tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64516765645294718902024-03-05T01:18:22.902-05:00Lori Askeland on Village Councilfor the people of Yellow SpringsLori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-51888404978946302102014-02-18T14:56:00.001-05:002014-02-18T14:57:57.006-05:00VC 2/18: Budget, Treasurer's Report, Goals, and Water<div>
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<a href="http://www.makeyourenglishwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Toni-Morrison-meme-quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.makeyourenglishwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Toni-Morrison-meme-quote.png" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Dear People:</b> Did you know that today is the birthday
of BOTH Audre Lorde and Toni Morrison? Two wise women who are a gift of this
long cold month of February, when, nevertheless, the sap begins to flow
in the maples and the rumbling, warm, unstoppable energy of spring
starts breaking through the ice. And Bill Felker walked into Norah's
this morning and confirmed that this really is the first week of early
spring. <br />
<br />
So I'll end with a couple of favorite statements from both of those "early Spring" February women. </div>
But, yep, we have a Council meeting tonight, so let's get down to it. Here's the<a href="http://www.yso.com/uploads/packet/PKT2-18-14.pdf" target="_blank"> packet,</a>
if you want to play along at home. By the way, there are some great
little reports from HRC and the Police Department, as well as our budget
and treasurer's report and goals--lots of colorful charts and clarity
and good information. <br />
<br />
(I realize I just waxed rhapsodic about Toni Morrison and Audre
Lorde, so it feels funny to want to issue a paean to the clear report,
but then I'm also a fan of<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Tufte" target="_blank"> Edward Tufte</a>...)</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">BUDGET SESSION </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(6:00 pm)
General Fund Budget </span><br />
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Marianne MacQueen's thoughts</b>
about the Budget, sent as a public document to the entire Council
because she'll be gone tonight, are eloquent and deserve a wider
audience, I believe, so I'm going to share them here,<i> in italics </i>their entirety, <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">with a few brief comments of my own: </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><i><u><b>MacQueen on 2014 Budget</b></u><br /><br /><b>General Fund Budget</b><br />I’m
concerned about the potential .5 M shortfall in the projected 2014
budget that does not even include any capital expenses. I understand
from Melissa that this is a very conservative budget meaning that income
could be higher and expenses lower. None-the-less it is the budget we
have. I’m unclear about when the current “temporary” levy will be up for
a vote. The loss of that revenue will create even greater problems.<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span></i></span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">{LJA:
I share this concern. I would note that we intentionally wanted to
spend some of our surplus, which is substantial, because deferred
maintenance is also a serious problem. But we do have to be concerned
about the current imbalance between revenues and expenditures.}</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><i><br />
<br />I have an overarching concern that the community be made aware
about the budget and the issues we face. The more the community
understands, the more we can gather from the community what is of most
importance in terms of services we provide. In addition, I’m hopeful
that the community will recognize the importance of increasing revenue,
in particular, through expanded economic activities. I’m hopeful that
the YS News will pick up on this as well.<br />
<br />As we consider increasing the use of electronic media and social
media in particular, we might consider these venues as means for
community input into the budget. I’ve read of a community (possibly
Gavin Newsome in San Francisco) that used this as a method to getting
the community to prioritize the most important services. </i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">{LJA:
This is not a bad idea--the thing is, our means are very limited, and
educating people about the means at our disposal is in all our best
interests. I don't see it happening this year, with our new staff
needing to just get their feet on the ground, but I could see us moving
this direction in the future.}</span><br />
<i> <u><br />• Police Department:</u> Expenses related to policing
comprise over half of our General Fund budget. We are not a high crime
community and we have a lowered population than in the past as well as a
lower college student population. Even though we do have bleed-over
from neighboring communities where crime is more of an issue, I question
whether we need to number of personnel in this department. At this
point I would not consider expending the department. This would result
in $105K in savings for 2014. I understand this is a sensitive issue and
I am not suggesting disbanding the dispatch department in favor of
regionalizing. </i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">{LJA: I share this concern, and I believe that we do have to consider all our options carefully both for police and dispatch.}</span><i><br />
<br /><u>• Contractual Services: </u>It makes sense to review Contractual
Service expenses and see if there are ways in the future to minimize
these. There may be ways to use volunteer services within the village in
conjunction with paid consultants to lower these costs. We may also
need to look at our legal expenses and how to minimize these.<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> </span></i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">{LJA:
I agree, but I am mostly opposed to depending on volunteers for vital
services; I believe people should be paid for their work.}</span><i><br />
</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><i><u>• Green Space Fund:</u>
I would favor not funding the Green Space fund in 2014 since there is
approximately $250,000 in the fund and there is no request at present
for these funds. </i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> {LJA I agree.}</span><i><br />
<br /><b>Special Revenue Funds Budget</b><br />I support a planned
maintenance program in terms of street repair and upkeep. I assume we
have such a program. Given the state of this budget, however, I would be
in favor of going slowly with this in 2014 and focus on the most
critical issues. I support maintaining the pool although I would omit
less critical expenses. The 2014 budget includes nothing for economic
development and I support that at this time. However, it is critical
that Council and our new Village Manager treat economic development
seriously. I will work toward that end in 2014. <br />
