Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Town Hall Meeting: RATastrophic

Only about 60 people showed up for the Town Hall Meeting. Not surprising since the letters announcing the meeting still haven't arrived at a majority of Overland households.
Most folks I spoke with said they heard about the meeting on the news. I guess that's a good thing, though Mrs. Empty was overheard saying it "made Overland look bad" to have this covered by Channel 2. I say be grateful, as then there might have only been 10 people in attendance.
The story on the letter was that it was given to the bulk mailer on October 3. Hmm...
Not really much was decided during the course of the meeting. Chuck Boone, contrary to previous workshop statements that he didn't have the manpower, stated that he no longer wanted to give the poison to the residents. He wanted the rabies/animal control dude to lay out the poison so that he could, at the same time, check for causes of the rat infestation.
Sounds like it would be a good plan on its face. However, many questioned how come this could be done now and not in August when Boone said he didn't have the manpower. The city website states there is a two-week lead for occupancy permit inspections. What will be the lead-time for the rabbies guy to answer rat calls?
Peggy Keller, ever so eloquent, stated that Chuck Boone and Tom Puppillo "were the experts" and we should allow them the chance to work this plan. She continued that if that didn't work, then they could look at alternatives. Gosh, that is not the citizen-first thinking that Keller campaigned upon. If this issue has deteriorated to the point of Town Hall Meetings, do we think "giving it the old college try" is the best we can offer the citizenry?

10 comments:

Overland Muckraker said...

Boone and Puppillo are the experts? No, I would say that the Rottler guys were the experts in attendance.


Sounds like a Boone-doggle in the making.

ORT Contrarian said...

Do you ever wonder if that letter really went out? Or, if there are just "rats" at silly hall?

An Army of ONE said...

Like it says, What Letter? I haven't anything from Overland in years. I just figure ole Chucky baby just told the folkes at City Hall "don't bother"

He knows whats best and they claim to be doing everything that Rottler proposed. I myself would prefer a Company that are experts in the field. They have to provide results are there are consequences for them.

Public does not have that pleasure, they do what they want and the public be dammed. It seems they are exempt to any repercussions.

A City Clerk who takes it on herself to put stuff on the agenda, then removes paperwork from the Council Memebers Packet.

This administration need to get a Clue. Get a strong City Adminstrator and let him or her staff the City we people who can do the job.

Tom said...

Nice job and salute to the first Town Hall Meeting by our new Mayor MT Schneider. The meeting room was empty as well as the substance from the Mayor and Chuck Boone.

whatamess said...

When did we obtain a health & rabies person?

A two week wait for occupancy inspections? I bet if someone can't wait and moves in without an occupancy permit, it won't take two weeks to write them a ticket. And they had an experienced and certified inspector ready to come to work? Is he still available or has he gone elsewhere? Hire the guy already! Geez. This isn't that hard. Put egos aside and take care of business.

Our Public Works Department is looking more like a trainwreck every day. No chief inspector, no director of public works, short on inspectors..... Someone needs to right this ship and do it quickly.

Why is it so hard to get a letter mailed on time?

All of the above exemplifies why we need a professional City Administrator running the day-to-day business at city hall.

PTT said...

Chuck Boone's range of expertise is indeed impressive. I had no idea that such a renaissance-man was employed by the City: part Civil Engineer, part Rat-Wrangler, part Master Planner and part Personnel Manager. I don't mean scoop Buck Collier, but it seems that Mike Schneider has made good on another campaign promise. Overland's new City Manager, Chuck "the Natural" Boone.

PTT said...

Sorry to be splitting-hairs, but in order for Boone to give it the "old college try", wouldn't an actual college have to be somewhere in the background of the individuals?

ORT Contrarian said...

Edgar Casey posted the following link.

Oh my gosh--We made The Washington Post.

Scroll down to 1) Whacking Day

ORT Contrarian said...

Jeri, aka Mrs. Empty I am sure is appalled by the mention in The Washington Post.

Hey, Jeri--you and Buck can spin this as "We were ranked #1 by the Washington Post!"

ORT Contrarian said...

To be exact, Edgar's words were as follows:


Edgar Casey has left a new comment

Oh no, the rat story has made the Washington Post!

Scroll down to 1) Whacking Day?