September 14th, 2006 by Atomictumor
Just picked up todays Observer, and boy howdy, not one week after an editorial (and, may I add, a post on the ‘tumor) about the council being hard to reach, we have an editorial from the council. About Woodland.
Now, I’ve not said much about Woodland for a good reason… because I don’t really care. Yes, its mean, and heartless, and cold, but I really don’t care if they zone a hotel. Frankly, I can understand why it’d be an ideal place for a hotel. Sure, I might bitch if somebody wanted to put a hotel near here, but it’d be a dumbassed place for one, fo sho.
It’d be cool if they’d talk about something that affects the whole town, instead of a fraction it. Something like… mmm… the schools!
Well, sorry. Maybe next week, parents, maybe never. The council hasn’t seen fit to address the school issue anywhere in public, other than to bring up the (true) fact that it was the school board that voted to cut busses in order to make their budget. However, one telling part in the editoral goes something like this:
“This City Council has worked diligently to keep the tax rate stable, but that can only be done if tax revenues increase through growth in our asset base…”
Bing. There’s the attitude of at least one member of council right there. Stable tax rates over all. Unless big business doesn’t play along.
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I had this post all written, and then saw the Ask Inky answer in the Oak Ridger today. When queried about why exactly the appearance of citizens part of the city council meetings got moved to an uncomfortable part in the back, he replied with:
“Handling business items is the priority.”
Damn Dave. That was cold, seeing as how the business of the citizens of this town is the business of the city council. He then piles another insult on by mentioning that the council members are easily reachable by email, and other methods.
They can’t see the forest through the trees, and understand that a declining school system isn’t going to bring in residents, and improve that tax base. Maybe they figure the quick fix of another hotel will save the day, but last I heard, there already is vacancy in Oak Ridge.
Just yesterday I talked about how I like what the council is doing. Maybe I can amend it to believe theres room for at least one vacancy on the council…
September 14th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
Yeah, the community comments being placed so late in the agenda is a pet peeve of mine. I really can’t see any reason for it other than to discourage community participation. These meetings rock on for 3 or 4 hours. Like the meeting that Bos went to recently. It was after 10:30pm before he had a chance to speak.
No excuse I tell ya.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
I was pretty disappointed in Bradshaw’s explanation. I would hope that the wishes, comments and suggestions of constituents/taxpayers/voters would be a priority to council. Plus, it’s the only public way to address the council…letters, e-mails and phone calls are all private correspondence - are very rarely are answered.
It’s just ridiculous.
September 15th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
I have emailed council members a couple of times. I have never had an email answered my a member of council.
September 15th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
He pretty much just comes right out and says its not important. That blows my mind. I want to say that its just a poor choice of explanation or whaver, but ?
None of them have ever showed up here to try to defend themselves, but I think the ol’ Tumor is ‘beneath’ them.
September 15th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Y’all have probably already heard me say it, but the most important thing in a city is its people. If you start to disregard the peoples’ opinions, ideas and thoughts, then you might as well just pack it up.
People are what make a city. If you let the people down, you let the city down.
And like the person that wrote the question, I believe that by pushing the public section of the meeting till the end, the city council is communicating just how important they think we are.
September 15th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Well, you have to admit that a large part of a city is also its commercial and industrial interests, as Sim City taught us all.
September 15th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
Personally I think much of the housekeeping crap that council goes through is a dog and pony show. An effort to do business in the light of day, I’ll grant you, but a waste of meeting time.
The ability for citizens to air grievances, concerns and ideas to council is far more important, in my view, than much of the “business” that is discussed.
September 15th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Theres so much f—ing pomp. I can’t stand all the ceremony. Guess its part of the experience, but in the process of making everything sound pompous, they end up removing all of the common sense from it.
September 15th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
Business is great. Industrialization is great. But if you have no citizens, who’s going to work for you? Who’s going to buy your product?
Having a business in Oak Ridge does not mean the people that own, operate or work for that business live in Oak Ridge. It seems like there’s a commuting trend, where people live in areas like Farragut, Lenoir City, Roane Co, etc and just drive here for their jobs. That means they come here for their jobs, and leave here for their shopping, entertainment and homes. They provide little or nothing to this city in terms of taxes or revenue.
True, businesses and industrialization are things that the city and council need to take into consideration, but their first priority should always be their citizens.