<br /><b>Capital Budget</b><br />• I imagine that there will be only incidental expenses for the CBE in 2014. This is and will be a complex issue.<br />•
In light of our financial situation, I believe we need to review our
sidewalk policy and plan for repairs of the most highly used walks to be
staged over a period of years. While I see a rationale for the Village
to fund sidewalk repairs, I’m not sure that makes sense in every case. I
definitely support some sidewalk repairs in 2014 </i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">
{LJA: Our current policy is to do sidewalk repairs ourselves. Until
we have a change of policy, which I believe would also require a
stronger Planning department, we need to develop and carry out a plan
for replacement and repair.}</span><i><br />
• In Fair Acres I would hold off the street repairs until the infrastructure repairs are completed. </i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"> {LJA: My sense is that this has been the plan, but I'll make sure that's the case.}</span><i><br />
• I would avoid buying any new equipment for any department that is not critical.<br />•
I suggest not funding anything in the Parks & Rec. Improvement
Fund, in particular the $140,000 for bridges at Ellis Park. Perhaps
this, as well as some of the pool expenses, could be done through
special fundraising work by community members who appreciate these
amenities. </i><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">{LJA: I
need to look at the Fund. Part of our commitment in the levy was to
our parks, esp. the pool. So I want to better understand the state of
this part of the budget and if there are funds set aside for this
purpose.}</span><i><br />
• Sutton Farm-PW Facility Improvement has been on the table for a long
time. Even though it doesn’t seem that we have funds to do much this
year, I would support a plan for incremental improvements.<br />• I
support whatever is most critical in terms of repairs for the library.
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to me that we have the funds to do
anywhere near the $400,000 in improvements requested for this year. </i> {</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">LJA:
Again, I need to look at the Fund. Part of our commitment in the levy
was to our library, too. So I want to better understand the state of
this part of the budget and the funds we have set aside for this
purpose..}</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"></span></span>• In the Electric Fund I would hold off any improvements and repairs that aren’t critical.<br />
• In the Water and Sewer Funds, I support beginning the Fair Acre
repairs but this necessities the decision regarding how these will be
paid for. I would tend to take Kent’s lead on this as well as
considering common practice in other communities and the historical
approach used in Yellow Springs.<br />
• I do support moving forward on the water line bottle neck issues.</i> <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">{LJA:
Note that the Mgr's Report notes that we have gotten a green light on
the state grant funding toward this project ($400K) so it will go
forward, as will some work on the Cemetery Street housing project and
the water service near the new hotel location downtown on the Barr
property--see report below. These, to me, are vital projects for our
long-term economic sustainability.}</span><br />
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">ANNOUNCEMENTS </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(7:00 pm)
</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">REVIEW OF MINUTES
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">Minutes of February 3, 2013 Regular Council Meeting.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">REVIEW OF AGENDA
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">At this time, Council may add to the Agenda any other such matters as they may wish to discuss.
</span><br />
<ol style="list-style-type: upper-roman;">
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">PETITIONS/COMMUNICATIONS
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">The Clerk will receive and file (On Line):
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">Mike DeWine re: Drug Abuse Awareness Town Hall
Greene County Library re: March Schedule
GCCHD re: Private Well Webinars<br />
GCCHD re: 5K
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">GCAOA: Insights Newsletter
</span><br />
</li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(7:10 pm)<br />
Reading of Resolution 2014-11 Authorizing Payment with a Then and Now Certificate for First
Quarter of 2014
</span><br />
</li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">C</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">ITIZEN CONCERNS </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(7:15 pm)
</span><br />
</li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">SPECIAL REPORTS </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(7:20 pm)
</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">Quarterly Treasurer’s Report
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">HRC Annual Report
</span><br />
</li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">OLD BUSINESS </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(7:45 pm)<br />
Presentation on Scenarios for Water Sourcing Including Timeline </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;"><u><b>From Mgr Rpt 2/14:</b></u> To give a comprehensive view of our water source options we need current information
on the costs of the Springfield option. Last November the Springfield City Manager
confirmed that they were still interested in having Yellow Springs for a customer. He did
say that they would now probably want to have the contract effective for a longer term in
order to recover their up-front costs (15 years instead of ten). During our staff
discussion about presenting information to Council we realized that we need to tell
Springfield about the reduced volume we now need based on recalibration of our water
plant output (down from 164 million gallons/year to 120 million gallons/year). The
people in Springfield are reviewing the new information and it may affect our cost per
thousand gallons and possibly other aspects of a supply contract.
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">2014 Council Goals-- see packet. Karen's work is excellent here.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">NEW BUSINESS </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(8:25 pm)</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-left: 40px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;"><b>Water Rate Increase Discussion: </b><span style="background-color: yellow;">
I have propsed that in addition to the 3% scheduled increase that we
must have a larger increase in our budget (say 10%) to take effect this
April, as this fund is rapidly going into the red just when we are
needing to invest mightily in new water sourcing--one way or
another--see the manager's report</span>.
