Was surprised to see the Tax amounts on Fireworks Sales. 12% Safety Tax and of course the 6% Sales Tax is quite a hit. Since no 1% local Tax, guess the display was a County site not a City. But WOW 12% is almost proclaiming that the Fireworks are being taxed like a luxury or sin tax? Your choice folks.
Vienna OKs water paperwork screams the Headline !!!!!! And that is front page news because ???? Oh, yeah more of the Free Election Coverage for Himself. As I have alleged before, Mr. Rapp created the water crisis by his own actions when he had his crew rushing to start buying bottled water some hours before it was announced on the new C8 standards. As was noted several times, the only change was a number on a chart. The water was identical to what we have been drinking for years/ decades and up to that announcement was okay per Mr. Rapp over and over. The City Council was in many cases content with Mr. Rapp and Mr. Azinger noting that Mr. Brooks did not know what he was talking about or words to that effect? Not a word from any of the "YES" gang. Yet, Mr. Brooks is one of the guys who was the tip of the spear to get a 70,000 subject survey for over 10 years to show the potential effects of C8 on thousands of people to date.
And I found it interesting that the picture shows fencing, City vehicle and building/ construction material on the site BEFORE the donation was formally accepted by the City Council. Was it a foregone conclusion and another "rubber stamp" vote? You decide; you tell me? And it seems to me that the site is right next to another parking area?
And .149 ACRES donated? What I have been led to believe was years of complaints about the parking and traffic in that area for local residents and all that potentially usable space to open up the streets around the School? I am going to say all the "Lip Service" from the City Council on "Oh Gee, Golly Whiz" with a wringing of hands and now instant land to donate? And again .149 Acres? Folks near that School in Greenmont area; you have all been screwed blue and tattooed nude by the City Council/ BOE. And for sure you all know now it is only going to continue for however long that School remains open?
Much ado about nothing when the City Council and Himself accepted the preparatory paper work for Chemours to begin the installation of the new filtration systems. I found it quite interesting when Mr. Rapp stated that the EPA had been instrumental in Chemours being directed to put in the system(s). It somewhat explained a system by each water field versus building one at the 60th St. location which may well have been cheaper, but a longer wait for completion than the present process. I am paraphrasing His comments on what He said. Oh for those so inconvenient tapes at a time like this?
I have said many times that "the Truth will out in time ". Here is the Truth; land was there to ease the parking by peoples homes for years but easier to stick it to the Home Owners than to fix it by the BOE and/ or the City Council. All you people hugging and kissing Mr. Rapp and his crew need to think again about his support for you versus his real actions?
The City had NO PROBLEM putting out $25K for a new workout building at Jackson Middle School. It has no problem just now putting out requests for bids on a new $25K parking lot at the Senior Center. But it could NOT get another $20- 25K to do a parking lot for the BOE at Greenmont to give the folk some parking/ traffic relief?
And I will bet $1.00- 2.98 that Mr. Rapp will make the rounds gushing his thanks before any camera/ mike he can find to the BOE and than Mr. Fling of the BOE. Mr. Fling, he says is one of the hardest working people he has ever met. Can I ask, but what his Mayoral standard is so low that anyone he met would be "one of the hardest working people" he has ever met?
What he is not mentioning is that if the BOE had balked at the donation, the City would have had the option to probably go in and take the land under "Eminent Domain" Law? While basically for seizure of Private Land by a Government, would have little doubt the Courts would have agreed to the need.
When it comes to Camera Action/ Mike time, Mr. Rapp is front and center to get his Face out there and the Media of course rushes to accommodate their boy. But when it comes to the day to day, dirt under your nails work for the people in the City, he just cannot make the cut. Once again, can it be said if you are not connected; you ain't gotta chance? Greenmont area Voters; think twice, or maybe three times; vote once.
Went out this A.M. (Friday), to do a road trip and checked that .149 acres and a better view of the parking by the school. It seems the City has an easement across part of that property now. the area by the front next to the existing parking lot just does not seem to be .149 acres? Or the little roadway is the edge to the School property? Did not see anything that looked like survey boundary stakes?
And than, I wandered down to Vienna School to see what the supposed plan would be to put both Neale and Greenmont in there. Seems a two or three story building should have absorbed the kids. A third for a Gym and/ or a partial story for the Administrative needs like break room/ lunch room/ rest rooms for the Staff? I am seeing an attempt more than anything to try and keep the "Mayberry effect", no matter the real needs of the Community for good, better, best land usage? We really need some vision here to accommodate the kids into most of the rest of this Century. I know memories are great, but they are not going anywhere; the kids are now today and tomorrow.
I will talk about the Council meeting more next week. 'nuff said'.
(Paid for by the Candidate- Lawrence J. Wilson for Mayor of Vienna).