28 Feb 2006 Message From Hootie
I was just checking some files I have on my word processor and Old Hootie popped up and gave me this old file memo. It concerns a proposal to place a charter initiative on the ballot for Huntington voters. It becomes more appropos at this time because the state has approved city/county and county/county mergers. The memo goes,
"I note with interest the current discussions regarding the change of Huntington's type of governance from the strong mayor type to the city manager type. Let me say at the outset that I am not a citizen of Huntington and have no business interests there, nor any personal considerations that cause me to favor or disfavor whatever type governance the city may have. I do have a memory that spans the old strong mayor type, the city manager type, and the latest strong mayor type.
With that said, let me try to point out a few occurrences from the past---
1.) The Huntington Mall is currently about 25 years old. The mall was diverted from its original siting at Route 10 and the interstate by a government which had a record of constant infighting and a lack of cohesion. Barboursville was awarded the construction and I need not point out the advantages Barboursville now enjoys.
2.) The Huntington Urban Renewal Authority was created and subsequently created the 'superblock', an eyesore that deterred business expansion in the downtown Huntington area for some 30 plus years. As the proximate result of items 1 and 2, empty storefronts abounded and downtown apartment style living in Huntington suffered a great outflow of tenants to other areas, mostly out of town.
3.) During the 30 odd years that the city had a city manager style government, it appears the council consistently refused to confront mounting debt to various pension funds it utilized to recruit and maintain city personnel services. It apparently still refuses to do so, under the current strong mayor type government. So a strike against both types of governance.
4.) We were all treated to the deleterious effects of a ham-strung council during the 'McCallister' years. But the council has been the same way for decades, and these later years seem to be only the final upshot of years of not so benign ineffective government. The only difference was that someone got elected who would point out that the emperor had no clothes.
5.) There were some really good city managers. There have also been some pretty fair mayors. But neither can overcome a council that is constantly bickering about inconsequential matters. Both the good managers and the good mayors were that way in spite of the council they had to work with. No one can lead a herd of mules that are all pointed in different directions.
6.) Council and the various city managers apparently took no cognizance of the outflow of citizenry during the late sixties, seventies and early eighties. (The outflow has slowed but there is still significant leakage out of state and to the county.) Instead, both entities continued to run the city as if the 100,000 people living there in the fifties were still there. Few, if any, new or enhanced revenue streams were identified to compensate for the provision of services at the higher rate per capita. As a result, under the strong mayor type governance, a user fee has been imposed (appears constitutionally to be TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION for those living outside the city limits.) The litany about finances could go on and on , but what is the use? Council isn't prepared to sit down and look at it realistically, anyway. (As an afterthought, wonder if the city will announce a great surplus at the end of the fiscal year? I do not know how the city can avoid one with the user fee revenue finally hitting the books fully and the anticipated tax revenue from the Woodlands. Additionally, without being on a full-accrual accounting basis, they can have a surplus or deficit anytime they want.)
7.) The now-defunct Ninth Street Plaza was installed and quickly became a place where workers and groups could meet in the lopen air for lunch or whatever purpose. For a few years, it was a pleasant place to be. Due to lack of police presence and no effort on the part of the administrations(s), the Ninth Street Plaza became a run-down pest-hole for winos and the homeless of Huntington. Huntington is still paying the price even though the Third Avenue-Fourth Avenue link has been removed. Still, with no police presence, the place stinks of urine and feces and bottles are everywhere. As are winos and homeless and other panhandlers.
8.) Harris Riverfront Park is nothing less than a complete disaster. What was, and still could be, such a beautiful, restful place, it has become the primary home for transients in Huntington. The bathrooms are locked, there is no police presence within the park, night or day, and trash is the main ingredient of the park at the present time. I guess we can thank the Ohio River for cleaning it out every now and then, for it is a known fact that the city has abandoned the park.
I leave it to you to classify the above as to whether the governmental structure at the time was city manager or strong mayor type. To me, it makes little difference. For what I see is the failure of various city councils and mayors to confront the issues that were so clear at the time and are even more clear with the advantage of hindsight.
Just one other point--have you thought out who will be the representative of the City of Huntington before the state legislature, governor, federal authorities and other governmental agencies and boards? You will need to make that perfectly clear to the citizenry, before you place the initiative on the ballot, if that is your choice. Dual or multiple representation is ineffective and counter-productive, to say the least, and quite embarrassing at best."
Hootie
28 Feb 2006
Hootie had intended to send the letter off to the council and mayor's office, but, all of a sudden, the matter was tabled and never revived to this day! Council got into a fight with itself and, after three hours of bickering, agreed to disagree, and dropped the matter that had held the front pages for at least two months.
My reason for reviving Hootie's letter is that there is coming , a strong push to consolidate Cabell County and each of the towns and cities of the county into a metro government.
I'M AGIN IT.
Just as Hootie is. He speaks plain truth, Kemo Sabe, and I'd hate to have the screwed up County Commission join the screwed up Huntington council and Barboursville and Milton, all into one unit. What a catfight! It might be fun to watch from Lawrence County, OH, but not from within Cabell County.
And an idiot from Kanawha wants to join Kanawha, Putnam and Cabell? Once Kanawha and all its various entities have joined and worked well for twenty years, the same for Putam and Cabell, then it might work. But not until then. And by that time, I won' have to worry about it.
But you will!