</span></div>
<ol start="7" style="list-style-type: upper-roman;">
<li style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">MANAGER’S REPORT </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11pt;">(8:45 pm) excerpts from 2/7 note and 2/14 note:</span></b><br />
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">(2/7) The sanitary sewer on East Limestone Street is theoretically capable of handling the
output from the new hotel in addition to its existing users. But the line is old and in bad
condition. Rather than waiting for the inevitable problems to develop, I have asked Mike
Heintz to design a replacement, larger sewer line at a cost of $3000 (for the design, not
the sewer). I plan to bid three projects at once in the next moth or so </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">– </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">Cemetery Street
water line, and both the storm and sanitary sewers on East Limestone Street. The
Greene County Economic Development Director feels this project could be a TIF, which
would reimburse the Village for infrastructure costs (including a water line extension)
from the increased tax revenues generated by the hotel.<br /><br />(2/14) </span>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">We just now received notice that our application for a $400,000 grant for the water line
loop completion project has been approved. We will receive a contract on or after July
1, 2014, presuming the budget allocation goes as expected. </span><br />
...<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">Verizon is now ready to build their cell phone tower on land they leased from the Village
at the rear of Bryan Center. They asked for and received permits several years ago, but
those permits expire if unexercised within a year. This means they will need to go back
through the process at a time they are ready to go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt;">POEMS</span><br />
"A Litany for Survival" ~~ Audre Lorde<br />
<br />
For those of us who live at the shoreline<br />
standing upon the constant edges of decision<br />
crucial and alone<br />
for those of us who cannot indulge<br />
the passing dreams of choice<br />
who love in doorways coming and going<br />
in the hours between dawns<br />
looking inward and outward<br />
at once before and after<br />
seeking a now that can breed<br />
futures<br />
like bread in our children’s mouths<br />
so their dreams will not reflect<br />
the death of ours<br />
***<br />
For those of us<br />
who were imprinted with fear<br />
like a faint line in the center of our foreheads<br />
learning to be afraid with our mother’s milk<br />
for by this weapon<br />
this illusion of some safety to be found<br />
the heavy-footed hoped to silence us<br />
For all of us<br />
this instant and this triumph<br />
We were never meant to survive.<br />
***<br />
And when the sun rises we are afraid<br />
it might not remain<br />
when the sun sets we are afraid<br />
it might not rise in the morning<br />
when our stomachs are full we are afraid<br />
of indigestion<br />
when our stomachs are empty we are afraid<br />
we may never eat again<br />
when we are loved we are afraid<br />
love will vanish<br />
when we are alone we are afraid<br />
love will never return<br />
and when we speak we are afraid<br />
our words will not be heard<br />
nor welcomed<br />
but when we are silent<br />
we are still afraid.<br />
***<br />
So it is better to speak<br />
remembering<br />
we were never meant to survive.<br />
<br />
“Guilt is not a response to anger; it is a response to one’s own actions
or lack of action. If it leads to change then it can be useful, since
it is then no longer guilt but the beginning of knowledge. Yet all too
often, guilt is just another name for impotence, for defensiveness
destructive of communication; it becomes a device to protect ignorance
and the continuation of things the way they are, the ultimate protection
for changelessness.”
<br />
―
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18486.Audre_Lorde" target="_blank">Audre Lorde</a>,
<i>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/716939" target="_blank">Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches</a> </i><br />
<br />
"The systematic looting of language can be recognized by the
tendency of its users to forgo its nuanced, complex, mid-wifery
properties for menace and subjugation. Oppressive language does
more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than
represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge. Whether
it is obscuring state language or the faux-language of mindless
media; whether it is the proud but calcified language of the
academy or the commodity driven language of science; whether it
is the malign language of law-without-ethics, or language
designed for the estrangement of minorities, hiding its racist
plunder in its literary cheek - it must be rejected, altered and
exposed. It is the language that drinks blood, laps
vulnerabilities, tucks its fascist boots under crinolines of
respectability and patriotism as it moves relentlessly toward the
bottom line and the bottomed-out mind. Sexist language, racist
language, theistic language - all are typical of the policing
languages of mastery, and cannot, do not permit new knowledge or
encourage the mutual exchange of ideas." -- Toni Morrison's <a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1993/morrison-lecture.html" target="_blank">Nobel Prize speech which you can read or listen to here</a><br />
Peace,<br />
Lori<span class="HOEnZb"><span style="color: #888888;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-27340947664395491282013-12-23T11:56:00.000-05:002013-12-23T12:06:43.690-05:00My Thoughts on CBE Funding<style>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs9aWC-t6deCTcX_IAy8JBlUp72zNMq6TKQyDIjzalIXUaMmfz-1GeNn0azrtpBFShGS6ajTaiWjg4MNTtvVyJD7FEWbZzyN0V1FhqmMJCp12OYVnZ_fePa4-NVp3tDzpZvfsfRijriQ/s1600/IMG_2462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs9aWC-t6deCTcX_IAy8JBlUp72zNMq6TKQyDIjzalIXUaMmfz-1GeNn0azrtpBFShGS6ajTaiWjg4MNTtvVyJD7FEWbZzyN0V1FhqmMJCp12OYVnZ_fePa4-NVp3tDzpZvfsfRijriQ/s320/IMG_2462.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>[Photo Credit: Lori Askeland. Those are the holiday decorations on the lavender bush by Village Artisans.]<br /><!----a--></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Sorry about the long, blog hiatus. I'm going to try to get in the habit again of publishing my weekly emails here. </b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Dear People:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b> </b> </span><b></b> Several
people have thanked me over the past few days for my vote against bringing the
CBE funding resolution to the next meeting, and people I care about have asked
me to explain my position, so this email, at some length, explains where I stand
right now and what happened between last Saturday when I said in my mass email
that I planned to support the CBE funding, but with “concerns,” and this past
Monday, when I voted no at the meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I
