FYI
From the Burlington Free Press today:
You can read the City Council agenda at the city website here.The Burlington City Council has scheduled a public hearing for tonight on its spending plan for more than $1.4 million in federal development and housing funds.
Members of the public can address the council about community needs and about the spending recommendations for the 2006 Community Development Block Grant.
In other business, the council will take up a resolution authorizing the construction of a pocket park at the intersection of Riverside and North Winooski avenues, at an approximate cost of $178,000.
The city's Board of Finance meets at 4:30 p.m. today in Conference Room 12 at City Hall. The council will meet in a workshop on council priorities from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., also in Conference Room 12. The council meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Contois Auditorium at City Hall.
It seems like if they really wanted public input at tonight's hearing, they would have publicized it a little better, but what do I know?
So, what do you all think about the "pocket park"? Has anyone ever heard about this?
Wouldn't it be great if this kind of stuff was in the paper before the meeting day? Then maybe the citizens of Burlington could - oh, I don't know - voice their opinions about it. I don't know if it is the fault of the city or the paper, but someone ought to work on informing the public a little better. It would be great to have more public discussion.
Wasn't that a mayoral debate issue - making city government more accessible to the people? I know that Kiss just got in, but I wonder if he's going to work on this before or after he solves the healthcare crisis.
12 comments:
Where would they put the park? Wouldn't they have to tear something down? They did that there a few years ago with that Triangle Park there. I like green space and I know it would probably come from a seperate pool of money-but it's getting hard for me to see past the street in front of my house. It looks like a frickin' bomb hit it.
Thanks for keeping us informed about the council meetings. When I was there public forum was one of my least favorite parts of the meetings. Nine out of ten people who speak say totally useless and irrelvant things. I remember thinking often how much I just wanted to scream "Just Shut-Up you f*ckin' Idiot!" to whomever was flappin' his or her gums. In retrospect, maybe 22 was a little young to be on the city council. It's hard to be patient at that age.
No Haik, there are a lot of idiots that go to those meetings, like the white haired guy who sings songs! I would be dragging him out myself if I were on the council!
I think the idea of 'pocket parks' is foolish and a waste of money. Triangle park is basically a couple benches. Who even uses it? "Forget Oakledge. I'm taking my kids to the new pocket park!!"
178k is a lot of money to be spending on a park, especially after the mayor threatened to cut police and firefighters because of the "budget crisis".
I can already hear it now: We won't get fooled again!
But where would it go, I wonder?
The thing about that slogan is that the person saying it is admitting to having been fooled, which may create an unpleasant cognative dissonance.
I like the clip of Bush trying to spit out the 'fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me'-phrase- he mangles it badly then just blurts: "Won't get fooled again!" It's Gold, Jerry- Gold.
Charity, you should like such a whiner. CAn't you find the time in your busy schedule to go and whine? You wouldn't be happy whatever they did.
The agendas are on the city website. You want someone to send you a written invitation? Show some initiative, you know?
"You want someone to send you a written invitation?"
No, that would cost the taxpayers money.
This is what is in the agenda:
6.07. RESOLUTION: Authorization to Enter into Contract for Construction of North Winooski Gateway Park (Councilors Keogh, George & Ashe: Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee)
Show me where that says the location, the cost, or the phrase "pocket park" - all of which were mentioned in the Free Press article.
I don't really care enough about the park to take the time away from my family to go down there, but someone might. I was using that issue as an example. Most people have no idea what the city is doing, what is costs, or where the money comes from and it would be nice if the city government was more user-friendly. If you call that agenda user-friendly, I would be willing to bet you are in the minority.
"the person saying it is admitting to having been fooled"
There's no shame in being misled, once - hence the saying. There is shame in doing the misleading.
A one cent retail killer tax for "essential services," quickly followed by an utterly useless 178K park. Now THAT is misleading.
Sure Kiss supported the one cent tax, but it's important to remember that was approved by the voters. He didn't just decree it.
And the park is in the discussion phase, isn't it? I doubt it was Kiss who started that discussion. The policy pipeline is longer than the two or three weeks Bob has been mayor.
If Burlington Republicans who gave their second-choice votes to Kiss feel they have been "fooled," then what does that say about their nominee who encouraged them to vote that way? Was it Bob Kiss who "fooled" y'all or was it Kevin Curley?
The other thing- to say you were "fooled" in the mayoral election, and try to imply this is the first time it's ever happened isn't credible. Everybody who gets caught shoplifting claims it's the first time they ever did it. That's almost never true, is it?
But it isn't for me to decide y'all's campaign stratey in 2009. If you want to paint yourselves as "fools," don't let me stop you.
"He didn't just decree it."
He said that Burlington NEEDED the tax for "essential services," which implies that the same revenue cannot be generated by cutting existing or proposed fat. Did Kiss speak out against the park?
"Was it Bob Kiss who 'fooled' y'all or was it Kevin Curley?"
Curley fell for the same BS that many people did.
"try to imply this is the first time it's ever happened"
Oh, well, since I've believed someone who's lied to me before I guess it's OK.
Is this really what the Kiss army is reduced to, only a few weeks in?
"Get your whiney asses to city council meetings"
Oh, we can force a new mayoral election just by going to a city council meeting? I'm there!
"Get your whiney asses to city council meetings and stop yer bitchin'."
Thanks for adding to the quality of the discussion.
It wasn't hard.
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