This live blogging thing is going well.
Im going to do it again this evening, starting at 5:30 or so at the city commission work session.
Work sessions are a bit more informal and don't always start right on time.
These meetings are public meetings. You may go to the meeting.
I have also added an archive of live blogs over to the right. So if you want to see an old one, it will be easily available.
The hospital board might be the most controversial topic tonight. I'm still not sure if it is a big deal or not. Keep in mind that there is an election to coming up. A question to think about during election season is: How might this impact the campaign of any candidate?
The issue itself could effect someone's run for office. Also realize, that who is making it an issue, is itself an issue.
I am still working on a story about the mayor's work for the city. Politics is involved here as well. The mayor isn't running, but there's still political hay to be made from the issue.
Hope to have it done in a day or two.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
15 comments:
For Zach:
http://weburbanist.com/2009/02/26/skateparks-around-the-world/
The hospital board reorganization may not normally be a big issue but I think the past actions of a few have made lots of people stop and take note and start asking questions.
No one can explain why Dottie, Scott and Mel have decided that the hospital board of trustees must be reorganized in the midst of building a new facility and why rush it during the midst of an election. Too much about this really is a surprise when no one knew there was even a reason to CONSIDER reorganizing. My thougth is that they feel they don't have enough power on the board. If they want the power do they understand the liablility issues that will come with it?
In most of our minds, this surprise issue is the issue. How many other things will continue to come up at the whim of a few. They have already made policies that did affect board members on other boards by dismissing them after they were asked to serve another term, by restructuing others, etc. I think mos of the people are just trying to understand why and how far this will go.
We have the right to question and we have the right to ask for answers and so far those that ask have been ignored or accused of being insensitive.
I know this is very off topic but in past blog there was discussion of a caravan to a music fest called Bonnaroo. Is anyone still interested in this? If anyonw would like to check it out go to Bonnaroo.com. I'm down to go an am a vet so email me if your down. Jillwineinger82@yahoo.com
March 2, 2009 9:37 AM
Those are some truelly awesome parks. I doubt we get anything quite that big to start with but as the kids continue to fundraise I hope that some day we can just keep adding to the park we are going to build and find something that cool in our town. Thank you very much for sharing it with me. We have some similar ideas for our own. One being that I would like to get some local artists together and vandalize it from the get go. I think it would look really cool to have different paintings all over the park itself. I also hope we can infuse the concrete and skatelight type parks to have the best of both worlds.
I'm sorry I haven't been up on the current blogs as much. Some of these things I do have opinions about but honestly have felt a little burnt out lately. We will be having another skate meeting hopefully next week to form an actual board for our group. I think the name we are going with will be "Wheels Unlimited" so we don't make it sound like it is just for skaters and to take away the anti-government sound of coalition. I will post again when we get exact dates and times. Nici is out of town this week and I start coaching 1st and 2nd graders in soccer so our schedules are hectic at the moment. More to come and again thank you to all for your support. We did have an 8 year old drop in on a six foot half-pipe this weekend which I am told is a rare feat and the 12-14 bracket of kids keep getting better all the time. Who knows maybe Ark City is a town for more sports than wrestling and baseball.
"Who knows maybe Ark City is a town for more sports than wrestling and baseball."
I heard that was blasphemy.
Ark City hasn't been known for it's sports programs, or much else for that matter, in a long time.
Unless you count being a hot spot for identity theft since the packing house got here. We are known for that.
I heard that was blasphemy.
>>>>
What about Ark City Softball .. two straight state championships and the state semis last year.
Cowley Volleyball, four straight trips to nationals.
The H board rework is a yawner at best but you might pay attention to who (the very small but vocal number) is complaining about it and who those same people are supporting for the election.
Look to see who brings Mel's business practices up publicly out from behind the cloak of "anonymous" and who those same people are allied with.