will note that when I first drafted that email, I had written “misgivings,” and
that stronger word was, at it turns out, probably more accurate).<br />
<br />
It's basically my philosophical position--and as several people have noted, it
is the Comprehensive Plan's position-- that development should pay for
itself. That's a long held belief of mine, which developed long before we
moved here and started paying attention to local politics in Lawrence,
Kansas. Government support for economic development is too often a
transfer of wealth from poorer people to the wealthy; Frank Goetzke, the YS
resident who is a professor of Urban and Regional Economics at the University
of Louisville, argues that such things are usually a mistake UNLESS the
municipality has its own goals that such an investment will also directly serve,
beyond economic development. <br />
<br />
But, given all that had been invested up to this time, I was willing to say,
ok, any position may have an exception; maybe there are other ways of thinking
about this, and I hate to see the federal dollars lost and another building
season gone by. Frank is a self-described “free market guy” and I am more
of a socialist at heart. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also hate the
idea of wasting the already expended effort, money, and time of many good and
thoughtful people. And I am aware that municipalities around here,
everywhere, are wooing businesses with all kinds of tactics. They are
doing so not because they are foolish, but because they recognize that the only
way you can keep costs of services down is to get some tax-paying,
wage-generating businesses in your borders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the tactics are probably fine, but as
with any investment, it’s easy to lose sight of the costs with which one is
“buying” often elusive future money. <br />
<br />
So I am wary of the “me-too”-ism that can make that "get businesses at all
costs!" idea into a downward moving spiral that ends up costing a
community so much that future benefits are canceled out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I'm also wary of the "we're
different"-ism that can keep us on a course of becoming simply a
retirement community, gentrifying, aging, losing diversity. We really do
need a plan to keep costs for residents down, services up; it is hard for low-income
people to live here. I am deeply aware of that. <br />
<br />
And it's also reasonable to look at the last election as something of a referendum
on this question: this was the issue that dominated debate, and the people who
won were, effectively, in favor of it--those who staked out a position against
it lost. Kent Bristol points out that because interest rates are so low
right now, particularly for municipalities, the annual costs of our initial
investment will be less than 1% of our General Fund and, unlike private
investors, we can think of this as a slow-return investment--we can be patient
and wait 20 years. Most private investors need faster turn around, have
to think in terms of quarters, not decades. That all speaks for
government investment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And let me state up
front: First, I believe that the people who volunteer for CR have our Village's
best interests at heart; this is a group of dedicated people really trying to
make something happen that they believe will help the community survive and
thrive, create opportunities. And, second, I personally am not swayed by the
arguments about this as sprawl or by the concerns that something horrific like
pornographers or drone-producers will end up in that space. Karen is
right: no business wants to put itself in a place where it will not be welcomed
and may have to contend with pickets, etc. Those are red herrings, in my
view, and unpersuasive at best.<br />
<br />
And let me further be very clear: I am not opposed to there being a business
park on that site, at all. <br />
<br />
The question is, should the infrastructure for this project be mostly publicly
funded by the Village, which will necessarily also mean that the village must
take significant responsibility for marketing the property?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
On those grounds, then, it is ultimately my job to look at this as a long-term
investment / reinvestment strategy, which governments can do (ideally from the
Federal / State level--think of the railroads, the interstate system,
etc.) The reasonable argument that CR and others make is that we need to
invest in ourselves and our economic viability; every investment has some
risk--<i>as does doing nothing</i>, as does doing anything else. <br />
<br />
And let me say one more thing: I am deeply aware also that it's really easy to
say "no," and there's an ego-boost in being critical. Even
better: saying "hell no!!" and fancying oneself as the truth-sayer in
the wilderness. This is a VERY seductive role for Yellow Springers, me
included, and it's kind of how we like to imagine ourselves as a
community. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But the thing is: that's
a very low-cost role to take on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we
no-sayers are wrong, we've often lost nothing immediately visible, and have
invested little. If the plan goes ahead and works, we can celebrate
the success and quietly disappear. If it doesn't work, we can feel
smug about being "right," and yet still have the option of doing
nothing but throwing snowballs from the sidelines.<br />
<br />
So as I have been thinking about this, I have worked very hard to be mindful of
the seductive nature of that "party of no" position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's been deadly in Washington DC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that means thinking carefully about what
alternatives I see as reasonable and available to us, that I would put energy
into and advocate for.<br />
<br />
And, finally, no one manufactured the time pressure here--the pressures are
coming from the potential loss of the grant funding and the timing of the
annual construction cycle, not from nefarious intentions by evil capitalists,
or what have you.<br />
<br />
Given everything above, I would argue that if this project offers a likelihood
of payback, even on a somewhat long range, like 20 years, then it is a
reasonable thing to do. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
So that means that we have try to assess the likely costs and the likelihood of
payback of what is in some ways real estate speculation. Diane's
editorial in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">News</i> also strongly
stated that we desperately need some better numbers to base our decision on,
saying "$700,000 is a Lot of Money," and her arguments, after the
long series of articles in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">News</i>,
trying to get to the bottom of this investment, which I also read, gave me
pause. <br />
<br />
It's widely recognized, even by supporters, that the numbers that the CR
provided in their report from earlier this fall, are just not credible.
