In what passes for the News in Vienna, was a very, very sad but more information article than was truly intended. While the writer, sorry can not connect Journalist with this, was busily writing the party line on the new Gymnasium some nuggets fell out of the Sack of Truth and were no longer covered with Mr. Rapp's crap.
"Eager to Grow was the hook". The second I saw the Region section on Thursday morning, I knew there would be a free Election coverage article for Mr. Rapp. Kinda like taking a breathe for those of us who can do so easily without a Nebulizer, pills, radiation or chemo treatments. And Mr. Rogers so sadly again showed his bias against the Community as a whole while extolling the party line on why we are doing something for one reason when in fact just another Monument to spending and ego. Mr. Rapp just cannot seem to tell the Truth on his agenda? The kernel of Truth followed by the Christmas Tree of lies. Senior issues my A**; it is all about Monuments no matter how ill suited the area is. I still and will continue to press that one does NOT take the parking away from the Seniors no matter what is bought and paved over later even if only nearby down the block.
The first point and I am saying point as I am wanting to be as nice as I can is the picture in the paper was/ is how old? I was there last Thursday (13th), to observe how many were in attendance. One lady noted that there were usually more and alluded to only half today. That would have been 45 in round numbers and not what was reported to me by other participants. Counting the ever effervescent Ms. Kern there were 23 in the room with several empty chairs. Ms. Kern again invited me to participate and I again wisely declined. Not because I would have been the only man in the room, but I was not excited about falling over the edge of a chair onto the floor. And I knew that as nice as she was being, she did not want me there any longer that necessary before I went back down stairs.
And Ms. Kerns statement that "anyone who sees one of the classes can see how crowded they are". And that is one of the issues that AGAIN comes into the old but still viable 6 P's: "Prior Planning Prevents Pi** Poor Performance". Vienna Government has proven time and again how true that is.
Downstairs were only eight people. Two ladies doing a puzzle and six playing cards or just watching? I am not sure how they play the game they do? It is I believe called "Hand and Foot"? See not a clue. I did sign the roster of who was in the building as if there is any benefit on a headcount, I wanted to insure my being there allowed any benefit that may accrue to the Center.
When I went in another week, there were only 13 ladies present in all. And that also went with the 12- 15 a lot of the time and sometimes 25- 30 attendees. The chairs in the picture today appeared closer together than what I remembered BUT will say in fairness, I did do any measuring and depending on how the person taking the photo was put for maximum effect? I am inclined to think he was standing in that very tiny hallway by the stairs and elevator? Again, the infamous misdirection that permeates so much of what goes on at 29th St. You pick a building?
The new Gymnasium suddenly has a "ceiling clearance" of 18 feet. A far cry from the 50' that was put out several times. Now what is that meaning? Probably where one would begin to run into the support beams, HVAC piping and possibly electrical wiring that would run across the top and down the sides. It is possible that if this thing is built on a concrete slab instead of a real foundation, the plumbing will also run along the sides and/ or overhead?
And sadly, this is where Mr. Rogers went off the rails in the interest of the party line and his shot at some free electioneering space. He said two things that sadly are not what they seem? 1. "Sometimes the exercise classes have exceeded 60 participants". Now sometimes means more than one and I was told by a very frequent "participant" that it happened once. Deceit, Deception, Misinformation and Misdirection? Standard Randall Rapp modus operandi.
Then sadly he added insult to injury. "They are cramped into a space that is half the size of the main building". "We started downstairs but quickly outgrew that". Again, is it the Deceit, Deception, Misinformation and Misdirection so widely used? YES, sadly so. The downstairs has four rows of tables three tables per row (and I may have counted wrong and it is really four?), with chairs on each side. At six per table, it will easily hold either six x twelve= seventy two OR six x sixteen which would be as many as ninety six. That does not include an area where brochures/ board members sit. That is easily four tables. So there is lots of room to take down tables as they appear to be a very light weight styrofoam top and move as needed to a side. The outgrowing part is sadly what I am given to believe is the fact that the eight or ten card/ puzzle players do not want to do so upstairs. So the majority are inconvenienced by a very small minority with Board veto power. There are certainly enough adult males that they could as needed come from the Fire/ Police and City buildings to fold up a few tables which could then be put back later. And I can assure you, they would NOT have to fold up all of the tables each time. And as I have noted before, a remodel reducing the Kitchen area by about three feet would allow more space for Ms. Kern to set up her lead the group area. Space is not the issue, the ability to use it wisely and efficiently is what escapes City Hall.
Now they did sing to the Choir with an area to do laps around the edge of the new building. The issue on the pickle ball and chair volleyball may or may not really be for just the seniors, but a sop to pull them into the scheme? And his comment "It's great to watch them, they are having such a good time". Point of clarification again, the media failed to say it was a visit by Mr. Rapp and whomever to the Belpre Senior Center on a programmed and orchestrated day to insure attendance for whatever Mr. Rapp wanted to see? Belpre could also have issues on daily attendance? But, the Devil is always in the details.
2. Now where this really got bad was IF and I repeat IF Mr. Rodgers was right and it has been up to sixty participants for more than one time (story keeps changing based on time of day), it is sadly where Mr. Scholl and Ms. Kern got thrown under the bus. Once, shame on me; twice shame on you. Simply put, IF Mr. Scholl and Ms. Kerns allowed those numbers of people upstairs and put them into a possibly very dangerous situation knowingly more than once, than that would be considered grounds for dismissal from the City. But as Mr. Rapp only fires people to protect the guilty, no danger here. It would have to break so many Laws, Protocols, Directives, Instructions from at least the State (we supposedly have a State Rep in Wood County?), the alleged County Fire Board and the City that even both of the above would have to know of some of them. And then lastly, the infamous "Common Sense" that we are supposed to possess? There is an alleged investigation going on now on room occupancy issues (and still no signs in sight as I believe I was told were to be in place?), and some other issues? I say alleged because once the State Rep told me it would be sent to the Wood County guy, I knew it would be covered up/ glossed over, no matter how legitimate my concerns. Too many people in the same place, but none are connected of course? I guess I should be very grateful that the Good Lord has protected the seniors to this point from their City Administration? Heaven help us if He blinks.
I have been critical of how Public Safety is spelled in Vienna; Public $afety and it now seems to have spread even to the Fire Department. I fully understand salary, benefits, pension, but have walked more than once for a lot less than this issue. 'nuff said'
I am asking for your Vote. "Change is in the Air".
(Paid for by the Candidate- Lawrence J. Wilson for Mayor of Vienna).