"I note with interest the current discussions regarding the change of Huntington's type of governance from the strong mayor type to the city manager type. Let me say at the outset that I am not a citizen of Huntington and have no business interests there, nor any personal considerations that cause me to favor or disfavor whatever type governance the city may have. I do have a memory that spans the old strong mayor type, the city manager type, and the latest strong mayor type.
With that said, let me try to point out a few occurrences from the past---
1.) The Huntington Mall is currently about 25 years old. The mall was diverted from its original siting at Route 10 and the interstate by a government which had a record of constant infighting and a lack of cohesion. Barboursville was awarded the construction and I need not point out the advantages Barboursville now enjoys.
2.) The Huntington Urban Renewal Authority was created and subsequently created the 'superblock', an eyesore that deterred business expansion in the downtown Huntington area for some 30 plus years. As the proximate result of items 1 and 2, empty storefronts abounded and downtown apartment style living in Huntington suffered a great outflow of tenants to other areas, mostly out of town.
3.) During the 30 odd years that the city had a city manager style government, it appears the council consistently refused to confront mounting debt to various pension funds it utilized to recruit and maintain city personnel services. It apparently still refuses to do so, under the current strong mayor type government. So a strike against both types of governance.
4.) We were all treated to the deleterious effects of a ham-strung council during the 'McCallister' years. But the council has been the same way for decades, and these later years seem to be only the final upshot of years of not so benign ineffective government. The only difference was that someone got elected who would point out that the emperor had no clothes.
5.) There were some really good city managers. There have also been some pretty fair mayors. But neither can overcome a council that is constantly bickering about inconsequential matters. Both the good managers and the good mayors were that way in spite of the council they had to work with. No one can lead a herd of mules that are all pointed in different directions.
6.) Council and the various city managers apparently took no cognizance of the outflow of citizenry during the late sixties, seventies and early eighties. (The outflow has slowed but there is still significant leakage out of state and to the county.) Instead, both entities continued to run the city as if the 100,000 people living there in the fifties were still there. Few, if any, new or enhanced revenue streams were identified to compensate for the provision of services at the higher rate per capita. As a result, under the strong mayor type governance, a user fee has been imposed (appears constitutionally to be TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION for those living outside the city limits.) The litany about finances could go on and on , but what is the use? Council isn't prepared to sit down and look at it realistically, anyway. (As an afterthought, wonder if the city will announce a great surplus at the end of the fiscal year? I do not know how the city can avoid one with the user fee revenue finally hitting the books fully and the anticipated tax revenue from the Woodlands. Additionally, without being on a full-accrual accounting basis, they can have a surplus or deficit anytime they want.)
7.) The now-defunct Ninth Street Plaza was installed and quickly became a place where workers and groups could meet in the lopen air for lunch or whatever purpose. For a few years, it was a pleasant place to be. Due to lack of police presence and no effort on the part of the administrations(s), the Ninth Street Plaza became a run-down pest-hole for winos and the homeless of Huntington. Huntington is still paying the price even though the Third Avenue-Fourth Avenue link has been removed. Still, with no police presence, the place stinks of urine and feces and bottles are everywhere. As are winos and homeless and other panhandlers.
8.) Harris Riverfront Park is nothing less than a complete disaster. What was, and still could be, such a beautiful, restful place, it has become the primary home for transients in Huntington. The bathrooms are locked, there is no police presence within the park, night or day, and trash is the main ingredient of the park at the present time. I guess we can thank the Ohio River for cleaning it out every now and then, for it is a known fact that the city has abandoned the park.
I leave it to you to classify the above as to whether the governmental structure at the time was city manager or strong mayor type. To me, it makes little difference. For what I see is the failure of various city councils and mayors to confront the issues that were so clear at the time and are even more clear with the advantage of hindsight.
Just one other point--have you thought out who will be the representative of the City of Huntington before the state legislature, governor, federal authorities and other governmental agencies and boards? You will need to make that perfectly clear to the citizenry, before you place the initiative on the ballot, if that is your choice. Dual or multiple representation is ineffective and counter-productive, to say the least, and quite embarrassing at best."
Hootie
28 Feb 2006
Hootie had intended to send the letter off to the council and mayor's office, but, all of a sudden, the matter was tabled and never revived to this day! Council got into a fight with itself and, after three hours of bickering, agreed to disagree, and dropped the matter that had held the front pages for at least two months.
My reason for reviving Hootie's letter is that there is coming , a strong push to consolidate Cabell County and each of the towns and cities of the county into a metro government.
I'M AGIN IT.
Just as Hootie is. He speaks plain truth, Kemo Sabe, and I'd hate to have the screwed up County Commission join the screwed up Huntington council and Barboursville and Milton, all into one unit. What a catfight! It might be fun to watch from Lawrence County, OH, but not from within Cabell County.
And an idiot from Kanawha wants to join Kanawha, Putnam and Cabell? Once Kanawha and all its various entities have joined and worked well for twenty years, the same for Putam and Cabell, then it might work. But not until then. And by that time, I won' have to worry about it.
But you will!
posted by tanstaafl | 7:27 PM
1 Comments:
Sometimes I think the powers that be need to go back to kindergarten, since that is the age group they act like. I remember the fuss over the mall; I remember the downtown as a place to go to shop and movies, and stuff. I also remember when people cared about it, as they don;t seem to now.
Come to think of it, the powers that be shold go back to diapers and bottles of formula---even my 4 yr old has more sense than most of them.
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