We have asked for better numbers in a variety of contexts, but they have not
been readily forthcoming. <br />
<br />
Then, having written my email on Saturday, saying I was supporting the project
with "concerns" (originally "misgivings"), I was frustrated
that it was only by late Monday that I found out that the initial investment /
stake, with the costs of financing, is likely to be closer to $1 million.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This works out to $80K per year for 20
years, $120K per year for 10. (See Manager's Report from Monday).<br />
<br />
Even knowing that it will probably be not quite so much as $1M, and that the
numbers were calculated on a "worst case scenario" basis, there's a
distinct sense of cost creep. Because, as Diane noted, that’s just the
"up front" cost. The people who have talked to me about this,
even the supporters, have made it clear that they expect we'll have to offer
tax abatements and/or other incentives for this site to get building jump
started; if we don't, the project will likely languish. And it's clear to
me that we'll need to provide some kind of project management focus, so the
$80K / year is just the beginning of the costs for us, let alone the
time. <br />
<br />
(As an aside: While $80K per year is only a small portion of our General Fund,
it is a good salary in this town, even with benefits included. It’s more
than double what we pay all Council members combined, for all our work, even
with the pay increase. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a Council
member, I do have to ask: Is this the best way, even a good way, for us to
spend money for the next 20 years toward economic development?) <br />
<br />
And, frankly, our track record on this very project isn't great. The
design we have at length gotten approved by the Army Corps and ODOT looks
problematic, particularly after Sarah Hippensteel Hall, of the Miami Valley
Conservancy, recently spoke to us about retention ponds as horrible from a
conservancy point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's really
hard for governments to be supple. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This isn’t about a
personal attack on Council or CR; it’s structural.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the reasons articulated by Richard
Lapedes and Frank Goetzke and others who say: if you don't have your own
"skin in the game" these kinds of projects have a way of languishing
just due to the nature of governments, elections, and the many other central
demands on our time and attention. CR is a group of really dedicated
people, but they are volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We on
Council, meanwhile, are also dedicated but while we are the only group in town
that can provide water, sewer, street repair, etc., other groups can do
economic development--and often do it better because putting your own money
down has a way of focusing your attention. <br />
<br />
So cost creep concerns me particularly when it’s public funds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what about the other side—the likely benefits
/ return on investment? The argument has been that it's close to
impossible to get the numbers we need, particularly. But two people are
giving me some numbers, and they both are suggesting this is likely to be a bad
idea--Bob Baldwin, a local, long-term real estate investor, and Dawn Johnson,
who lives here and works in this field in our region. Specifically, she
is the the Warren County GIS Coordinator, and in that capacity is privy to most
land developments prior to their approval and certainly upon their
execution, and she works with Auditors to determine values of properties based
on the geographic location, and she regularly with the Warren County Economic
Development and Warren County Planning and Zoning. She is asking very specific questions
along the lines of those asked for by Diane Chiddister, questions I don't have
good answers for at this point. Johnson seems to be providing data that
we need to attend to, just based on work she's doing on her lunch hour. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
In particular, Johnson's numbers about local TIFF projects, which I would like
further time and help to digest, don't look great, even with better siting
(e.g., visibility from I-675) and better infrastructure (fiber optics in place)
and an aggressive marketing strategy for those sites. With all that in
place, the Valle Greene sites have an estimated 165.91 years-to-recoup their
costs. I know that YS is different, that we have better coffee shops and
restaurants for employees, etc., but are we that different--145 years
different, for the kinds of projects for THIS site? As someone who owns a
small piece of commercial real estate in town, I have significant doubts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of her years of work
in Warren County, Johnson herself says, “I have never seen a community ‘grow’
its way out of debt--when its growth by way of debt driven subdivision,
regardless of the type, residential, commercial or industrial. And I have seen
communities grow without debt, by virtue of market forces.”<br />
<br />
Then Bob Baldwin again reminded us that the CM building across the street had
been built for probably around $9.5 million dollars (95,000 sq ft at $100/sf, a
reasonable estimate) and was just sold for $700,000. (We might have been
better off buying that building with our $700K, frankly). Moreover, the
article in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">YS News</i> noted that the
new owners are open to building a high bay space, to a business's
specifications, for lease <i>on that site, </i>which already has infrastructure<i>.</i>
Shovel ready. No government involvement. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
And there are the moves by Roger Husbands to develop an impact hub, and the
reservations of Todd Leventhal, also a local, successful business person, who
said in a letter to Council: "I am all for giving a helping hand to
businesses to locate here. Providing funds to fix up an old building or partition
an existing building such as Creative Memories would make a lot of sense. Or
work with Antioch College to invest in an incubator for new businesses in one
of the existing buildings on their campus, would make a lot of sense. Even
funding an apprenticeship program at the high school where students could be
trained at current factories in the area for good long term paying jobs would
