CITY VISION SESSION REVEALS TRUE

CHARACTER VALUES

CHAMPAGNE TASTE = “WANTS”—LIONS SUNBOWL RODEO

 BEER POCKET BOOK= “NEEDS”—POLICE-FIRE SERVICE-EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

FAR EASIER TO SPEND TAXPAYERS MONEY ON PLEASURES OF CHAMPAGNE  

THAN TO PROVIDE FOR BASIC NEEDS AND EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES

The City Council Meeting of February 12  8:00AM to 4:00PM dubbed Vision Session followed set pattern of having Department Heads reporting on past accomplishments and presenting projected demands for service. (This started the Parade of Homes week that included a 3 day Presidents Holiday weekend. Did they really expect a large public turnout? Meeting room was filled mostly with City Employees and News Media. Very disappointing show of citizen participation.)   What made this annual event more meaningful to me was a sharp contrast…..From what I had come to recognize as a canned practice of Department Heads staying within the budget limits/guidelines set by the City Manager. In other words “Don’t, Rock, The Boat”. THIS day I was surprised with a far more candid expression of conditions and realization of what past economic down trends had brought us. Department Heads appeared to have been freed from the uniform, keep in step mentality of years past. I attributed this to Mayor Pike and his quest for greater transparency…..Within acceptable business practices.  The only hitch or contradiction to this new found transparency I found, is the “Come Hell or High Water approach…..We,  are going to cram down your throat the gift to the Lions Club of a New Sun Bowl at TAXPAYER expense.  It seems we just can’t get away from the “Bourgeoisie” approach of City Nobility…..Represented by 5 Council Members…..They can and do dictate to us how taxpayer money will be spent. Can’t you just hear Almquist, Arial, Bowcutt, Hughes and Randall saying? “Let them eat cake.” As an alternative to bread we can’t afford….Or in other words the Lions Club Sun Bowl…..We can’t afford!  We WANT IT, but, DON’T NEED it…..With all the other events the city now enjoys…..Priorities NEED to be set. Do you honestly think that if they were spending their own money they would commit or invest MILLIONS of DOLLARS with so little financial return on their investment? If history means anything here is how it is done. Taxpayer money gets sucked in by starting with a small investment…..Like spending on Sod and other small expenditures. This eventually leads to saying…..We’ve already started by making a commitment to recreational needs of community and school kids…..So we might as well spend MILLIONS that will include helping the poor old boys at the Lions Club. After all you can’t put a price tag on Tradition can you?  I expect City Nobility to imply…..Ed’s gone off the deep end. He has only been here 14 years and doesn’t have a commitment to “Tradition” like we do. He is not one of us and doesn’t appreciate or understand that we “Want” a Rodeo…..No matter how much it costs. Ok, Ed gets it. Just sit in the corner and be quiet and then, and only then will you be considered one of us.  FOLKS, it’s just not in me to do that. I have been blessed and guided to always take the opportunity to be of service in the community. (Patriarchal Blessing)

I therefore will direct your attention to the purchase of the Electric Theater as a city investment in the Arts. The city hired a consulting firm from New York to evaluate the merits of providing a venue for the display and practice of various Art forms. It was determined that a Performing Arts Facility would cost upwards of 5 Million Dollars. It was concluded that the City could purchase and renovate the Electric Theater site at a cost of about 3 Million Dollars. Well, taxpayer money was committed to this endeavor and as things progressed…..The expected costs are fast approaching the 5 Million mark and may climb higher. It’s too late to turn back…..The City is now fully committed to spending Millions more than taxpayers were led to believe it would cost. I fear that the “Want” mentality of the Council…..mainly the mindset of Bowcutt, Hughes and Randall will lead us down the same path when it comes to the Lions Sun Bowl.

This meeting highlighted Department Heads report that identified the following. 1. It has been a tough year for police in number and type of calls for service. Shortage of, Police Officers are still being felt. Duly noted was increase in vehicle accidents associated with decrease in Traffic Enforcement. As, police personnel, become available more officers will be assigned to Traffic Bureau. 2. NEED for TWO Fire Stations in Little Valley Area. Staffing issues exist. In order to keep Insurance Fire Rating of 4, Fire Station needs to be located within 5 miles of structure. At present portions of Little Valley exceed 5 mile limit and Fire Rating may go as high as 10. This will cost high valued homes greater premiums. Due to decline in number of Reserve Firefighters over the past few years, it has become necessary to instead, hire part-time Fire Fighters and pay them a salary that will keep them on job. These firemen will be paid adequate hourly rate that will not include insurance benefits. Airport is NOT staffed with full time professional Firefighters. (2-14-15, Airplane fire on runway. Blaze underneath fuel tanks. SGFD dispatched to Airport. How far did they have to travel to airport? Time and distance is of the essence. We can be grateful this was not a commercial passenger plane full of passengers.) The immediate future will require the purchase of New Engine Pumper, Ladder Truck and Brush Trucks. Fire trucks and equipment are very expensive and have to be ordered a year or longer in advance in order to get them when needed. Human Resource Department reported that part-time employees are leaving for full-time jobs. Leisure Services Department is feeling the pinch. Calls for service are going up. Compensation program requires updating for city to be competitive and to provide fair compensation to valued employees. Folks, I haven’t space to list the demands placed on Legal Services Department and how over worked and burden this department has become. We have incredibly gifted and dedicated city employees. It is imperative that Priorities be established. Please take the time to communicate your values to elected officials.                      Thank you, ED BACA