I will try to post every 15-20 minutes tonight if the ebb and flow permits.
(E) Communications, in the following order:
(1) From city officials:
(b) Controller;
Kay Garry has nothing to say tonight.
(c) City Attorney; and
(d) City Engineer.
Nothing from either of them.
Steve Price: Wants to request that the sewer request be tabled. No public hearing. Feels it's being rushed through, the fix is in. All is rigged. Omigod.
(2) From official commission:
(a) Board of Public Works;
(b) Plan Commission; and
(c) Park Commission.
None from any of them.
(3) From members of the public, including petitions and remonstrances.
John Gonder notes that there are 14 people wanting to speak. Five minute rule will be enforced. First lady wants no raises and can't understand it. I'm not going to comment on all of these.
We'll be having applause tonight.
Question: What if every one of the opponents' positions turned out to be answered? If there was no malfeasance, if the aw-dit checks out ... but we still have to satisfy the problem with bucks? The woman says she'll have to leave town if her bill goes beyond $60 a month. What if it must?
Second speaker is from the fire department, although that has been pulled. He's talking about human lives, not money.
Randy Smith: Gives a shout-out to Ed Clere for two weeks of work. Objects to the continued subsidy from EDIT to grease rate payers. Kochert guffaws. Proposes to drop the minimum rate to 100 cubic feet use from 200.
Apartment house owner now comes forward. Renting has been impossible. She's spends time in small claims court. She's singing the blues, because the slackers we attract as civic credo won't pay prices. She can't pass it off. We should subsidize people like her who rent to people like them. Anger. Wants to leave because she can't afford the modern world. She hurls crazy accusations like red meat to the lions. Salivary glands overtime in this crowd. She's stoked. Why's the country in bad shape??? Questions need answering! Floods, pestilence. Listen to the citizens. We're going to have dead homes (in her neighborhood -- listen, lady, we already have dead homes downtown).
Maurice (Morris) King: Hopes to stay here. Might get priced out. Refers to prices for sewer service in similar-sized cities. Elkhart (52,000) is considering a rate increase. They have a comparison sheet. Has a sheet in his hands: "Piecemeal in Our Time." Says we're at the top of the list for rates based on 5,000 gallons usage per month. $33 for -5,000. I don't know how much my house uses. Opposes the council attorney.
Gonder lets him know he's over the limit, and he sits down.
Next speaker says we should subsidize her because she must leave her home empty to take care of her mom, and because no one's buying houses, and because the world's an evil, nasty place. Yes, I'm being cynical, but so far, each speaker wants to be subsidized for a different reason that has nothing to do with civic policy. She's 61 and discriminated against. She supports police and fire funding to keep her grandsons off drugs, but has no idea where THAT money might come from.
King Larry Kochert: Out of retirement. All are hurting. We grow government. Returns to his favorite theme: Georgetown as the root of all evil. 500,000! 800,000! Mismanagement? Implies that yes, must be, because Georgetown sucks! But not when he was on the sewer board!
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