Board Meeting- June 9, 2008
Let me just start out by saying that my recent surgery on my hand was a lot less painful then having to listen to this meeting. I have just listened to the Board spend ten minutes discussing the difference between Resolutions and motions. It makes you want to scream at these people and Jane (”The perfect Town Clerk for the last 5 years”) has no clue the difference. Mike Scott nailed it on the head when he said if she would take detailed minutes in the first place this would not be a problem. My question is there is an agenda for the meeting you should know that the board will be voting on Resolutions why isn’t the Resolution typed up before the meeting? Oh that’s right that would take common sense. Oh I almost forgot the reason for the Resolution was to transfer money to cover the cost of salt that was just ordered. Let me give our perfect town clerk some help here. Check out this website (from a town in the county that doesn’t put their minutes on the web and also doesn’t have them posted within two weeks). Sorry being a little facetious today. I am just really tired of Jane always saying “No one else does it” like a five year old.
Jamie Foster spoke to the Board about having inmates from the Groveland Correctional Facility (from Livingston County) perform work for the town all free of charge. Groveland will transport the inmates along with a guard. The inmates are allowed to run chainsaws and other equipment. The Town of Almond works with Groveland to help cut brush and clear roads. This to me sounds like a wonderful opportunity for the town. All of the roads in the town have brush that needs to be cleared away. The contact information was given to the town.
Another interesting tidbit that came out of this meeting was the fact that the Town had a $10,000 CD that was supposed to be cashed last month to pay back the general fund for the grader purchase. Well this was never done, the CD rolled over and now in order to get the money it will cost the town $100 to cash this.
Unfortunately this is all I have for you this month but I promise that I will be back next month with the full meeting.
Assessor Report June 9, 2008
Superintendet Report June 9, 2008
I vexes me and “most” who I chat with about the deplorable road conditions that are present 365 days per year on Dimmick Road and I assume ours isn’t the only one. I have heard the complaints of those who claim they don’t get enough$$ to do a halfway decent job. If that be the case then the distribution of the many tax dollars taken in by the town and tabulated by the town clerk might take some close scrutizing as determine just where this money goes! I pay sizeable taxes on my 1978 second-hand, plain-Jane 54′x12′ trailor (a Wirt accessor told me it was personally measured for dimentions some years ago) and expect a timely and decent job be applied toward the maintainence of said roads. Concerning the Dimmick Road; In the spring, mud, deep ruts and huge pot holes are the seasons menu. Potholes, if they do get any attention, are filled with dirt..The dirt that simply washes out of said holes after the first rain or heavy truck navigates these dangerous roads. The summer, if any grading goes on at all it is sub-standard and ill performed. Yes, something right could be done to insure safe traveling and that the undercarriage of your vehicle won’t fall out from under you. And the ditches…one is started it goes a few feet and then stop to vanish from sight for months on end, leaving poor drainage, ditches that vary from 1/2 foot deep, to those so deep that a vehicle can be lost and not found for some time. Who’s towing business wants to risk an expensive vehicle on Dimmick Road? When it snows, and this is a fact my reading friends…and I speak particularly of the weekends when the school bus does not run…more than a few times it has taken the road crew over 48 hours to attend the road (people do have a life…and that includes being able to negotiate the roads they pay taxes toward it’s maintainence..even on the weekend!) Alas, when the plow does make a guest appearance the intersections are left with a hug “V” of piled snow that motorist have to pray they can make it through. A good job? I think not! This is negligent and plain irresponsible on the part of the elected Superintendant and his immediate “Supervisor” because (?) the workers are only as proficient and responsible as their superiors require of them. If they can’t do, or won’t do the proper job as described, then join most of Allegany County and collect welfare! Others are waiting in the wings for suitable employment. And to the tax payers..the asleep-at-the-wheel Wirt town board granted the superintendant a $2,000 raise in the midst of monetary hard times for all, roads that cannot compare to neighboring Townships (Scio does a superior job by comparison). I note that the Superintendant original demanded a $6,000 increase in pay or allegedly, and alluded to quiting. Still to award anybody one thin dime more than the agreed hiring/accepted price and with less than a year of service is absurd at best! Don’t believe me…take a ride anytime this winter up Barnes off Dimmick.. you will sweat bullets climbing the hill and your knuckles will not return to pink from white until you reach the portion of road that is maintained by the efficient Scio road crew, (and the odds are they make about the same pay rate as Wirt workers.) . And that excuse of Scio having more tax dollars won’t float with me…learn how to improve your workers , keep good records and keep an eye on the paid help help. Iin short..GET THE BIG PICTURE! this asking too much? The only thing I can see that Wirt employees do in a high standard of proficiency is access for higher property taxes? If I am wrong on that one correct me,( taxes have climbed nearly 58% in 3 scant years) and my tax statements reflect such. To even settle for substandard services on our roads is asking a little much in this 21st century. I have requested the names of Wirt board members but to know aval…Who is protecting the inefficiency of these obviously inept bunch. Come on, I’ve heard the lame excuse about how great the new super is in comparison to the former one. Taxes are up, raises granted, and the cry of “we are broke” resound throught the valleys of the once great and proud Wirt…What on earth happened? If it is broken….FIX IT! Making it purposely miserable (whether intentional or no) for the citizens of this township will never promote growth, restore confidence or serve up what is just to all…taxpayers or dependents alike.
Brent,
Just look at the top of this site and click on Town Officials and you will have all the board members. I will be posting all of the names, positions, party, and terms of office. There are some that are willing to assist and others that want to make if difficult. I don’t see the majority of the board members being the problem. The people that I have a problem with are the same ones that most people have a problem with. My suggestion to you would be that you attend a board meeting. When I first started attending there were only a very few there. There is now a group of taxpayers that attend the meeting with their concerns and the board has been responsive. A face to face contact is normally more productive with MOST people.