Council comments

Apparently child care cost was reduced from $100 to $75 per week, which is $25 less than before. However, a $10 per week bus charge was added to pick the kids up at their schools and drop them at the rec center. So, if you have a child at one of the schools that needs to be picked up and brought to the Rec center after school you will be paying $15 a month MORE than before. While its good to see we may finally be getting some beneficial use from the shuttle, it IS an additional cost to the residents. Gym did acknowledge that "revenues are falling off", but then proposed that the City spend an additional 500k to make the bike paths concrete. Where would THAT money come from? the decreases in sales taxes, gas taxes, or the decreased property tax monies? Dr. Mel P. Johnson

commentary

When the City decides to bury something, they bury it DEEP! Case in point, the Pistorino report- It was never heard of again after the initial findings were NOT to the liking of city officials. The devil is in the details! Due to some diligent digging by our citizens some of the details of tonights meeting have come to light! This is what I am talking about when I say we need transparency in City operations, and in a timely fashion. I am less concerned with the high schools and middle schools paying at the pool than the private businesses. The HS have been billed for $1500 a season in the past and that seems to be the going rate. I AM concerned that some of those schools were TWO YEARS behind in their payments in the past! If I recall correctly, the schools were going to make their payments on an annual basis, instead of a monthly or quarterly basis. I assume they are caught up to date now. It continues to be disconcerting that standard rates are not being charged, or even proposed, for the use of our pool for practices. Admission numbers and documentation continue to be questionable and will only be resolved with a forensic audit. The City IS currently conducting a nationwide search for a Rec Director, right? Has ANYBODY, EVER bought ANYTHING from the concession stands at the new bathrooms? The bathrooms themselves are rarely open and virtually useless to those using the fields. Just another white elphant we are saddled with, like the shuttle, and the proposed new theater. WHEN will it end? Dr. Mel P. Johnson

another example

Is it more a problem that Dotson asked for shuttle ridership five times, OR that he got NO ANSWER five times? Was ANYBODY else concerned with the ridership? NO. Did anybody else ask ANY questions about the shuttle? Who IS the concerned one that is interested in the city operations? He probably could be more forceful and demand answers but its just another example of the lack of cooperation and communication that exists from the City Manager.