Grid Control, Vol. 11: HWC Engineering meets with St. Marks, city officials nowhere to be found.

Earlier today, John Manzo of St. Marks United Church of Christ indicated that HWC Engineering had contacted him and wanted to meet to discuss the church's thoughts about one-way civic communications.

Grid Control, Vol. 9: "This was supposed to be discussed with us," but Dear Leader doesn't ever discuss, does he?

As John reports, HWC followed through. Film crews from WDRB and WAVE were spotted downtown around lunchtime, having taken their news gathering cues from ... well, we know where this whole business started, don't we?

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So, in following up from yesterday, a couple of us met with the engineering firm, HWC today. To their great credit, they are NOT Ding and Bat. They seem to be willing to help at least not make this as bad as it is.

My annoyance is that we made a considerable investment to make the front of our building accessible. The money could have been used elsewhere but this is where we did it. Had we any clue of what being discussed, this project might not have taken place.

There are two things that disturb me greatly.

The first, is that the placement of the bus stop is in the worst possible location for us. While I know there is not a grand conspiracy against the downtown churches, if there was, they couldn't have pulled it off better. Again, I am not suggesting there is a conspiracy, it's just maddening on how this was planned.

Secondly, the lack of communication. Someone needed to talk to us before this transpired. Since my post yesterday, I greatly appreciate HWC's willingness to talk to us. The head of the company reached out to me yesterday and fulfilled the promise that their Senior Project Manager would come by church today to discuss it. This I greatly appreciate.

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Previously:

Grid Control, Vol. 10: City officials predictably AWOL as HWC Engineering falls on its sword over striping errors.

Grid Control, Vol. 9: "This was supposed to be discussed with us," but Dear Leader doesn't ever discuss, does he?

Grid Control, Vol. 8: City Hall characteristically mum as HWC Engineering at least tries to answer the cross-hatching question.

Grid Control, Vol. 7: What will the Board of Works do to rectify HWC's striping errors on the north side of Spring Street, apart from microwaving another round of sausage biscuits?

Grid Control, Vol. 6: Jeff Speck tweets about NA's grid changes, and those missed bicycling opportunities.

Grid Control, Vol. 5: Egg on HWC Engineering's well-compensated face as it botches Spring Street's westbound bike buffer cross hatching.

Grid Control, Vol. 4: But this actually isn't a bus lane, is it?

Grid Control, Vol. 3: TARC's taking your curbside church parking, says City Hall.

Grid Control, Vol. 2: Southsiders get six more parking inches, but you gotta love those 10-foot traffic lanes on Spring.

Grid Control, Vol. 1: You people drive so freaking horribly that someone's going to die at Spring and 10th.

Grid Control, Vol. 9: "This was supposed to be discussed with us," but Dear Leader doesn't ever discuss, does he?

Last week we briefly surveyed the half-block-long yellow curbs.

Grid Control, Vol. 3: TARC's taking your curbside church parking, says City Hall.

 ... (Reporter Chris Morris said City Engineer Larry) Summers said that area is now for TARC buses to pull over and pick up passengers instead of blocking traffic to do so since Spring will just be one lane in each direction. He said he would look into it, but did not make any promises that changes would be made ...

I saw John Manzo's post at Fb just minutes after listening to the testimony of an attendee at last evening's Floyd County Democratic Men's Club quarterly meeting, where Mayor Jeff Gahan rose to announce that his many expenditures accomplishments these past 100 six years are testament to the power of unity and all stakeholders working together.

Delusional or disingenuous? Pick one answer -- and you can't be wrong, either way. As a case in point, just this one little bit from the pastor's post:

"This was supposed to be discussed with us before all of these things happened."

Gahan?

Discuss things?

It's highly unlikely.

If the pastor insists on doubting Dear Leader, Gahan may become disappointed in such a lack of faith devotion. Shining Star of Our Civic Future may be compelled to pack the St, Marks board with sycophantic bobbleheads for hire, annex the church, then quick-claim-deed the property so that requisite luxury apartments can be constructed.

