Actually, it's non-lame duck 6th district Council Member Jeff Gahan, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, who's taking a lead role role this evening, introducing a resolution to suspend sewer appropriations until the utility produces a budget for council review, thereby fulfilling what he feels is its legal obligation to do so.
It'll be interesting to see if any of the members who support Gahan's stance realize the irony of the law and order routine coming from a Council that's yet to adequately address its own and the city's legal shortcomings.
The Council continues to operate in violation of election law in their refusal to take responsibility for the mandated redrawing of their districts, Council President Larry Kochert is presumably on tape admitting to illegal primary shenanigans, and the slumlords are all sleeping soundly.
Speaking of Slippery Larry, one wonders if he'll again conveniently forget his own long tenure on the sewer board and try to pin any accounting deficiencies on the Mayor, or if he'll suddenly spin his head and allow us the joy of watching him grimace as he owns up to actually agreeing with Garner.
Only Larry knows for sure and, in the absence of a crowd to play to, he probably hasn't decided yet.
And what of at-large CM Kevin Zurschmiede? Having vociferously opposed paving appropriations without full documentation of the street department's intentions during early discussions, will he hold himself to the same standard as a sewer board member or give up the grandstand now that the Republican party no longer needs to concern themselves with Garner as a candidate?
Will 3rd district CM Steve Price involuntarily vote no on the measure before realizing its purpose is to withhold funds?
What are the chances that mayoral candidate Doug England's name comes up in the discussion?
Eric Scott Campbell provides pre-meeting Tribune coverage here.
Meeting agenda and materials from City Clerk Marcey Wisman.
Notice also that MArcey's updated her site with council member voting records.
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2 comments:
How true it is the sewers and drainage will be a big issue at Council this evening.
Thank you for writing this "blurb" about same; saving me time to update mine as I have been ill.
As a citizen, I was polled by certain Council members as to the issue regarding rescinding the EDIT Council pledged towards the sewer projects. At first, I was asked if I supported the list of projects that had been lined up by the Sewer Board Engineers and I relayed of course I did, as long as they moved the Robert E. Lift back up to priority status.
Then, I found out what happened at Tuesday's Sewer Board meeting and now have totally changed my mind regarding this issue, as has other Council members.
As Mr. Fifer was carrying on Tuesday about how Council can not edict how "they" spend the EDIT monies appropriated to them by Council and have decided to instead try and do further development out on Charlestown Road (with a Developer Fifer represents, no less); I say if they feel they do not have to honor the list given to Council, which was changed arbitrarily and against our Engineer's wishes; and they will not provide the Council with a budget -- even though the Accounting for Sewers is outsourced...make them come to the Council for each and every project and have it approved.
Rescind the monies because Mr. Kochert nor Mr. Zurschmeide can not guarantee the monies will be spent where they were designated by our long suffering and great on board Engineers recommendations.
It was said to me that if they rescinded the money, Council would "frivel" it away...right now I feel the Sewer Board may frivel it away -- this one may just blow up.
As a citizen, I am still trying to figure out (and it may have happened at the last Council meeting with 1 reading), what Mr. Coffey wants to do with the drainage monies. It is illegal the Storm Water Board does not have a budget and have signed contracts without one; but hey, Council doesn't have one either. Still, Council controls the purse strings and are demanding a budget from the SWB, and I can't disagree with this one either...leaves you scratching your head.
BTW, our amended, amended, amended (or THIRD) Consent Decree has arrived from the EPA. Sewer Board said they probably wouldn't sign it for a couple of weeks. Ironically, I ran into a Mayoral candidate this past Sunday and asked him if Mayor Garner was going to sign the new Consent Decree and if he knew what was in there.
This person kind of blew me off and said Louisville was in a lot worse shape than we were and they don't get all the publicity we do about raw sewage. There's only one thing wrong with that statement...and I didn't bother telling them this because this person caused us to be labeled a "non-combined" system whereas Louisville is definitely a combined system and unfortunately for all rate payers, there is a heap of difference between the two.
Having had a serious allergic reaction to the medication I was prescribed I can't attend and state these facts to Council. I can state them here.
After talking with several of Council, I feel Mr. Gahan will receive what he wants, simply because of words spoken against Council by the Sewer Board on Tuesday. Simply my 2 cents worth, and opinions.
A note of correction here. Mr. Fifer said these things at the Sewer Board meeting two meetings ago, not Tuesday.
Not that it makes that much difference; just want the facts straight. Thanks.
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