From fireworks to politics, an unusually bountiful Sunday Tribune yields much for consideration.

Today’s Sunday Tribune is filled with noteworthy material – so here are a few notes.

Congratulations are due the newspaper’s staff for its timely and topical articles and commentaries in today’s edition. If the newspaper’s web site were operated in as timely a fashion, at least one link could be offered to the pieces below, but we’ll provide it (or them) later.

County officials looking at Scribner Place, by Kyle Lowry, Tribune County Reporter.

The story:

Floyd County’s commissioners and county council seem ready to assist with Scribner Place funding in spite of high-dollar obligations of their own, but some city council leaders have been less than cordial while asking for help.

“Floyd County Commissioner Steve Bush and county council member Dana Fendley both are strong supporters of the Scribner Place project and each agreed that the county could, most likely, come up with around $100,000 or more for the downtown effort …

“ … although Fendley supports the project and is willing to help with funding, she said she is appalled at the way the city council has handled the matter.”

NA Confidential adds:

While obstructionist Siamese Councilmen Dan Coffey and Steve Price anchored the “no” vote at last Thursday’s meeting, and CM Bill Schmidt incomprehensibly abstained from going on record, CM Larry Kochert used his time to pontificate on the nature of political cooperation between city and county … and a more counter-productive, belligerent sermon it would be difficult to imagine.

We don’t pretend to know the origins of Kochert’s obvious animosity toward the county, and naturally we’d be foolish to imagine that there are none in the county who’d gladly return Kochert’s “favor” if given half a chance, but if any specific, clear and shining example of why city politics must be brought into the 21st century can be provided here on short notice, it is his convoluted “fair share” campaign,” wherein the germ of a good idea – the county should be on board in some manner with Scribner Place – is relegated to the appendix of the argument, to be completely overwhelmed by Kochert’s bizarre need to publicly berate the very same people who he expects to co-operate with him.

Make that, with “us.”

Let’s wipe away the souring political grease coating his skids, and ask this one simple question: Does, or doesn’t, Larry Kochert really support Scribner Place?

First, his obfuscation with respect to a working definition of “fair share,” and then his boorishly intemperate behavior toward the county during the meeting in question, sadly combine to spotlight the worst excesses of the “good old boy” backroom system symbolized by few better than Kochert himself.

Thankfully, this populist, ward-heeling model of 19th-century thinking was courageously denounced at the same meeting by Kochert’s recently arrived counterpart, Councilman Donnie Blevins, our city council’s truest voice of conscience amidst the insufferable clatter and din of Coffey’s incessant, pathological grandstanding, Price’s pleas borrowed from reruns of “Hee Haw” to run the city “like grandma would,” and Schmidt’s abject failure to take a position on the most important issue the city council may face this year.

You can bet Kochert wasn’t listening to Blevins, his fellow councilman, who doesn’t have Kochert’s long experience in politics to draw from. But you can also bet that Blevins understands why it’s wrong to embarrass the city by abusing the county at the precise time that city-county relations have a chance of improving.

Messer should be commended, a commentary by Amany Ali, Tribune City Editor.

The story:

On Thursday night, City Councilman Jack Messer’s introduction of the resolution detailing Scribner Place funding permitted him time to explain his support of the project, but far more than that, it allowed him to explain the reasons why he chose to enter public service, and to issue a rare challenge to the political class to do what is right, not just what is expedient for the continuation of careers.

“Before the council voted on the (Scribner Place) resolution, Messer did what I wish other political figures would do. Not petrified by the thought that he might not get re-elected, he announced that he supported Scribner Place and support the plan that would use property taxes as a backup …

“ … Messer’s words were a breath of fresh air at a meeting where entirely too much time was taken up with political malarkey and bitterness. He should be commended for speaking his mind and not worrying about the political ramifications. There are other politicians in Floyd County who could learn from Messer’s example.”

NA Confidential says:

Amany Ali does a marvelous job of recognizing Councilman Messer’s contribution to last Thursday’s meeting, and although all council representatives voting for Scribner Place deserve commendation for their principled stances, Messer’s address to the audience, and his comments to fellow council members, almost certainly and deservedly will become the stuff of legend.

