Comment Up
There were four interesting items on the Agenda last night. Two of them gave more authority to the city manager, with the commission voting to take away their own powers. This is a brief synopsis.
1. Resolution 57-2012
For a commission that says it wants to be more transparent, last night's vote on this issue proved just the opposite. The present commission majority has had a problem with a past commissioner's travel even though it was always approved by the commission and she always gave a report of those meetings, the only one who ever did. Now after much political negativity over the past year regarding the "free lunch" (Scott Maxwell can't stand to be challenged on this point), the Commission last night approved a resolution to change the City's travel regulations and give the power of approval to the city manager. Essentially, if they stay within budget, they can go anywhere domestically they please and never have to tell us or be transparent about it. They were tired of the complaints. In this way, they never have to tell us about the ski trip to Vail. 4/1 vote with McVoy dissenting
2. Ordinance 2013-13
Staff re-wrote the City's procurement ordinance for a more effective and efficient purchasing process they say. What this means is, anything over $25,000 must come before the Commission for approval. It used to be $15,000. The Commission voted for less transparency and less hands-on over the purse strings. 5/0 vote
3. Ordinance 2012-35
Amend the 2013 budget in order to pay Greater Bay. 4/1 vote with McVoy dissenting.
Commissioner Maxwell insulted some of the public who were there who know exactly why Greater Bay was removed from its Contract when Maxwell said that they (the public and Mr. Timm in particular when Maxwell said that he was listening to the wrong people) didn't have all of the facts. He was grandstanding last night when he asked for a special workshop to determine the facts in this case. The time for this workshop was BEFORE the settlement, not after. Another waste of time and just more bad politics.
4. New Business A
This was about the three appeals regarding the HRPB's recommendation to approve the building plans for the vacant property located at 302 N. Lakeside. The Commission denied the appeals on a 4/1 vote with McVoy dissenting. He said that all those who buy in a neighborhood have certain expectations of protection. No surprise with this vote as all on the Historic Resource Preservation Board approved the plans that fell within the guidelines, not to mention some are friends with the Huletts. No one on staff could adequately define what type of structure is "compatible" or what "adjacent" means according to HRP 23.27.05.09, A(1) which is the minimum standard. Fifty-three people in the area signed a protest sheet against the structure. Tim Hulett made his case in front of the commission and it was his plea that was the most convincing with his implication that it was the City's insistence since February that caused him to re-design, etc...the many hoops and hurdles that he was confronted with to come up with a final plan...all he wanted to do was build a nice house.
5 comments:
haha, meetings down to one a month and all these bozos do is complain about 0ow late it was. They must be making plans for the next Boston trip.
At last night's meeting the P&Z Chair stated that he did not have a laptop to bring to the meetings. He also said that he could not comprehend the many pages presented on the LDRs on a computer and requested the backup be printed at a cost of $200.
The P&Z Meeting is in session and he is the only one with out a laptop or ipad!
As the backup has been presented by staff in digital form for at least 2 years,didn't he realize he needed a portable computer when he applied to be on the Board?
The each member of the previous board had laptops.
Not only did some in the public get angry about 3 commissioners going to Boston, it was even mentioned by one r4esident at the city commission meeting when they voted to change the policy. We had to listen to them talk ab out how they all attended these imp9ortant seminars. I bleed for them. It's ok for them to criticize a minority commissioner but when it comes to themselves, they can't handle the fire. Instead, this is what they do, change policy. Total morons.
go back to Vespo who brought Greater Bay in and Burns and Lowe who voted them in with Vespo. This was the sine qua non of the Greater Bay con.
(FYI: John was told there would be printed material at the meeting. Mind you this was only Part 1 & 2. The $200.00 was the cost to print each time for the group - proving my point when they say get to the meeting to have your say - who can even afford the printing?!?)
"The public has a duty to watch its Government closely and keep it on the right track." --Lieutenant Gen. Kenneth A. Minihan
Just a little power here and there till they justify that our comments aren't even necessary because they know better for US than we do ourselves. What they are learning on these trips is HOW to remove our voices from the choices. Oh and isn't it so much simpler and less costly in time and money! (Rulers can't be bothered w/peasants rants)
We have every right to debate or disagree w/any administration! That is Freedom. Shut up and listen to what I say is...UN-American!
Ask - Do NOT Tell me!
They are employee's and travel in this economy (when expenses and lawsuits are crushing us) 'go to meeting' and you tube video's are where the private sector is going to 'conference'.
They need to stay home and
just do their job:
1. Take Petitions
2. Investigate
3. Report back to US
Then they KNOW our needs and not some Non-Government Association that has lots of crap to sell to us! The numbers show more vendor's than participants at times! So are they going to a learning session or a sales meeting? IMHO - SALES!
(Are we too stupid to come up with our OWN idea's for Our town? Why do we have to go away and listen to people we know relatively NOTHING about, embrace those idea's and not have enough Manners to even ask the people you Work For what they want!)
Follow the Money if you don't believe me! Like a little kid taking a cookie and thinks the parent can't see. I see and I am watching everything all the time.
All these other "Shiny Things' or "Bright Idea's" are theories failing in their application. Oh and our Founding Fathers warned US over and over again of these Schemes to usurp our authority.
History Repeats Itself
Age old battle: Power and Control
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