By Jim Sack
It was a very short meeting.
Two council members knew the agenda was short and uncontroversial so they took time away.
Councilman Tom Smith began the meeting, after the opening formalities, with an announcement that he would invite city Controller Pat Roller to brief council on the fall budget process that is the annual high point of council activity. Mr. Smith will chair the process on behalf of President Marty Bender. Mr. Smith believes that a preliminary discussion can build better communications and clarify some issues before the formal wrangling starts. A council member wondered out loud if such a meeting might help preclude Thursday meetings (that are added to the normal Tuesday meetings). Doubtful, said Smith. The budget process is the most time intensive and contentious matter on the annual council agenda featuring arguments over line items and the philosophy of governance. With council more aggressively asserting its powers and grabbing for some prerogatives the mayor holds dear this should be just as fraught as last year when Mrs. Liz Brown managed the process.
A number of measures were on the agenda last night and most sailed through with only a few questions of information asked. The exception was a presentation by Shan Gunawardeena, city traffic engineer, who brought a request for $100k of local tax money to the table. The ordinance was to buy new controllers for the street light signals in Fort Wayne at a total cost of over $800k, most of which would be born by federal clean air funds. Move cars more efficiently then there will be less pollution from idling exhausts. A number of council members asked Mr. Gunawardeena what benefits would be seen by the average driver. None he responded. Mitch Harper gently tried to help the engineer enunciate something, anything that could be used to justify the expenditure. Mr. Gunawardeena struggled. He said the equipment would be a step in the direction of a more computerized, flow-sensitive system that would change light timing to move traffic more efficiently. His responses sounded more like federal money was out there and we want our share. Perhaps the savvy Joe Fox, the mayor’s new communication director, can help employees such as Mr. Gunawardeena sharpen their presentations so fewer lifelines have to be tossed by compassionate council members.
That was about it. No verbal sparing, no great moments of humor, no points of order. A quiet night.
In the audience, however, was an observer from Germany, a woman who has observed city councils in two German cities. She noted that there were many fewer citizens in attendance here than would be the norm in a German council meeting and that none, none of the citizens was involved in the discussion. That would be the norm there, she said. Makes you wonder.
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Jim – Is this an example of "Double-Talk" ???
Jim:
You had nme at "flow-sensitive"…LOL!
Perhaps in Germany it's a number of things that differ from here:
1) The people GIVE A DAMN!
2) The GERMAN cities are better managed
3) Council members in GERMANY know they are civil SERVANTS, and not the lords of the manor.
4) ALL of the above?
Just a thought.
BTW, traffic flow, by itself will NOT really reduce air pollution as much as having vehicles MAINTAINED PROPERLY to ensure the pollution control systems onboard are functioning (unlike those cars belching blue-white smoke we see).
Maybe that's just a SOUTH SIDE "thing"…
Another good summary of the CCM.
Thanks, Jim.
Well, Bob. I agree. As for the South Side thing fill me in. I live on the south side, on Rudisill, and it is relatively quiet here, not so many trucks, cars, cycles. There are more than a few noisy, smokers, belching along. That, I think, is a part of a recession, dead mufflers, dying engines.
John, what do you mean by "double talk." I respect your opinions.