Friday, July 08, 2005

UPDATED: More on last night's historic City Council approval of Scribner Place.

4:00 p.m. - Friday coverage of last evening's City Council meeting:

Council moves forward on Scribner Place, by Amany Ali, Tribune City Editor.
More Notes from the Trenches, by Randy Smith (Volunteer Hoosier blog).
Notes From the Trenches, by Randy Smith (Volunteer Hoosier blog).

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If you're into the market for local political futures, here's a tip.

Jack Messer: Buy.

Steve Price: Sell.

As the Courier-Journal’s Ben Zion Hershberg reminds us, there’s still next Tuesday’s County Council session to consider before the last Scribner Place hurdle is cleared:

New Albany backs Scribner Place; Final commitment depends on county, by Ben Zion Hershberg of the Courier-Journal (limited shelf life for C-J links).

At last night’s city council meeting, Councilman Larry Kochert took great care in publicly defending his "qualified" support of Scribner Place, which for many weeks remained artfully undefined, at least insofar as his implied meaning of “fair share,” but while doing so, CM Kochert lobbed more than one shot at the county in general and its elected leaders specifically.

Not the best way to win friends and influence people, but NA Confidential defers to Kochert’s many years of political experience and assumes the best.

By the way, whenever one hears Councilmen Kochert, Bill Schmidt and Dan Coffey use the poor state of the city’s infrastructure as reason to delay and obfuscate, are we the only ones who think of the combined decades of council presence that they have contributed, and wonder how such deterioration ever was allowed to proceed with them as watchdogs?

Perhaps we’re being naïve. Again.

Meanwhile, over at Speak Out, Lout (NA), open season has been declared on NA Confidential and its administrator in the wake of last night's historic council session, with the Speak Out moderator scattering unsubstantiated accusations and the "little people" responding as if on cue with cries for "bans" and censorship.

It's sad to see people so unhappy, and yet so happy to remain unhappy. Something about the devil you know, I guess.

Last night, a citizen speaker actually used city council speaking time to demand that Mr. Baylor and Mr. Smith apologize for accumulated rhetorical offenses against a wide range of local personages.

Ms. Baird, you're right. After long and careful consideration, I’ve decided to own up.

Yes, I shot J.R.

Sorry ‘bout that. It won't happen again.

As for the remainder …

No.

Registered users, please feel free to contribute your views on last night's council session.

2 comments:

edward parish said...

Only in New Albany.

Rick Carmickle said...

I wouldn't be so sure it was going to pass with out CM Korcherts amendment.

CM Seabrook was wanting to table the whole thing until after the county council votes tomorrow.

With out CM Kocherts stipulation, CM Seabrook may have gone NAY!

I do not belive the county council will meet the 200 G's required by the city, they said all along that 100 was what they proposed. So I think this will come back in front of the Four Amigos again, will CM Kochert be on board this time? Who knows!

But one thing about the Tribunes Sunday articles, is hopefully the public will start seeing these mem as they really are! There was no need for the Coffey fiasco on Thursday night, even if the public gets nasty the councilman should always be courtious! Yes Mam! No Mam! should have been all the councilman said!

Several weeks ago, CM Schmidt dressed down the Chief of Police about two NA cruiser parked in front of Hooters in Clarksville! Doesn't CM Scmidt know that Hooters is nothing more than a restaraunt, just like the other establishments around that area, who is to say the officers were not accross the sreet at Buckheads, or Kingfish!
I feel pretty sure that these officers were not on duty and not in uniform when this occured, our officers are very well trained in how they must present themselves in public, I have the highest regard for city of NA Police officers.

These councilmembers need to engage brain before engaging mouth!

Come on, if CM Schmidt is a good catholic, you think he hasn't tipped a bottle of brew in his time?