Talking about conflict of interest, has anyone checked to see who Jay is related to at Home National Bank? Has anyone checked to see who Gene has coffee with every morning who is a prominent figure at Home National? Has anyone checked to see who Gene has coffee with every morning who sits on the Hospital Board? These are 30 year relationships people. Talk about undue influence!
Could there be a coincidence that all of the hubbub coming out now about the hospital and Mel's business? Could that have been fanned into flame by this same person who is trying to get a seat on the commission? What about his many conflicts of interest while serving the school district and the way he used taxpayer resources to aid the Denton Arts Center? Where is the story on that? Not too many people know of it I would have to guess.
Sorry Mr. Kuhn. Aren't you supposed to stay off these boards?
Talk about your political agendas!!
Why the animosity toward Home National Bank? What about the role that USB played in stopping the Lowe's project. I believe there was some definite ties between officers there and Mr. Eaton and Midwest Electric and perhaps some loans to other interested parties. Oh, but wait. in your mind those ties can be negated.
Isn't it about time that this town starting working together and quit trying to undermine people that are willing to put their name, business and time on the line to run for office.
What you are saying is that if you have coffee with someone then you are in their pocket. So I assume that the coffee Scott Margolius and Mr. Kuhn drink with Mr Eaton or the times they visit with prominent people at Union State Bank should count as well. That certainly would explain past decisions.
Fortunately, not everyone stoops to the same level of nepotism and friend bonding that anonymous has accused Mr. Warren and Mr Snell of. Some people are able to be friends and not agree, some people have relatives they did not pick.
Some voters are wise enough to research the facts and not believe everything that appears on these blogs.
As for the hospital, I believe Mr. Warren was at the meeting on Saturday gathering information for himself. I am not sure other candidates or even many seated commissioners took the same time.
People asking questions about the hospital are asking for explanations and not trying to create agendas. As citizens, we have the right to know why the hospital board is so awful that it needs to be reworked. Has anyone yet answered that question.
As citizens, we have the right to know why the hospital board is so awful that it needs to be reworked. Has anyone yet answered that question.
Nope
Anonymous wrote: "Has anyone checked to see who Gene has coffee with every morning who sits on the Hospital Board? These are 30 year relationships people. Talk about undue influence!"
I am pretty sure that Jean (Gene for you) Snell came to Arkansas City in the late (maybe mid) 90's.
He was hired to replace Leonard Steinle as Superintendent of USD470 Public Schools.
His career elsewhere may have been slightly hampered by commuting to Arkansas City to have coffee with folks from Home National Bank. I cannot recall where he was before but it may have been a plane flight away - at least for the convenience of daily coffee.
It is best to disaggregate factual argument from emotional argument. And, it is also polite to work at the correct spelling of a person's name. Beyond that, I hear and think I understand your concerns.
Everyone that has coffee with someone or that has relatives is now subject to some sort of "concern" if they are running for office?
If that is the case remember it is true for everyone especially when a majority of commissioners are meeting for coffee in back rooms to plan strategies to guide the future of this community. Hidden from the scrutiny of public opinion, away from the press, and definitely with people that have agendas which they support.
Yeah, if having coffee or relatives is not acceptable then perhaps we need to change the way we allow our candidates to live. Run for office and go hide in your house. No contact with anyone so that people won't be able to try to connect invisible dots that don't exist.
obviously the HNB types and powers that would like to be are doing a very fine job of getting on here to defend and promote their chosen candidates
nuff said
oh...and the USB people aren't on these boards promoting their own candidates.
Wouldn't it be nice if the silly war between banks could be dropped and the real picture and future of this town considered. I just don't get the animosity unless it has to do with past employees.
Not a supporter of any candidate or agenda just want good government and don't really care who banks where or has coffee with whom. Ironically, do we really know where any candidate banks or if they pay their bills on time.
I am more interested in their plans for the future of this town and how well they can work as a whole without making fun of people. I also want them to make policies with enough thought that we don't have to have them rescinded several weeks later.
Post a Comment