Ask Me No Questions And I'll Tell You No Lies....

This bothers me.
No, not the part about 101 full time and the 46.5 half time jobs left unfilled (that's a lot of jobs....and why are so many half time? And where are these jobs? Police?, Fire? Public Works? Does it really make a difference?)

No, what bothers me is our City Manager comment:

"The staffing shortfall is negatively affecting our ability to respond to information requests in a timely manner,We will, of course, continue to adhere to the Sunshine Law. While the law provides for us to seek cost recovery for the extensive research time and copying costs necessary to fulfill some of these requests, that does not mean we can recapture that time."

WHO is making all these requests? Those pesky reporters? Those folks in the peanut gallery who actually supply the funds that make this city run? Bloggers? (They talking about you, Jackehammer?)

City Manager Burris, I think you got this back a** backwards. You and your staff should doing everything in your power to quickly answer the questions of your public. We are the ones who with our taxes and purchases, make this city run. To imply that our requests for information take up too much time is ---well, if this was happening in a business world, see how fast the customers walk out the door. In Springfield's world, see how fast the voters say no.

Just because we question you or want to know information about our city doings doesn't mean we don't like you.

Geez, the third largest city in the state and the City Manager is basically saying he ain't gonnna tell us nothing unless we pay for it.

Yep, 1/3 largest city in the state is governed by volunteers and run by a guy who ain't gonna tell us nothing unless we pay for it.

Ok, I'm a busy man, I'm going to D Lake!

The bad thing about shooting from the hip is you run the risk of shooting yourself in the foot.

$1.4 Million Dollars! I'd Be Grinning Too!

Roy Blunt raised $1.4 million this quarter and I am still getting phone calls (I got one this afternoon) from the RNC seeking more.

Who's my favorite NASCAR driver? Anybody but Jeff Gordon.
Who's my favorite Senatorial candidate? Anybody but Roy Blunt

If you wish to contribute to Roy's fund (Rely On Your Beliefs?) you can call 703 321 0527.

I wonder if Matt will give any of his money to his Daddy?

BTW--in my phone call with the RNC this afternoon, I mentioned that Blunt's name was slightly tarnished. The caller said words to the effect that we know, because of Matt. He also said they were not to mention Matt first.

Brenda Cirtin's Husband To Seek Legislative Seat

Chad Livengood reports on his blog,Inside Missouri Politics, that the husband of Springfield City Clerk Brenda Cirtin will officially launch a 2010 campaign for the 140th District seat in the state House of Representatives next Thursday.

Livengood posts that Cirtin's husband:

...intends to seek state Rep. Bob Dixon's seat representing the 140th District, which includes the east side of Springfield and eastern Greene County.

Dixon, R-Springfield, is seeking the 30th District Senate seat in 2010. Sen. Norma Champion, the district's current officeholder, is term-limited at the end of next year.

He is director of the Criminal Justice Program at Evangel University and owner of two businesses: Robert Cirtin Investigations, LLC and Safe at Church, LLC, a consulting firm for church security services.

The Cirtins hope to join the Twittys in the one spouse works for us and the other is elected by us arena. The power has to be kept concentrated.

Bass Pro Shop Will Get Its Zoning Change. The City Cannot Afford To Not Allow It.

I received the following information this morning from a bus rider:

Regarding the property now in issue as potential site for a hotel or whatever use is decided upon after a zoning change is approved, Bass Pro benefitted by tax provisions under the rules of the original enterprise zone established in 1984 for a 25-year period. That 25-year period expires in 2009. Therefore, new tax incentives must be instituted if Bass Pro is to benefit financially and, as a consequence, the City of Springfield benefits, as well.

The upcoming zoning change hearing is step one of a predictable outcome in which Bass Pro and the City of Springfield win and the neighbors, who waited too long to take any action, lose.

Until 1994, the city and private industry/commerce remained separate entities. The city represented the public sector; the industry/commerce represented the private sector.

The Public Sector, as representative of The People, was more interested in social welfare than in the profit potential. The Private Sector, being based on business, was more interested in the profit potential of a venture. Jointly, although separately, the public and private sectors constituted the basis from which a venue's economy functioned.

Then, in 1994 in Springfield a new form of creative capitalization-by-necessity set a precedent. A Target store was opened near the James River Freeway off Glenstone Avenue. There existed a major problem with the sewer system in Springfield, a city with more than 1000 miles of pipes which were, to a large extent, cracked, broken, otherwise defective, and inadequate for handling the water and sewage of a city on the grow.

Target was granted favorable Tax Incentive Financing (TIF) in exchange for repairing/replacing the wornout defective sewer system. Thus came into existence the first public/private partnership in Springfield's economic history.

Fast forward to 2009. The floodprone area in issue at Washita Street-South Avenue is part of the Bass Pro property. The City of Springfield does not have the millions of dollars absolutely necessary to restore the land to its natural usage as a retention pond/water basin. By working out a TIF project beneficial to both Bass Pro and the city, Bass Pro will pay to have the Infiltration/Inflow problems fixed with first-class landscaping and beautification, in exchange for tax benefits that make such a project feasible.

