources" to help create jobs or to provide these services . . . [More]

China now the world's biggest user of energy
Thank the Lord. Now environmentalists can blame the Chinese instead of Americans for pollution, global warming, greedy lifestyles, and all the other world's problems which the United States has foisted on the world. Then there's the environmentalists' complaint about China trying to become Hawaii by building a pile of lush golf courses.

Around The World in about an hour-and-a-half.