Because: The solemnity of unity, and all the stakeholders obeying together. Here are John's words in cut 'n' paste format.

I would like to thank TARC and the City of New Albany. After (we made) the front of our building completely accessible to our church members and to the many people who utilize our church for all sorts of community services, the city and TARC have made the front of our building a no-parking zone and a bus stop.

This, of course, cannot be changed now because they already milled the road and it would be an additional cost and inconvenience. This was supposed to be discussed with us before all of these things happened, but the engineering firm seems to have approached its job like Ding and Bat.

This, of course, is in addition to the too many times that access to downtown churches has become difficult because of Sunday morning downtown events that regularly block roads.

I have no idea why churches choose to fled the downtown (when) the city cherishes our presence so much.

Maybe, just maybe St. Marks can coax a statement of bureaucratese from HWC Engineering, as NAC has managed to do with regard to botched cross hatching on the north side of Spring Street.

But an admission of error on the part of City Hall?

Ain't happening. Gahan's toxic combination of agoraphobia and narcissism seldom produce repentance.

Previously:

Grid Control, Vol. 8: City Hall characteristically mum as HWC Engineering at least tries to answer the cross-hatching question.

Grid Control, Vol. 7: What will the Board of Works do to rectify HWC's striping errors on the north side of Spring Street, apart from microwaving another round of sausage biscuits?

Grid Control, Vol. 6: Jeff Speck tweets about NA's grid changes, and those missed bicycling opportunities.

Grid Control, Vol. 5: Egg on HWC Engineering's well-compensated face as it botches Spring Street's westbound bike buffer cross hatching.

Grid Control, Vol. 4: But this actually isn't a bus lane, is it?

Grid Control, Vol. 3: TARC's taking your curbside church parking, says City Hall.

Grid Control, Vol. 2: Southsiders get six more parking inches, but you gotta love those 10-foot traffic lanes on Spring.

Grid Control, Vol. 1: You people drive so freaking horribly that someone's going to die at Spring and 10th.

Manzo: "Why I, as a Christian, Found Phil Robertson’s Comments to be Offensive."

The Pastor is a Christian, and so his perspective on this story is different than mine. Except that it isn't, really.

Why I, as a Christian, Found Phil Robertson’s Comments to be Offensive, by John Manzo (John's Musings About Whatever)

... People who know Phil Robertson well say he’s not a bigot and he is very honest when he says he really doesn’t judge people and that he loves everyone. Perhaps this is so. Mr. Robertson may, in fact, be a wonderful man.

His recent interview offended me as a Christian.

Refusing insurance as the salve for a poverty-stricken consciousness?

Excellent observations from the blogging pastor, John Manzo.

Colin Powell's Comments

Colin Powell made a recent observation that he believed that Sarah Palin is a person who is one of the more polarizing figures on the political stage and exemplifies the growing polarization of and in the Republican Party. Interesting to note, in recent polling data, her approval rating across the nation is in the 30's and amongst the Republican base is in the 70's.

Closer to home, many readers may have missed a comment contributed by Rev. Manzo early last week when we considered the top stories of 2008.

The biggest local story is a story that is being played out elsewhere as well. In this past year the poverty level in downtown has grown exponentially. If our Soup Kitchen is a barometer we have pretty much
doubled the number of people we serve each week. There are also significantly more children at this. This is the untold story of our fair city, I'm afraid.

Has anyone noticed that people like my uncouncilman, Steve Price, are perpetually willing to exploit poverty as the reason why nothing should be done to help expand the economic pie, while finding no justification for providing assistance (i.e., Haven House funding) to those stricken by poverty, and completing the trifecta, remaining utterly bereft of any plan or strategy to address the situation in such a manner that might suggest a modicum of comprehension?

I thought Republicans were the ones attributing poverty to the inadequacies of the poor. Perhaps my councilman should consider switching parties.

I've been wondering, too.

Torture ... from John Manzo's blog.

So, our current President ran on values. They certainly aren't the values of Christianity, they certainly aren't the values of mainstream ethical philosophy, so it makes me wonder just whose values he ran on and by whose values he governs.