C-J looks for council action points, finds talking points. Next?

I may have missed it, but did the Tribune ever get around to acknowledging the errant Striegel photo swap on July 4?

Life marches on, and here's a news item from yesterday: New Albany leaders face challenges; Some plans may be put on hold, by Dick Kaukas (The Courier-Journal).

With a lame-duck mayor and at least four of the nine City Council seats about to change hands, the second half of this year will pose significant challenges for New Albany's government leaders.

Mayor James Garner lost the Democratic primary in May to former Mayor Doug England, who will face Republican Randy Hubbard, a former Floyd County sheriff, in the November election.

At least four council members also are leaving. Larry Kochert, the president of the council, and Beverly Crump did not seek re-election. Bill Schmidt and Donnie Blevins lost to other Democrats in the primary.

With so much change coming, some officials might be tempted to put off important decisions until the new mayor and council take office Jan. 1. But Garner said he believes there's a good chance to avoid that kind of stagnation.

According to the reporter Kaukas, there is hope among those council members interviewed for the article that substantive action might yet be taken on a handful of issues, including:

Indoor smoking ban.
The committee leader, CM Kevin Zurschmiede, expressed wariness of comprehensive strategies, promised exemptions to any possible ban, and forecast pressure on the council to act “one way or the other.”

Since the worst way to act is by granting exemptions, expect it.

One Southern Indiana.
1SI, the regional chamber of commerce, has long requested a yearly tithe of $92,000 from the city of New Albany. As noted by NAC junior editor Bluegill yesterday, the money would be used (among other things) to encourage governmental units to continue “spending billions of public dollars on the continuation and expansion of transportations systems that necessitate a steady or increased demand for oil.”

Interestingly, while not turning a deaf ear to 1SI’s plea, CM Jeff Gahan has raised the prospect of increased council funding for Develop New Albany, of which the author is a board member, and that is charged with assisting in downtown New Albany growth.

Are we ready for a debate as to which of these two organizations better serves the cause smart growth in downtown?

Take-home cars.
CM Dan “Wizard of Westside” Coffey chose his interview slot to repeat concerns over “city employees taking home vehicles after regular working hours,” and added that, “a new council committee he heads is gathering information to determine how many take-home cars the city provides, who gets them, where the people who use them live and the like.”

If Coffey’s committee holds hearings and determines that pumpkin-patch inhabiting, double-nought Progressive spies are to blame for fuel wastage, his connection to Joe McCarthy will be complete, and as an added bonus, he’ll have recaptured the elusive heart of the cop-baiting Prof. Erika.

She likes anyone who'll give the finger to the police.

Police and firefighter hiring procedures.
The city council president, a mercifully lame duck Larry Kochert, reiterated his obsession with altering the hiring process of the city’s police and fire departments, noting that it’s “the big thing for me,” but refusing to divulge specific remedies.

In other words, more of the same from the King.

The council will hold budget hearings this Saturday, July 14, beginning at 9:00 a.m. CM Gahan, the rare visionary currently inhabiting a seat on the city’s legislative body, has proposed an idea that might someday make these deliberations, and other information, more widely available. According to Kaukas:

… If there is enough money, he wants the council to consider setting up a new "information technology department" to oversee city phone, computer and other systems and make sure they're up to date and work well together.

More facts on hand for the likes of the perpetually deprived Coffey to selectively ignore?

That makes perfect sense … so don’t hold your breath.