be great for our community. But we must be realistic that in an entertainment
and educational type of town that we have become, a new industrial park at the
edge of town might not be the best way to spend our limited resources."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Given that there may be other similar places, such as the undeveloped parts of
the Creative Memories site, for these sorts of businesses, and there are these
alternative possibilities of economic development strategies, I guess I just
have serious misgivings that $1M up front, plus whatever it's going to take to
try to make this work, is ever likely to be returned, which means that we're
likely not doing what this project is supposed to do: improve our budget's
revenue-to-costs ratio.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
And when I, personally, think about putting a lot of time and effort into this
project, myself, and re-organizing our few government positions in our
shoe-string organization around THIS economic development strategy, I feel
exhausted by it, not energized. I've watched us flounder for a long time
on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I feel it's unethical for me
to give a vote of confidence for something where I'm thinking: other people
better pick up the slack on this one, because I know with every fiber of my
being that I, personally, won't have time /energy for it. (There's
another tendency in my beloved community, toward what I call "Conceptual
Artist": we like to imagine great projects and then assume other people
will do the grunt work.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally, I am hearing significant concerns, again from
people who are experienced in real estate, about the lack of a detailed business
plan for the CBE (from the start), the lack of real estate professionals on the
CR board, and many other details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Serious people, with expertise I do not have, are telling me that, at
the very least, it is absurd to go ahead with a plan that has never had a
detailed business plan, and which lacks many more details about reasonable
build-out time, exactly how the financing would be offset by taxes and when,
especially if other financial incentives would need to be put in place, and
other salaries paid to manage the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Increasingly I simply believe that it is unwise for the
Village to go into debt for this project, even if that means losing the federal
grant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That is where I stand
today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to make my stance
clear, and I am going to advocate that my fellow Council people reconsider
their positions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yet, with all that
being said, if this does go forward, I will of course do what I can to make it
a success, which definitely means that I will demand that we get more details
such as those I’ve mentioned above. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I will ask wise
people to make a checklist of things we need to have before us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever I am asked to do as a member of
Council, I will do, because if we do invest the money, I want us to get it back
and then some; I want it to work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will
seek to have people who <i>do </i>have energy and expertise for this project
(not me) put in place to make it work. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I definitely know
that my position is likely less informed than it needs to be in the end—and
probably should have been all along. I am deeply aware that some people
who I know and trust have looked at this same information have reached and come
to the opposite conclusion--including people who spend a lot more of their time
focused on these questions and issues than I do. There may be things I
have gotten wrong or misunderstood here. <br />
<br />
And, ultimately, I do not believe this is a make-or-break decision for the
town. It is not betting the whole farm or putting all our eggs in one
basket--we can encourage other experiments too. BUT it does represent a
significant financial stake that will affect our other decisions and our
ability to make other investments, so we need to make it thoughtfully, or walk
away. At this point, I felt I needed to send a signal that I'm feeling
increasingly less certain that it is our best use of funds, so I voted no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
open and still listening to all sides, but my misgivings did reach a tipping
point last Monday that I felt I needed to explain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Best, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lori</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-65413306814165566762011-12-08T20:32:00.001-05:002011-12-08T20:40:18.980-05:00VC last Monday (delayed all around) and My Band Tomorrow Night!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNJ92YD0bIuYEBa5mBRZT0H27bG6JUHX4c8bxAZJ2nA90IuXlcdQg24QAH7uSiDiapHrz9eU66GtONOQR13LGVS6G-18yx0g36MqIzuYxh0dVEODUe6Y-jAhySx4NchpjFasAOc71OSw/s1600/IMG_3592.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNJ92YD0bIuYEBa5mBRZT0H27bG6JUHX4c8bxAZJ2nA90IuXlcdQg24QAH7uSiDiapHrz9eU66GtONOQR13LGVS6G-18yx0g36MqIzuYxh0dVEODUe6Y-jAhySx4NchpjFasAOc71OSw/s200/IMG_3592.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683936813680893826" border="0" /></a><b>< -- a kitten in the wilderness. Well, our backyard.<br /><br />Dear People:</b> I know we are up against some heavy hitters over there in Clifton tomorrow night, but my band, <b>Mack and the Rockets are playing tomorrow night at the Emporium</b> (with possibly a surprising little extra women's trio that I'm part of for a little a capella song during the break....think Leadbelly, 3 part harmony...) 7-10 pm. (AND yes, we Mack and Rockets will be singing "Please, Daddy Don't Get Drunk this Christmas," for those of you who really like the traditional Christmas carols.)<br /><br />Linda Fischer will be there collecting<b> signatures against the hideous Republican-favoring redistricting</b> that Kasich is proposing. So it would be great if a bunch of you would be willing to sign that.