Here’s why.

Throughout the run-up to the Scribner Place vote, upstanding citizens confused and frightened by impending change have been manipulated by certain calculating elements -- some well-intentioned, others unfortunately not – who are in opposition to New Albany’s ongoing efforts to move forward.

Time and again, fear and loathing have been stoked. Sincere efforts to explain the way a city works have been dismissed. Progressives have been attacked as pointy-headed, out of touch – and to be truthful, even threatened. Freedom of speech has been curtailed.

In short, citizens have been turned against each other by fellow citizens who quite simply should know better – assuming, of course, that they haven’t meant worse from the beginning.

Jack Messer’s words last Thursday night demolished this “culture war” argument once and for all.

Here is a New Albany resident, a concerned taxpayer, a policeman of long standing, a public servant – a man who is as fully representative of the community as any could ever hope to be – walking tall and announcing that he understands why some of his fellow New Albanians are scared, but that there’s absolutely no reason for them to be; that much hard work certainly is yet to come; but unless something is done now to reverse the fortunes of New Albany, that there will be no city to pass on to the next generation -- and this work must begin now, by all of us, and for all of us.

Brilliant. Thank you, Jack, and thanks to Amany Ali for her take.

Council needs to act more dignified, by Jim Nichols, Executive Editor of the Evening News and New Albany Tribune.

The story:

The author, who is new to Floyd County politics, attended last Thursday’s city council meeting, and although he was prepared for it to be interesting owing to the Scribner Place vote, he simply wasn’t prepared for Circus Maximus, city council-style.

“What made this meeting one for the ages was the demeanor of the meeting. Lack of demeanor is more appropriate ...

“ … A New Albany woman had a beef with Councilman Dan Coffey and she let everyone know it. Phrases like “poor white trash” and “you were promised a job” were tossed back and forth …

“ … The exchange was something you’d expect after a six-pack or two. I don’t think either party in the argument had been drinking, but I’d have a clearer understanding of their exchange had that been the case.”

NA Confidential says:

Yep, Jim, welcome to the Open Air Museum.

Although you somewhat simplistically opted to use erratic local businesswoman Valla Ann Bolovshak’s presentation of “Robert’s Rules of Order” to the council as an example of something that should help the latter, and failed to recognize Bolovshak’s seemingly magnanimous gesture as part of the ongoing problem of meeting-night grandstanding rather than the part of the solution (remember that at least one council member has publicly and repeatedly stated his aversion to reading), you nonetheless capture the anarchic spirit of some council gatherings, and recognize that the “blame,” as such, comes from both sides of the table.

Fireworks and old houses don’t mix, by Chris Morris, Tribune Managing Editor.

The story:

On the Fourth of July, as firefighters extinguished a garage fire probably caused by fireworks, Chris’s neighborhood “looked like a war zone” and people ignored the firemen while continuing to ignite fireworks.

“We can celebrate our country’s independence without blowing up half the town. So next year, let’s leave the fireworks to the experts. And let’s make sure state legislators revisit this issue in the upcoming session.”

NA Confidential says:

Right on, Chris. And while you’re at it, can we somehow gently remind the pyromaniacs among us to clean up their refuse upon conclusion of the show – and perhaps limit it to the pre-midnight hours?

New Albany deserves a YMCA and aquatic center, a guest column by Mike Ricke.

The story:

The leader of fundraising efforts for the YMCA eloquently describes the benefits of the project to come.

“Despite political positioning and misinformation, my co-chair, Carol Libs, and our entire committee have to date raised over $5.2 million to build the YMCA …

“ … While the YMCA is the right answer for the citizens of New Albany and Floyd County, please don’t expect it to erase years of citizen apathy, frozen leadership and neglect overnight.”

NA Confidential says:

We say only that Mike Ricke has said it all. We close with these words from his guest column:

“Can you imagine the long-term benefits to our community by having seniors with knowledge and wisdom interact with youth who crave attention and need positive direction?"

What, and do more for the city than bitch anonymously about their property taxes?

That'd be a first, but perhaps many such firsts are coming for the city of New Albany.