We agree completely with Todd and Warren: "These are still cold calls to people's houses ... (and) there are so many scams out there and people are concerned about answering their doors."

We'd be utterly remiss without properly attributing the preceding photos: They're from the Floyd County Democratic Party, which has been defending you from cold calls and porch scams since, uh, er ... never mind.

ASK THE BORED: Horse posteriors. Anti-intellectualism and indie business shaming on July 18. It's just as Jeff Gahan trains his blundering gatekeepers to be.

But the same party functionaries are right there at the Board of Public Works and Safety, defending you from pre-arranged social research by accredited academicians.

Feeling safer yet?

NA Confidential is delighted to know the police chief takes such a strong stance against unsolicited household visits. The next time we see him and his political cronies doing it again, we're going to call the police and have them hauled off. Per Warren Nash, Greg Phipps, et al, if there are any questions about it after the fact, we'll just lie and attribute it to miscommunication.

Isn't it time these candidates show us their solicitation permits? It won't stop us from baring our pitchforks, but at least the hypocrisy would be more entertaining.

(thanks to Jeff Gillenwater)

ASK THE BORED: Horse posteriors. Anti-intellectualism and indie business shaming on July 18. It's just as Jeff Gahan trains his blundering gatekeepers to be.

Your indulgence, please.

The city's mode of presenting relevant documents can make it challenging at times, but we persevere. There comes the pivot when you let their words speak for themselves, and so following are minutes from the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting last Tuesday (July 18).

After the minutes, blog links are provided from last week's coverage of the social research survey snafu, followed by the transcript of an exchange at the Bookseller's Fb page.

4 "Right Thing Done Rightly" as Team Gahan corrects Warren's social research faux pas, then enjoys an ice cold bucket of Lima-A-Ritas over at the roadhouse.


3 Warren's sad Board of Works social research meltdown: "Jeff Gahan’s appointees could use a refresher course in due process. After all, it is a tenet of representative government and basic justice."

2 Warren's bored, hysterical and useless -- or, "Oops – NA BoW Messes Up."

1 Democratic Party stalwart Warren Nash: Heck, this board hasn't ever approved social research study requests. Besides, we already have a captive sociologist.

Perhaps the most revealing part of the Fb transcript isn't when Warren Nash knowingly contradicts his own meeting minutes. We've come to expect it from him.

Rather, it's when councilman Phipps -- seldom the punctual debater on social media -- leaps heroically into the fray to forge a resolution, and naturally begins by thanking the wrong people for prompting the investigation.

BUT look at the top of the BoW meeting minutes, and you'll see Phipps' name as among those attending the very same BoW meeting when all this first occurred.

Was Nash napping, or was Phipps -- or both? Maybe they had to check first with Adam Dickey to determine whether they were there, or not.

Yes, there's even more. 

I've also included the minutes (above) documenting Brittany Enah's (Underground Classic Cuts) request to close Bank Street for a street party on the 22nd.

The request was shelved owing to the concurrent RiverStage production at the amphitheater, and probably legitimately, but it's the tone of rejection you should note.

I corresponded with Brittany after the meeting, and she felt angered and humiliated by the board's attitude, which I view as a legitimate reaction on her part, seeing as the otherwise dispassionate meeting minutes completely convey the bullying flavor of the interrogation.

Seemingly everyone in the room (except Phipps, who was there but apparently wasn't there) took a turn at bat upbraiding Brittany for not knowing proper procedures.

When was the last time anyone from the board or any other arm of municipal government undertook to educate anyone about anything?

Maybe on its Facebook page?

Nope. Read closely.

It's delicious: petty Nashian officialdom on what is and isn't really official. Next week, if merited, he'll flip to a different explanation, and Dickey will bask in the warm glow of tumescence.

If indie business owners don't know the exact procedure for such requests, then perhaps an august institution like Develop New Albany could take precious time off from planning another spate of one-off "signature" events to educate the business owners to help plan their own events properly -- but wait, maybe the Board of Works itself might embrace such an inclusive attitude.

Fat chance, bub.

You see, the reason why this street closing request played out the way it did is because Jeff Gahan's monetization regime needs to control events, because to control events is to (a) regulate their content according to Gahanian standards of suburban propriety, and (b) exact the proper rivulets of tribute in return.

The only surprise last Tuesday is that Nash didn't inform Brittany that she should join DNA at the proper partnership level if she expects any degree of politeness and helpfulness from the Bored.

