By: Diane Benjamin
You already know that Tari Renner’s handpicked committee doesn’t represent the interest of anybody outside their tiny group who think downtown is the future. (Decades of facts to the contrary are immaterial) https://blnnews.com/2017/05/03/taris-downtown-task-force/
I know you don’t need proof, but:
You can see what they have been up to here: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-552
I haven’t read every document yet, but from what I can tell the Committee is just listening to the opinions of staff learned at all the conferences you paid for. These people don’t know the history of downtown and what has been tried before and failed. Lather, Rinse, Repeat!
I did see why Alderman Mathy wants parking meters. The business owners and people who work downtown need to be forced to park in the garage. Meters will do that, maybe.
I also saw why the library move and transit hub was proposed. The Front and Center Building is what they really want redeveloped – but it’s just too hard.
See this report about safety downtown: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14542
Read the documents and inform yourself – just don’t try to read at bedtime. Either hysterical laughing or fear at incompetence will keep you awake.
Good grief ..,, I’m definitely wondering how these jokers can even move or walk with no capacity shown for clear thinking and appropriate direction . now that they have shoveled bike lanes upon streets that were built with lanes to safely handle traffic loads ,hopefully no bikers get hurt in congested accidents in the now single lanes resulting . when two go into one off of major areas of traffic . anyone can change anything , but if it makes things bad to please a few ,, how is that progress . there used to be a thing called law , where folk obeyed them and shared the road politely and policemen observed any breaking the laws and gave warnings and tickets out to lawbreakers . bikers should be safe … but they are no different from those on scooters , motorcycles or pedestrians . . but here the squeaky wheel gets the grease .. and certain folk get privilege when certain folk agree ,, and the rest can just deal with it ..
The Task Force should try reading all of the “master” and “strategic” plans themselves rather than relying on “staff.” It’s amazing how much information is contained in those documents. Most of the members of the Task Force aren’t old enough to know the history and therefore are doomed to failure by repeating the same mistakes of the past. The private sector views downtown as too much of a risk for investment. The Task Force doesn’t understand that a “catalyst does not have to be a multi-million dollar structure. Repairing infrastructure is a catalyst. The already committed funding for signage, if done well, should act as a catalyst. I have yet to see their recommendations for funding. That was one of their tasks.
What stood out for me, was their fear and disdain of the homeless people down there. Aren’t they the type of savior do-gooders who care so much for the poor and down-trodden, the homeless, the ones tossed aside by capitalism and conservatives? OH that’s right – they want them “out of sight out of mind” and they definitely don’t want them wandering about blighting THEIR little playground, not in “real life”. But, south of the White Elephant they want to create a nice park like atmosphere, a “Pedestrian mall” with some fountains and the like – the homeless will be able to clean up a little in the fountains now and then and if there are benches sleep out on nice nights….but, as they say if they make it more attractive it will also be attractive to the kind of people they don’t want down there”…so they should keep that in mind. There’s also those lower income disabled and elderley people not far from there, they won’t want any of them” wandering over there either – yep they better think this out – Plus “Mayor’s Manor” is right near there as well and well…oh me oh my what is a progressive downtown task force going to do to ensure the purity of their pet project? (because you know, they only want certain types of people down there…) Build a wall?
Ronin–“those people” on the Task Force are just plain snobs that are blinded by their 6 figure incomes. The homeless are part of the urban landscape. If the Task Force is promoting urbanism, they need to embrace all that it entails. There are already public restrooms–they are located in the publicly owned City Hall.
You got that right, all smiley with some, very arrogant and condescending with others, that would be those who can do nothing for them. They say the “right things” when they need to but their hearts are not open and accepting of those less fortunate – only if they keep at a proper distance and don’t mar the landscape too much, and you know, stay in their designated areas.