Last night's Politically Correct or Incorrect moves

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Some on the dais wore pirate gear and Deborah Andrea

 recited a poem even speaking like a pirate dissing blogs.

 It was, after all, International Talk like a Pirate Day

Politically smart moves last night--it's the beginning of the election season but politicians have to play the game all year long. The commission DID read a proclamation for Constitution Week that they threw on the Agenda at the last second. That was a politically correct move.

Memorial Field and its renaming was not pulled for public commentary even though a few commissioners were asked to do so. This is an example of something that should never be on the Consent Agenda without public commentary. Who put it on Consent? There needs to be a process when someone asks the city government to change a name on city property. The Commission wouldn't even allow the public to weigh in. The Osborne Community and some of its leaders packed the chamber just in case. Personally, I think Mary Lindsey should have something named for her. The Commission played its politics here, a politically correct thing to do for one segment of our city.

An Ordinance was finalized on the sidewalk cafes in our downtown that affects the city's right of way. Several of the restaurants have not been in compliance and there are times when no one can walk on the sidewalk least of all someone passing in a wheelchair. William Waters asked for 48 inches of leeway for the ADA compliance but Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell asked for the 42 inch minimum as he frequents one establishment that seems to be the biggest offender. Politically smart if you want to stay in good standing with the businesses...perhaps not so smart if you want to stay in good standing with all the people who walk our sidewalks in the downtown, you know, the people who actually spend the money. Triolo, Amoroso and Szerdi agreed to the 42". It passed on a 4/0. McVoy was absent from the meeting.

Citizen Mr. Timm, once again, was the only one with some sense implying that it was never going to work out. Havana has literally painted a line on the sidewalk delineating what is their property and what is the city's. No one in front of that establishment can get confused. In reverse, this is why DOT has speed limits of 30mph knowing everyone will go 35mph. If you make the ADA compliance figure at 42", there is NO wiggle room whatsoever. People will be breaking this law all night long and who will be there to enforce it?

So, the political season has begun!