<br /><br />MONDAY'S MEETING: (<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=1tgNnkBxjulC_Qgyn5dTiSpERR_MBlhXplurqaUVlR6QFon3cHgVGw2Rbq6_-" target="_blank">Here's the link to the packet</a>). If you've seen this week's paper you know that<b> last Monday we discussed the special revenues portion of the budget, </b>including issues like the Green Space Fund, which has been serving a key goal of our village of protecting green space on our Western side, and which we had only recently decided to support with estate tax monies (which have just been taken away by Kasich and his awful, hideous cronies), and the overall bleak picture for the budget primarily due to the budget cuts at the State level (again, do blame Kasich and Co.).<br /><br /><b style="background-color:rgb(255,255,51)">We also really need your feedback about the water situation:</b> Do read the article in this week's YS News. The bottom line: we have to decide whether to try to find grants, loans, etc. to upgrade our system OR we need to build a pipeline to the edge of Clark County, and let Springfield supply us. Springfield has water that is pre-softened with lime, not salt. <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=1tgNnkBxjulC_Qgyn5dTiSpERR_MBlhXplurqaUVlR6QFon3cHgVGw2Rbq6_-" target="_blank">The pertinent background info is on pp. 29-30 of the packet.</a><br /><b><br />Here's my take:</b> while it is at least initially probably cheaper to simply upgrade our current system (although there are significant unknowns there), doing so could be, will likely be?, more expensive over the long term. Additionally, the benefits of non-salt, softened water are, actually, somewhat significant, given that our water is so hard and when we soften it, all those salts go basically right into the Glen. I am leaning toward simply upgrading our plant and maintaining control, but I would like to hear from you.<br /><br />POEM:<br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="80%"><span>Chaplinesque</span> </td> <td colspan="2" align="right" nowrap="nowrap" valign="top"> <br /></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"> by <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/233" target="_blank">Hart Crane</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br /></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" valign="top"> <pre>We make our meek adjustments,<br />Contented with such random consolations<br />As the wind deposits<br />In slithered and too ample pockets.<br /><br />For we can still love the world, who find<br />A famished kitten on the step, and know<br />Recesses for it from the fury of the street,<br />Or warm torn elbow coverts.<br /><br />We will sidestep, and to the final smirk<br />Dally the doom of that inevitable thumb<br />That slowly chafes its puckered index toward us,<br />Facing the dull squint with what innocence<br />And what surprise!<br /><br />And yet these fine collapses are not lies<br />More than the pirouettes of any pliant cane;<br />Our obsequies are, in a way, no enterprise.<br />We can evade you, and all else but the heart:<br />What blame to us if the heart live on.<br /><br />The game enforces smirks; but we have seen<br />The moon in lonely alleys make<br />A grail of laughter of an empty ash can,<br />And through all sound of gaiety and quest<br />Have heard a kitten in the wilderness.</pre></td></tr></tbody></table>Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-26644779567879374292011-11-14T18:26:00.001-05:002011-11-14T18:31:34.186-05:00PC tonight: ZONING IN, ZONING OUT!Hi, People! Thanks again for your confidence in me on election day. Tonight we're going to be mostly focused on hearing Tim Tobey's report on the Parks Master Plan that he's been discussing--we may even just get a slight update to the old, unapproved plan that would at least be good information to have available to us. Second, we'll (very likely) be recommending approval of the annexation of the right-of-way on Dayton-YS St. that will allow entrance to the CBE (the Antioch-Midwest complex and any additional buildings). <br /><br />Finally, we'll be discussing the request by the contractor for our new zoning ordinance, LSL, to:<br /><br />1) identify up to 8 individual people (concerned with zoning?) to be interviewed--I need to get a better sense of what this means.<br />2) identify "user groups and selected person to particpate in each group" they suggest groups like "downtown business owners, neighborhood association reps, major employers and land developers." <br /><br />We're also going to try to schedule a start up meeting with LSL and the technical review committee for the zoning code update as well as a village tour.<br /><br />Let me know if you would like to be more engaged in this zoning project--I should be able to facilitate your involvement.Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-51199084793022786302011-11-09T18:44:00.005-05:002011-11-09T18:57:48.472-05:00Thanks.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://peter-mcloughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/words-of-gratitude.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 162px;" src="http://peter-mcloughlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/words-of-gratitude.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Dear People: Thanks to all of you for your warm words and support throughout my quiet campaign. I am proud to say that, other than the nominal, required registration fee ($30?), I spent $0. So this was a very efficient little campaign, and that's probably the most beautiful thing about it. Frank was supposed to be my treasurer, but we gave him NOTHING to do!<br /><br />So, I especially want to especially thank Ona Harshaw who served as an unofficial campaign manager, and for recruiting Jen Reich to help with finding all the old signs and to both of them for getting them strategically placed around town. AND Ona had to fix a bunch of them, too, as they were old and falling apart. So, Ona: I know I owe you AT LEAST one six pack. Actually, I think the whole town owes Ona at least a six pack each. When you see her, buy her one! She also worked all day as a poll worker, and her human relations skills are second to none. Basically, I LOVE Ona, heart and soul. She's a rock in a hard place.<br /><br />Thanks also to all those who wrote letters to the editor supporting me.<br /><br />And, finally, I want to thank Jen and Barry for hosting a smashing little campaign party last night for me and Rick.