1. Since there are only a couple of days a month that it is full now per the Calendar, why can the tables down stairs not be moved/ folded except for say 6 to 9 for events. The rest can be put out when an event such as the AARP or Senior Luncheon/ meetings are scheduled and need more? Utilize/ Utilize/ Utilize.
2. I did not say anything yesterday on Mr. Rapp and Mr. Rogers also being aware of the over crowding and safety issues. But, it would seem to me that it also sadly shows the Truth on their concerns for the safety of the folks. They should know better themselves. One should never compromise safety for an agenda. Be it the Seniors or the Children themselves.
When they were said to have been there to see the one huge crowd, Mr. Rapp should have stopped Electioneering and immediately broke the group into two smaller ones. If Ms. Kern could not do two one hour classes, than do two 1/2 hour ones because of the numbers of people. And Mr. Rogers did not seem to be concerned either as he had the same ability to open his mouth and speak to Ms. Kern. When an Election is more important than Safety, the City has a very major problem at the top.
The whole deal smelled to me of a kernel of Truth that was used to grow a Christmas Tree of very questionable items. Still do not see the need to build there? Again we have our School Auditoriums to do the round robin of Basketball games for the kids as that plays out each season. But that would not leave control of everything to the City and its "see what we have done" that it likes to do. Just more of Mr. Rapp's spend, spend, spend and photo op/ microphone mentality. But, the deal has been done and $350 thousand dollars seems to be in the wind? No parking and no evaluation of other sites/ locations. Mr. Rapp saw a chance to grab attention and votes and went for it.
I noticed in the letters section of the 16th that Mr. Mullen, one of those who can get letters printed time after time was saying the School Bond for maintenance and new Schools was a waste of money. This because of how badly the children were being educated. Now it really bothers me to agree with him on much as he seems to get a little wild sometimes, but I do on the sorry state of affairs on how the kids are learning. The need for good and well maintained facilities however should not be the trade off. I have noted time after time that there is a lot of fat in the number of people at the higher levels of the BOE levels once one gets past the front line teachers to the Asst principals on up. An easy million dollars there if a few slots were combined and/ or eliminated.
NO Governmental entity ever wants to give up a single piece of their turf once they have it. It will protect money, people, resources of any kind to stay at that level. There is 5- 10% of any Budget that is hidden in slush funds. This no matter how it is called. Vienna is for sure an example. They have what is called a contingency fund but is often used as a cookie jar to reward Department Heads for items they "forgot" to budget for at budget time. That is not where a lot of the money is hidden; but I will not go there now. Took a while to dig it out and finally connected some of the dots. BOE is no exception.
Thursday afternoon, I got to see a picture of Mr. Rapp in 1985 when he left DuPont after eight years of loyalty and became a Gas Station Mogul. First in Vienna and then down at Mineral Wells. Nice full head of hair and a spiffy beard. Looked very much like a 1980's hippie guy making good. And we need to remember his standing by DuPont/ Chemours on the C8 issue with Mr. Azinger the Elder. Both have worked there in the past and have loyally stood by them versus the Residents of Vienna.
Got a nice surprise Friday morning at the Post Office. I was doing doorman duty as some ladies were going in and out. When I got to my car, the lady next to me rolled down her window and said "you have my vote". I thanked her and told her we need to get the folks out this year if we want change. In any case every time someone says something to me out of the blue, is greatly appreciated. '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).