Why Our Commission Refuses to Play?Thursday night’s commission meeting (September 18th) was a barnburner. Dean Scharmen unstacked more chairs at the back of the City Hall Auditorium to accommodate the larger-than-usual number of our residents who have become increasingly concerned. Comment cards became scarce. It was tough to ignore the headcount.
Some were there for the purpose of lobbying to save our cops. Some were there for yet another (BAM!) “cooking class” by financial consultant Rob Garner, who kicked it up notch with a downright deceiving Excel chart. Some were there just because they’d heard rumblings that “things are screwed up” and wanted to see for themselves firsthand. They got more than the price of admission.
Most of us left City Hall that night wondering why our elected representatives, the City Commissioners we gave the nod to, aren’t asking toothy follow-up questions when issues arise. Citizens seem to be asking the bulk of the tough questions; however, with the constraints of a three-minute limit, there’s no way the residents in attendance can carry the ball entirely. As a citizen, I sometimes feel like a straight man playing to five mute sidekicks.
And, once public comment is closed by the chair, you’re just S.O.L. If something else pops up afterwards that requires an answer, your only hope of getting those answers is for some commissioner--any commissioner--to pick up the ball and take it the rest of the way down the field. It doesn't happen. Important issues are allowed to drop to the floor like our bank balances without pursuing the subject further.
So why is the commission NOT asking more questions? Are they afraid of the answers? Do they fear appearing incompetent? Do they perhaps ask the questions behind the scenes and feel the citizens don’t have a need or a right to know?
Here’s a specific example from last Thursday’s meeting. It was pointed out that the balance in the bank as of July 30th totaled $1.7 million, yet those monies were not factored into the next year’s budget. That figure, as verified by our City Finance Director, is the June statement balance (money in the bank!) forecasted to the end of July, and it wasn’t shown in the budget for the next fiscal year anywhere! NOT ONE COMMISSIONER asked any additional questions like “Is that true?” or “How can that be?” “What’s up with that?” or "What happens to that money?"
Instead Commissioner Wollin alluded to the possibility that if citizens were correct and all this money "drops from the sky," we’ll be better off financially than we think we are. The money is not falling from the sky, lady; it’s sitting in the City’s bank account...and shame on you for asking already-strapped citizens for more money without knowing what that amount is TO THE DAMN PENNY.
Check back on IRBeHEARD for questions that our residents could only hope the commission will ask.
Nancy Obarski
So why is the commission NOT asking more questions? Are they afraid of the answers? Do they fear appearing incompetent? Do they perhaps ask the questions behind the scenes and feel the citizens don’t have a need or a right to know?
Here’s a specific example from last Thursday’s meeting. It was pointed out that the balance in the bank as of July 30th totaled $1.7 million, yet those monies were not factored into the next year’s budget. That figure, as verified by our City Finance Director, is the June statement balance (money in the bank!) forecasted to the end of July, and it wasn’t shown in the budget for the next fiscal year anywhere! NOT ONE COMMISSIONER asked any additional questions like “Is that true?” or “How can that be?” “What’s up with that?” or "What happens to that money?"
Instead Commissioner Wollin alluded to the possibility that if citizens were correct and all this money "drops from the sky," we’ll be better off financially than we think we are. The money is not falling from the sky, lady; it’s sitting in the City’s bank account...and shame on you for asking already-strapped citizens for more money without knowing what that amount is TO THE DAMN PENNY.
Check back on IRBeHEARD for questions that our residents could only hope the commission will ask.
Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB
2 comments:
It is a scientific fact that thinking and simple reasoning result in questions, if only to substantiate what you believe is true or to gain more knowledge. This part of our anatomy is called a brain. All humans have a brain. As we all know, some misfortunate individuals are somewhat lacking in this area. We’ve all heard anecdotes like “not the sharpest tool in the shed” or “the lights are on but there’s no body home”. I’m sure Terry Wollin has heard them all in reference to her lack of intelligence. Sad thing is she is up there making decisions on behalf of this community. Like Forest Gump said “stupid is what stupid does”. Terry takes the cake when it come to that!
The 2nd reading, in the newspaper and on the city website, shows an asterisk next to the amount 1,275,8903.00. At the bottom of the page the amount 1,080,5923.00 is also shows an asterisk with the explanation that the amount is not liquid. In other words, not spendable. That is the amount of money in accounts receivable due from sewr and solid waste.
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