I have listened several times now as Mr. Metz has done his assigned duties and proclaimed what a great deal the extension of 28th St to River Road will be. Combine that with the Pie in the Sky Retail Store to go in somewhere with all the surrounding businesses and it sounds almost to good to be true?
He says it will relieve traffic on Grand Central Mall and redirect traffic down to River Road. Than what? To go to the new park? You are talking about a block. What relief is that? The way to divert the traffic is at 20th or so where River Road intersects with Grand Central BEFORE it becomes that little two laner that is so small town flavorish. It will be a nightmare turning down 28th to River Road. I don't know about you folks but the way it bottles up now with cars cutting over and all stacking up at that light is not going to relieve much with out at least a two lane left turn to clear the road for cars going through to the North. By that I mean the turn lane from just above Harbor Freight complex to 28th to be maybe a left turn lane ONLY while the current through lane is a left and straight ahead street. And that is not a fool proof solution, just an idea as the right lane is a right turn only or as so many including the police believe a merge into the single lane North at that point.
How about a concrete divider starting just after 27th to stop people from cutting over and slowing the through traffic at the light? Perfect solution; no, but at least an idea to keep the traffic at the light going a little smoother?
Years ago, it appears the City made a conscious decision to keep and not push for a widening from 23rd North. While I am huge fan and lover of a small town idea having grown up in one, I am also a big pragmatist on moving people and material as easily and safely as possible. Vienna lost in one way and gained up too today in another.
No matter how much B.S. the City puts out by whomever, that Park is going to be as big a logistical nightmare to get into and out of at certain times just as the access to that alternative business on the upper acreage was. And honestly, I am not sure trying to divert where River Road and Grand Central meet is much better except a lot of the lanes are in place. Just some thoughts folks, ideas are free. The how to "they" get there was never properly thought out from the start when I foolishly brought up the obvious issue on River Road. 28th Street is just an after thought with limited results I am afraid?
What we have sadly is the desperation as the City reverts to its original master plan to turn the upper acres of the Johns Manville plant into a Commercial Center of who knows what? I have been for all the time this exercise has gone on a strong believer in using those acres for some type of production/ manufacturing to bring good family wage jobs to Vienna. Sadly, that appears to have gone by the wayside and now back to minimum wage jobs with few if any benefits?
I have one advantage over most of you folks. I am not "in love" with any single building or place in this fine City. I have embraced the WHOLE City and all that is here when I moved here. There has been as you all know a massive undertaking of movement by the current City Administration to remake Vienna into something? While a work in progress, it has done and will do little for the people as a whole. Anyone who thinks the new park is for the people of Vienna are so cute and as I note often the victims of misinformation, misdirection, deceit, deception and when the opportunity presents a lie?
Vienna is as rapidly as possible being converted into what is called where I grew up a "Tourist Trap". A wide spot in the road as you will. Now for those of you who still like to drink the Kool-Aid, all of the on going building is bringing us "jobs". True but again mostly minimum wage with few or no benefits for those working in them. Great at one time for school kids be they High School or College and for the retirees who wanted some extra income or were in dire need of the money.
Now, these same jobs are filled by 25- 65 year olds who may be holding down from just one if lucky up to what some claim are as many as three to keep a roof over their heads, feed the family and pay the bills. It is a sad commentary on our economy today and will change little for some years.
Yet as the same time you are told about how Vienna is like "Mayberry" or has that "small town flavor". Well, Mayberry never existed and if what people tell me about the crime in their neighborhoods is as bad as alleged; then small town flavor is sour, tainted and inedible today. This is not a condemnation of our City Staff as much as the denial that the City Administration puts out on reality. While the City is supposed to be now more aggressive in dealing with the Drug problem, it was at least two years late to the party and allowed things to be much worse than maybe they now should be. I have talked about the experiences I have had in area and the lack of follow through when I brought it up at City Council meetings. For sure one dead and I don't know how many injured and lives destroyed?
It is not my intent to tell you there is an easy answer to this. There is NOT and will NOT be for many years if we are lucky and get some breaks our way. As I noted in a recent posting on the new leader in the Philippines, he advocates a shoot on sight any drug dealers. I am a little nervous on the lack of due process in his approach, but there as here the problem is an epidemic. Here as we see, Drug Dealers are being released by the truck loads and it is a "victimless" crime. Any of us who have lost someone to this mentality know that is not true. And worse yet, if the response of our system is to tell someone to not do it again and turn them back on the street until their next arrest; we are losing even faster.
The police here I think are ham strung with a lack of Governmental support/ guidance so that we do not lose that "Mayberry" or "small town flavor" and the loss of those all important tax dollars if people think twice about coming here to shop. And then combined with the above Judicial inaction can only be a more and more daily breakdown of our societal norms of years past. Still many good people are trying in spite of facts and circumstances to do what they can each day. Atta Boys to those trying and a shame on you to those who are hiding as much as they can as often as they can. You're not helping.
Will talk about tonight's City Council meeting later and the unbelievable lies in the paper today, the 25th on the Fire Fee? Early next week.
Got a nice comment from a Lady yesterday:
Cherie Jarvis ( [email protected] )
8/25/2016 12:07:19I hope people wise up, vote for you & clean up Vienna, has Parkersburg did. We have rights, the city meetings are for the citizens to say what they want & the treasurer always tells what money is in at every meeting. Remember folks they work for you
Now I have noted a "Public Safety" item in my "Platform for Tomorrow" list. It is going to surprise so many of you because of what I would like to do for the folks. So stay with me and in the next few weeks it will pop up and be a hopefully pleasant surprise/ benefit to so many. 'nuff said'.
I am asking for your Votes. And remember "change is in the air".
(Paid for by the Candidate- Lawrence J. Wilson for Mayor of Vienna).