By: Diane Benjamin
Must see video is below the Council video!
Even though “Friends of the BCPA” showed up at Public Comment to urge the Council to approve hiring their fundraiser, Karen Schmidt got the agreement tabled. She claimed not enough discussion has taken place about the future of the Creativity Center. Or, maybe she heard the outrage from citizens who see rotten roads and no need for yet more “Quality of Life”. The Council is facing a $3 million deficit, but they constantly come up with more things to spend money on. This issue will be back in March.
Tari gave his State of the City address. It was pretty much his campaign speech with a few new minimum wage employers added. His worst offense was claiming the roads are being repaired. Jim Karch wants $8,000,000 a year for roads. Instead he is getting $3.8 – all of which comes from NEW taxes passed by Renner. (Motor Fuel and 1/4% Sales Tax)
The first speaker at Public Comment claimed the Development Manager for the “Friends” is budgeted every year, it just hasn’t been filled. The documentation left that out, along with what salary this person would receive.
Jim Pearson is at 17:00. He claims he can get a hotel and convention center built attached to the Coliseum on land the City already owns. Of course Renner doesn’t want it there – away from the City core and Pearson evidently doesn’t know occupancy rates at the current local hotels have been dismal. Since the Council didn’t respond, we have no idea if they knew about his plan in advance.
Donna Boelen spoke at 24.40. Her topic was pension spiking, an issue the City claims they are going to fix but never get around to. She mentioned the pending deficit and all the upcoming employees that will continue to cost the City money when it’s easily avoidable.
Just hit play to hear Renner, or fast forward to 14:30 to hear public comment:
Angela Scott addressed the Council during the first Public Comment at 6:30. She Live Streamed her comments on Facebook, more than 4000 people have watched it. That means you need to see it, I put it on YouTube so you can:
Keep it up Angela! We NEED some GOOD answers, of which we know we won’t get ANY!
I have a simple solution for the Friends of the BCPA and the City. Cut the unfilled position in the City budget. Let the Friends of the BCPA keep their money, instead of giving it to the City, and hire their own Manager/Director. There already is a commitment by the City to maintain the City owned property. The operational should be paid for by the users.
Thank you Diane. How many votes did Mathey get…less than viewed this video I bet!
MANY less
In Renner’s State of the City, he asks everyone on Council to be nice to each other. Wow! What is the source of the rift?
Last night it was moving the library. Long term it’s a bully(ies) on the Council.
He should look in a mirror.
When Renner tells council to be nice, that’s code for dont oppose what he, Amelia and Scott want.
Exactly!
Yup. Tari has always had trouble interacting with people that have a different opinion. Something is wrong with you if you oppose him. Spot on, Cavewoman!
The Council forgets that the overwhelming majority of residents don’t go to nor care for the BCPA, library, and/or Downtown. Yet, they spend an inordinate amount of time trying to resuscitate the corpses of all three. Meanwhile, news flash, the population is declining and State Farm has only begun to shed jobs. Just wait. February and March will be brutal. The artsy fartsy crowd is not going to save this economy, they’re going to help it die a quicker death.
Sadly, I think they actually see themselves as valiant saviors, do-gooders with a high moral authority (and infinitely more “educated” than the common rabble who would speak against their hair brained schemes) I think in some way they truly believe that more art galleries is the answer.
Agreed. Let’s see how many liberal spenders we have post-layoffs at State Farm.All of sudden more folks are reviewing their taxes/fees/surcharges and looking at what they (don’t) get for it.
East coast liberal!