Office Hours, Planning Comm, Antioch, Council, & the REAL Mother's Day

Dear People: I will be having office hours tomorrow as usual, for the full 12-1:30 lunch hour, and I should be able to arrive on time. Please feel free to let me know that you would like to see me, or just show up!

Planning Commission: TOMORROW (5/12. 7pm. Bryan Ctr.) Our agenda for tomorrow night is very light at this time--there will be an update from me on Council activity, the Bike Enhancement/Northern Gateway committee will report, as will the Zoning Administrator/Planner, and the Miami Township Zoning Commission. Otherwise we'll just be discussing the Comprehensive Plan (which is currently being polished by John Eastman's consulting firm, at the request of Council), and the Bike Committee's plans for making YS more bikeable.

Antioch: Obviously, this was a momentous week for our Village, given the announcement of the complete break down of negotiations between the AC3 and Antioch UBoT. I am grieved and frustrated by this news, as I know many of you are. Especially if you have not received the press releases this week, I urge you to read Diane Chiddister's news update on these latest developments, which was added to the online version of the YS News today (I expect it will be in next week's paper version): http://www.ysnews.com/stories/2008/05/050808_closing.html

Village Council: NEXT WEEK (5/19. 7 pm. Bryan Ctr.) Here are the "Council Notes" that I wrote up for this week's News:

"A resolution about the Visioning Task Force will be presented at the next meeting of the Yellow Springs Village Council, which will be held on May19th at 7 pm in the Bryan Center. Verizon will present a proposal for the potential construction of a cell phone tower on village property which the telecommunications company would lease.

Council will consider a request from the Environmental Commission that the 10% minimum sign up for green pricing be dropped, and will have a first reading of two ordinances proposed by the Human Relations Commission. These ordinances would

1. include gender identity in our ordinances that guarantee equal access to housing, employment, and public accommodation, 
2. initiate a domestic partnership registry.

Additionally, Council will hold two second readings and public hearings on ordinances concerning 1) required sidewalk repairs, and 2) annual transfers from the general fund to other budgeted areas. Liquor License Renewals will be considered, and Council will briefly be updated on the Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund and Investment Fund. Some Commission appointments may be made.

Council welcomes public comments on all agenda items, either in writing or in person at our meetings. Additionally, Villagers may attend the meeting and raise issues not currently slated for our agenda during the "Citizens Concerns" time, each meeting."

Mother's Day FOR PEACE: I'm a mom, and a scholar of 19th Century women's literature. I urge everyone to read this proclamation by Julia Ward Howe, mostly known as the writer of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." But in 1870, sickened by the senselessness of the Franco-Prussian War, she began her campaign for the REAL Mother's Day, one that Hallmark would have a harder time commercializing than our current, sappy version (see especially the second line!). Brought to you, with some good context, by Democracy Now,

MOTHER'S DAY PROCLAMATION

Julia Ward Howe

Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of fears!
Say firmly: "We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant  agencies,
"Our husbands shall not come to us reeking with carnage, for caresses and    applause.
"Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach   them of charity, mercy, and patience.
"We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow  our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
From the bosom of the devasted earth a voice goes up with our own. It says,  "Disarm, Disarm!"
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice! Blood does not wipe out  dishonor nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let  women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of  counsel.                                                                                                                                  Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.                  Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as the means whereby the        great human family can live in peace,                                                                            And each bearing after her own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

By the way, in England they call this "Mothering Sunday," recognizing that much "mothering" is done by people who are not recognized as "mothers"--foster moms, day care providers, kinship networks. So, to all of you, men and women, who nurture children and aren't ashamed to call it mothering, have a hard-core mother's day, ok?