The joint action will probably destroy the east side of South Ave. as a neighborhood but it will save the city from the Federal lawsuit threatened for $75 million by Dept. of Justice vs. City of Springfield in 1994 for violation of both the federal and state Clean Water Acts.

Bass Pro will get its zoning change. The city cannot afford to not allow it.

About That Proposed Hotel Across From Bass Pro Shop....

A former neighbor of Bass Pro, who lived in the area of the proposed hotel, writes the Bus: The lands in issue are in the Enterprise Zone, and specific uses are spelled out about what can and cannot be put in. A hotel and any other purely profit-making enterprise was not allowed, councilman John Wilson argued back in the 1990s. Whether rezoning hearings include usage discussions, as in Enterprise Zone rules, is unknown, members of the neighborhood watch group need to find out.

Morris had tax incentives that made non-proceeding more beneficial than forcing through the building of a hotel back in 1994, so after he came in and destroyed the neighborhood's neighborhoodliness, the development plan was dropped and adjacent property owners were not notified of the change in plans.

A private/public deal was struck in 1994 between the city and Target (TIF Financing)--setting a precedent. Will that precedent now be used for replacement of the original tax incentives Morris had?

Morris's original tax incentives had a 25-year lifespan that expire in 2009.

Somewhere there is documentation that the lands in issue are in the Enterprise Zone, and specific uses are spelled out about what can and cannot be put in.

I wondered why, in this economy, would anyone be wanting to build a big hotel..especially since Becky Spence, John Q and the guy developing the Heer's building are not proceeding very fast with their projects. Knowing that, according to the information I received, the original tax incentives had a 25-year lifespan and will will expire in this year--well that may be a reason why the zoning change is being proposed at this time by Bass Pro Shop.

There is a report, a 50 Q&A report, titled "Fungus Amungus" prepared, complete with illustrations, that was given to the city and the neighborhood association in 2006 regarding this area. I am trying to track down a copy.

I know that the city routinely destroys documents after a certain length of time. (Jason Wert wrote an excellent blog post on this subject. When I went to reference it, it seems he has not only quit writing LifeOfJason, but he deleted the entire blog. That is a shame because his city council live blogging gave us information that we got from no other source.) I don't know if the information about this subject is still in city files somewhere or not.

About That Proposed Hotel Across From Bass Pro Shops....

duplicate post, deleted, see posting above.

They Lived In The Basement So The House Would Stay Neat And Clean For The Next Owners

From the realtor's description:

New Construction circa 1955 — One-owner home that's never been lived in!
Circa 1955: The best way to describe this awesome find? "NEW CONSTRUCTION FROM 1955!"

This awesome 50's bungalow, located on a quiet, cul-de-sac street on the Hill, has seriously never been lived in... at least on the main level. This ONE-OWNER home was resided only in the lower level during their stay here, so the main level has been frozen in time and perfectly preserved.

The vintage Magic Chef gas oven had a head-count of 28 turkeys cooked in it for 28 Thanksgivings — that's IT. The other meals prepared in this home were in the lower level kitchenette, where the family resided full-time.

The quality of the 50's shows, as everything is in great working order, the original wooden sash windows are in perfect shape, the tile is impeccable, the hardwoods are pristine (they're there under the wool carpet)... the list goes on and on.

There is an entry foyer, large living/dining combo, large eat-in kitchen, 2 bedrooms with hardwood floors and double (large!) closets, and bath on the main level.

Downstairs, you could eat off the floor it's so clean, and features an additional full bath (offered as-is).

The yard is neat and tidy, and fully fenced, and has a 2-car garage with electric opener. Newer low-maintenance siding has been added to the home.

Offered for 129,900 — seller open to negotiatng furniture/furnishings to remain. Truly one of a kind to find. WILL NOT LAST.

The CNN #1 Fastest Growing Small Business In

the country is a life insurance company from Texas. And you know how I feel about Texas life insurance companies!

I thought life partners referred to marriage

3422 Mt. Elliot Street, Detroit, MI

1. What do they do when it rains?

2. Dang, that guy must be good at "Whac-A-Mole"!

3. Didn't he have any girlfriends to give them too?

4. Maybe a garden would be better?

5. I thought they ended up on a shelf at the DAV store.

6. It could be art.

3422 Mt. Elliot Street, Detroit, MI - take a tour of the street.

"I Just Don't Trust The Government"---Dee Wampler

"The Native had a great love of his country but remained suspicious of government" reads the caption on this photograph in Ozark Mountain Folk, These Were The Last, a portfolio of photographs by Townsend Godsey.

I came across this on Catanese's KY3 political blog. While I may not be on the same side in the war on Christmas, I can hear him loud and clear here.