Listened ever so carefully to the words spoken/ used on the new filters at Greenmont and what was going on with them. First thing that caught me was Mr. Rapp and his 1/2 the City would be back on good clean Vienna Water by next week ( 29th - 30th?). That would be fine except that Vienna per the City Map starts on 5th St by Wesbanco. The other side as you know is the Grand Central Mall and seems no street designations per the Map.
And even with the annexation of 60th St, the last inhabited Street appears to be 59th The few homes on 60th do not appear to be in the City per the Map; only the VUB complex. So doing some simple math, the City is 55 blocks from South to North and with will only be about 1/2 on the new Vienna Water. Yet, if one listened, it was made to appear by the end of the report and Mr. Rapp's statement that the area would be back on Vienna Water, when it was clearly noted before that from about 27th South at best would be P'burg water for about two more months? Was there a change to put two of the four filters on wells 9&10 after all?
Nope, did a road trip this A.M. (Friday, 22d) and there are four (4) filters standing tall and proud. Then moseyed down to Home Depot area to see what was up there since last trip. The pumps there now have a nifty new fence around them So they would appear more secure than ever. The guard in the SUV is still on duty. Guess he is guarding the Porta Potty now? So how much for the fence? $750.- 1K? Is a decision being made to maybe keep the fixtures in place in case of another disaster? No, much more publicity if Mr. Rapp gets to lean over one pipe to stare at the other on re-installation.
So my comments on one has to listen very carefully to what he says and also to what the media is putting out holds true. At the beginning of the news for several reports, part of the City would still be on P'burg water. But in a week or so, Vienna would be back on clean water in the City. Should have been said "clean water" in THAT part of the City being North Vienna and Boaz. Since most folks only remember what is said last, it would lead some to believe the whole City is now on the new Filtration Systems. Still appears a couple of months in the future at least?
See where a Judge has supported a Michigan Law suit to declare the new State ban on single party voting as illegal. Decision was that banning a single mark on a ballot to denote all candidates for one party as the choice of the voter was going to create a "disproportionate burden" on blacks in the Cities who are used to a single mark ballot system. That is little more than a slap in the face to every black voter not just in Michigan, but in the whole Country. Yes, the Democrats have made hay for decades with that type of vote in the inner Cities. And sadly some are quite content to be told which box to mark. But for those who have made any effort to ever know a Black, Brown or lighter flesh colored person, many are more than capable to think for themselves. Note, I used lighter flesh colored person.
I do not like when I am called White. In any species of Flora or Fauna on this Planet, we have "White". And every one of those White Flora or Fauna are in actuality Albinos. A sad lack of pigmentation. In some places, they are ridiculed, insulted, shamed and even killed. A current example of a White species is the "Albino" lion cub I believe it is that has been born. If in a Zoo, maybe a chance at a safe life. In the wild, it will soon be hunted down and killed for an assortment of reasons. Actually was born in the Zoo in Lufkin Texas.
As I have posted before, I have only in my life been in the presence of three actual Albinos. They being the aunts of my Step Father back in the early 50s. And then only one time. He never spoke of them much before and not again after that one visit that I can remember.
As I hope you all remember, the next to last Legislature here did away with the one box vote for a straight party ticket? That was here as it was in Michigan a Political decision to try and stop the Democrats from easily regaining the majority. People now have to look for their guy/ gal.
And for some like myself, it made no difference as I know that there are good people on both sides of the Political aisle. They are fewer and fewer in number as the moderates in both parties are no longer welcome and being driven out in the self interest of those who would scream and yell and dance on the bodies of the opposition rather than do anything to help the area in question overall. Most of what were moderates have been driven into the Independent class which can in some places eliminate them from a ballot until a General Election where all that is left are the solid extremists from either side.
In any case, could some try that here? Don't bet against it, as the precedent is now in place albeit another Federal Jurisdiction. At the State level here, it would never fly for the obvious reasons.
Vienna is submitting a proposal for the Community Development Block Grant Program. The next one will be for $94,740. But of that is a General Administrative Fee of $15,000. Pretty hefty payment for one to monitor the remaining $79,400 for a year. Supposedly for Housing- Window Replacement Program. Yet, it never seems to get used just for that? They shuffled together left over funds from several prior years to put into the Senior Center Parking Lot. That fund is a slush fund for the City. It has in the past been re-directed into handicap bathrooms for places such as the new Fire Station. It the City is going to use the money for whatever, where ever than say so and do it that way. But if you watch over the year, the money is usually not spent for windows as they subscribe. Hard to find people who can meet the standards of income need. This past Fiscal Year, they ended up moving money back into the Window part as supposedly more folks met the criteria?
Noticed in the 18 July "Their Opinion" column by Mr. Myer that he nailed it again. He took US, the folks in the Country to task for a lot of issues. Some we were clearly to blame and sadly, others we allowed to happen. Example of one is the raising of the minimum wage in some places up to $15/ hour. Great work if you can get it. Seems however per Mr. Myer, that a lot of jobs disappeared because many could not keep the same number of employees as they could at $9. or $10. In simple Economics it is a little like the "Point of Diminishing Returns". Usually used in manufacturing, but the same concept. If it costs more to make something than what the end product is sold for, the company soon goes out of business. Here we have as an example 10 employees at $15./hour to sell 100 hamburgers at $1.00 each per hour. Ergo, short fall of $50/ hour in sales versus $150/ hour in wages.
There were numerous other well noted points and the column would make good reading for anyone who questions the direction the Country is headed? Spoiler Alert: in the hole. 'nuff said'.
(Paid for by the Candidate- Lawrence J Wilson for Mayor of Vienna).