DNA is the "official" arm. Underground Station? Just a bunch of indie business complainers who won't pay the right lady.

In summary, last Tuesday's meeting did not represent a shining moment in the recent history of the Board of Public Works and Safety. Few do, but this one was special -- epochal, perhaps.

Team Gahan's corrosive paranoia and compulsive wagon-circling seem to have been codified in official policy. Insiders are coddled, and "outsiders" scorned with bureaucratic gobbledygook, if not open abuse.

This is your New Gahania, readers. It doesn't have to be. Is it 2019 yet?

"Right Thing Done Rightly" as Team Gahan corrects Warren's social research faux pas, then enjoys an ice cold bucket of Lima-A-Ritas over at the roadhouse.

“Quiet! I must say you people are a nuisance. If this is retirement, I’d rather be back at that Levy Pants.” Miss Trixie raked at them with her cookie box. “Now get out of my house and mail me my check.”

-- John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces

---

There was a city council meeting on Thursday evening. I'm told the bunker door was barred and the wagons circled before the tailgate party even shut down.

Warren's sad Board of Works social research meltdown: "Jeff Gahan’s appointees could use a refresher course in due process. After all, it is a tenet of representative government and basic justice."

Warren's bored, hysterical and useless -- or, "Oops – NA BoW Messes Up."

Democratic Party stalwart Warren Nash: Heck, this board hasn't ever approved social research study requests. Besides, we already have a captive sociologist.

Unsurprisingly, the usual pillared suspects have engineered their way out of the embarrassing box their superannuated gatekeeper devised for them. No error is acknowledged, and no public input recognized beyond the perimeter of the closed circle.

Alas, the newspaper that broke the story did so unwittingly, and never once followed up amid preparations for Cooking School: The Spatula Strikes Back.

The Bookseller now returns for a final update.

Right Thing Done Rightly (NewAlbanist)

If you’ve followed this blog the past 2 days, you may want a status update.

I no longer have reason to believe that the work of the Institute for Social Research will be impeded in New Albany. And that’s a good thing. Thanks to all who made this happen.

Suffice it to say that the city has exercised its regulatory responsibilities in a courteous and professional manner. As an advocate in this matter, representing only myself but on behalf of a situation I saw as a misunderstanding, I was at all times treated with courtesy and respect.

Warren's sad Board of Works social research meltdown: "Jeff Gahan’s appointees could use a refresher course in due process. After all, it is a tenet of representative government and basic justice."

Play some Skynyrd, won't ya?

Another day, another fresh angle on another Gahan administration scandal. Heavens, these guys are making Donald Trump look reasonable.

Warren's bored, hysterical and useless -- or, "Oops – NA BoW Messes Up."

Democratic Party stalwart Warren Nash: Heck, this board hasn't ever approved social research study requests. Besides, we already have a captive sociologist.

The Bookseller returns today with this update. You'll want to click through and read the complete dispatch. I'm very busy today with a writing assignment and a corresponding deadline, but will do my best to update you in this space. Tonight is a city council meeting, and the issue will be raised there.

As an aside, I wonder if Mayor Gahan has considered reassigning Warren Nash to help David Dugout with the public housing putsch? Mr. Nash might be the NAHA board member with the responsibility of saying "no" when HUD comes calling. After all, he has much practice as Gahan's BOW gatekeeper.

Board Needs, Wants Direction (NewAlbanist)

Jeff Gahan’s appointees could use a refresher course in due process. After all, it is a tenet of representative government and basic justice.

Yesterday we reported on a decision by the city’s Board of Public Works and Safety (BoW), appointed by Gahan and chaired by former mayor Warren Nash (1971-75) that appears to thwart the work of one of the nation’s most-respected social research institutions.

I believe that decision was misguided and does not comport with the relevant city ordinance. A strong case can be made that the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan (ISR) needn’t have even appeared before the board and I will try to make that case tonight at New Albany’s city council meeting and, if necessary, at next week’s BoW meeting (10 a.m., city hall).

Further, due process requires that a board with such broad public responsibility state its reason for withholding its approval. In the absence of a defensible rationale, that approval should be forthcoming. After all, the relevant city ordinance says nothing about prohibiting the requested activities – if it’s applicable in the case at all, it’s only about regulating them.

Witnesses report that even before the meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Nash showed sheer annoyance that the ISR notification letter had been placed on the agenda. He griped that “Kathy (Cousins) knows we never approve these.” He went on to reject the notification, saying, “Since I’ve been on the board, we’ve never approved anything like this.”

