Coffeydom crashing down: Positive investment points to end of negative rule.

New Albany: West-end site eyed for new government center, by Daniel Suddeath (The Tribune).

John Lopp hoped to attract anchor tenants to a planned development in New Albany’s west end when he announced the design last year.

While the official start date for phase one of the project hasn’t been announced, interested buyers are coming to the table, and they include the governing bodies of Floyd County and New Albany.

While opinions on the best location for new government offices may differ, what's clear is that an increased presence of professional workers and residents in the West End is a threat to the sustenance of 1st District Councilman Dan Coffey's political career. Oft positioning himself as the protector of wee ones against the proliferation of imaginary bogey men, Coffey went to great lengths to kill this development. Luckily, it didn't work.

His claims that no one in the West End wanted to sell are disproved by the existence of contracts and options to transfer ownership of 47 parcels of real estate and a projected $20 million in phase one investment reveals his initial attempt to rezone blocks of already commercial property to residential as the self-serving inanity it was.

I hope West End voters are paying attention. If and when the West End gets new restaurants, a grocery store, and park, they'll know that their council representative fought against the very possibility of them. In a neighborhood that's struggled with negative stereotypes for decades, Coffey has sought their continuance at the expense of a more positive future. Coffey's political success is dependent on failure, namely the self-inflicted type that makes residents believe he's the best they can do. And yet, in this instance like so many others, it's when Coffey's wild-eyed self-aggrandizement fails that betterment actually occurs for both the West End and the city as a whole.

Wouldn't it be nice if winning in the West End wasn't contingent on defeating their own council representative?

One Bag 'o Trash & One Limb At a Time!

On Saturday April 4th the Uptown Neighborhood Association and a few friends gathered around the dumpsters dropped in place by our very own street department at the Silver Street Elementary School and set out to clean up the neighborhood.

Once again the numbers of live bodies were few but the hearts of those participating would not be daunted.

Once again by Sunday afternoon all five dumpsters were brimming over with debris. One of the more encouraging aspects of this event was that landlords and real estate folks were right there with us picking up other peoples trash.

Brian Haesley went so far as to bring a dump truck which we promptly filled with yard waste and storm debris. Our thanks goes out to him for participating.

Pat Harrison was there as well making sure we didn't dehydrate by handing out plenty of bottled water.

In addition one our At Large Councilman Kevin Zurchmeide brought along two strapping young lads who dug right into heaving the larger limbs over the side of the truck body.

Another big victory that occurred during this exercise is that New Albany City Street Commissioner Mickey Thompson just happened on the scene Sunday morning as an unscrupulous soul was attempting to throw his truckload of old road tractor tires in the dumpster.

He explained to the lad that Commercial Motor Vehicle tires need be disposed
of properly.

That is to say the owners of such must pay those who deal with said tires to take them away as opposed to clogging taxpayer supported landfills with them!

As to whether or not the message soaked in, only time will tell. I will say to those who may be tempted though that we are watching you!

For you doubting Thomas’s out there I really do have pictures of all the above but Picasa and I aren’t getting on well this evening.

So we fast forward to this upcoming Saturday and find the West End Neighborhhood Group setting up at the intersection of West Market & old West 7th Street to rid their highways & byways of unsightly debris of any and all manner.

The time frame is from 8AM to 4PM and all are encouraged to lend a hand.

One need not live in this area to participate.

To the contrary. Doing so would not only show support for those who organized this weekend but would go far to send the message that we are serious about cleaning up all of New Albany.

So come on out, grab a trash bag and fill ‘er up! If you have any questions you may call 812-945-4100.

See you Saturday!