That’s a pretty sad state of affairs, isn’t it? The body charged with evaluating and approving solicitations (again, this is hardly applicable) has erected barriers to even be heard ...

Warren's bored, hysterical and useless -- or, "Oops – NA BoW Messes Up."

Meretricious?

Why yes, Shane, but ... more like incredulity.

incredulity

[in-kri-doo-li-tee, -dyoo-]

noun

1. the quality or state of being incredulous; inability or unwillingness to believe.

The scandal-plagued Gahan administration has suffered another own goal -- another foot shooting, another faux pas. How often must the citizenry be embarrassed this way, Adam?

Democratic Party stalwart Warren Nash: Heck, this board hasn't ever approved social research study requests. Besides, we already have a captive sociologist.

On Tuesday morning, Board of Works gatekeeper Warren Nash told a representative of the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) that the city of New Albany couldn't risk allowing academic research to be conducted.

How very local Democratic Party of us. Just a bit about the ISR ...

Our History

Established in 1949, the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) is among the world’s largest and oldest academic survey research organizations, and a leader in the development and application of social science methods and education.

With researchers from a broad range of academic disciplines, ISR serves as a national laboratory for the social sciences, advancing public understanding of human behavior through empirical research of extraordinary depth and breadth.

The Bookseller has obtained the same Institute of Social Research background materials viewed by BOW. You'll want to click through and read the entire piece, but here's an introduction.

Oops – NA BoW Messes Up (NewAlbanist)

Karen Rice had no idea what she was walking into Tuesday because she represents a professional organization.

Ms. Rice hand-delivered a “To Whom It May Concern” letter from her organization, the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. As written, it is a courtesy letter informing those concerned that some people in our geographical area will be surveyed and that ISR representatives may be in the area over the coming months conducting important survey research.

Then Ms. Rice met the Hon. Warren Nash, who currently serves as chairman of the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety. He and his two colleagues said “no way.”

To be certain, U of M was not asking for permission as the type of work they do wouldn’t require the permission of a municipality. However, they do understand that in an age of scam artists, citizens might become concerned when they receive a letter and a subsequent visitor asking questions. Who would one call if they suspected something fishy? The police or the mayor’s office, of course.

To allay those concerns, the ISR politely informed a public meeting of city officials that their scientific work would be carried out here.

I’m grateful that our local newspaper managed to find the space to report on what should have been innocuous news. But Mr. Nash turned it into something else ...

Maybe Nash misunderstood, though the materials certainly aren't ambiguous, or in a blind panic, reasoned that social research is dangerous in a place where the mayor has seized public housing and Democrats make war on the poor.

He might have scanned the Gahan for Mayor for Life donor list and not seen the ISR's friendly tithe -- and of course, if they aren't "for" the mayor via their wallet, they're surely "against him.

The rampant City Hall paranoia is especially thick this summer, isn't it? It makes sense if you remember that Nash's role on BOW has less to do with public safety than representing Gahan's political fingers in every conceivable pie, because what good are geniuses of the flood plain if they're not erecting plaques to themselves?

Democratic Party stalwart Warren Nash: Heck, this board hasn't ever approved social research study requests. Besides, we already have a captive sociologist.

On the other hand, the reporter Morris did a wonderful public service today with this concluding portion of his Board of Public Works and Keep You Safe from the Eggheads coverage.

Has board chairman and Democratic Party bigwig Warren Nash ever looked quite this flagrantly out of touch?

What was that?

Oh, yes; you're right. The street piano debacle two years ago was worse. We apologize, Ms. Rice. Some day this bone-headed junta will be back to greeting customers at Wal-Mart.

New Albany street conversion likely to begin next month, by Chris Morris (N and T)

SOLICITATION QUESTION DENIED

The board also denied a request from Karen Rice, representing the University of Michigan, for a door-to-door survey to be conducted in New Albany as part of a larger social research study being completed in the Louisville area.

The study would have likely lasted through the end of the year. Rice said residents are contacted first, with a letter, before being solicited for response. They would also be paid for their time.

Nash said it has always been board policy to deny such requests.

"Since I have been on the board we have never approved anything like this," he said.

Let's hope the University of Michigan makes a second request, or just comes and performs the study without asking permission -- you know, like the religious zealots and political candidates knocking on doors without ever seeking permission from Warren Nash and the Band of Bored.