<br /><br />So, of course, a poem about thanks. And worms:<br /><br /><div id="poem-top" class="tab-content active"> <h1><span style="font-size:100%;">Worms <a style="font-weight: normal;" href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/carl-dennis"> by Carl Dennis</a></span><br /></h1> </div> <span class="author"> </span> <div class="poem"> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Aren't you glad at least that the earthworms </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Under the grass are ignorant, as they eat the earth, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Of the good they confer on us, that their silence </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Isn't a silent reproof for our bad manners, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Our never casting earthward a crumb of thanks </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">For their keeping the soil from packing so tight </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">That no root, however determined, could pierce it? </div><br /><div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Imagine if they suspected how much we owe them, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">How the weight of our debt would crush us </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Even if they enjoyed keeping the grass alive, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">The garden flowers and vegetables, the clover, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">And wanted nothing that we could give them, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Not even the merest nod of acknowledgment. </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">A debt to angels would be easy in comparison, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Bright, weightless creatures of cloud, who serve </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">An even brighter and lighter master. </div><br /><div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Lucky for us they don't know what they're doing, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">These puny anonymous creatures of dark and damp </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Who eat simply to live, with no more sense of mission </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Than nature feels in providing for our survival. </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Better save our gratitude for a friend </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Who gives us more than we can give in return </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">And never hints she's waiting for reciprocity. </div><br /><div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">"If I had nickel, I'd give it to you," </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">The lover says, who, having nothing available </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">In the solid, indicative world, scrapes up </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">A coin or two in the world of the subjunctive. </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">"A nickel with a hole drilled in the top </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">So you can fasten it to your bracelet, a charm </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">To protect you against your enemies." </div><br /><div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">For his sake, she'd wear it, not for her own, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">So he might believe she's safe as she saunters </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Home across the field at night, the moon above her, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">Below her the loam, compressed by the soles of her loafers, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">And the tunneling earthworms, tireless, silent, </div> <div style="text-indent: -1em; padding-left: 1em;">As they persist, oblivious, in their service.</div> </div> <div class="credit"> <p> Source: <em>Poetry</em> (May 2003). </p> </div> LoriLori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-246680407801732622011-11-06T18:07:00.000-05:002011-11-06T18:08:19.681-05:00VC tomorrow night! Note the highlights...<b>Dear People: </b> Tomorrow night the main issues will be: Mark's position as a finalist for the manager job in Sidney, new solid waste rates, a tap-in request from Home, Inc., our endorsement of the MVRPC's regional strategic plan, the library building audit, the issue of the state's interest in collecting taxes, what to do about our water supply, and LJB making a request for a considerably greater funds for work associated with the WWTP. <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=1LW5eu58rTDol3ag55fKXCJX_s4P45oHPr9U8PMU16azN5_GuVb_ua3-gi5Bn" target="_blank">The packet can be viewed here.</a><br /><br /><b>COMMUNICATIONS:<br />In Paper Packet and On Line:</b><br />RITA re: State Control of Municipal Income Tax Collection Update (see item under "New Business")<br /><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Tom Clevenger re:<b> Rescheduling of Energy Charrette for the BARR PROPERTY SENIOR HOUSING:</b> on WED. NOV. 9th at 5:30 in the Bryan Ctr. Rooms A&B there will be a meeting with the developer lead, the project architect and the project consultant to the green enterprise community standards. If you are interested in the design of this building, particularly as it relates to energy efficiency, please attend this meeting. </span><br />Vickie Hennessey re: Fluoride Rinse Program<br />Mayor’s Monthly Report<br />Emily Seibel, YSHI re: Fee Waiver Request: (see resolution 2011-54 below)<br />Len Kramer re: Support for YSHI Fee Waiver<br />Fred Bartenstein re: YSHI Fee Waiver<br /><br />E-Packet Only:<br />GCCOA re: Newsletter and Invitation<br /><b>Greene County Environmental Services re: Free Nitrate Screening for Well-users</b>: If you have a well, you might want this!<br />MVRCP re: PDAC Meeting<br />GCCOA re: Free Paper Shredding (in Beavercreek, NOV 15--RSVP required; also this is a "how to organize your papers" event, targeted at seniors. <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=1LW5eu58rTDol3ag55fKXCJX_s4P45oHPr9U8PMU16azN5_GuVb_ua3-gi5Bn" target="_blank">Look in the packet for more details</a>--it's near the very end of the packet.)<br /><b><br />ANNOUNCEMENTS: </b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">We just received news that Mark is a finalist for a City Manager position in Sidney. He will be reading a statement about his decision to apply for this job (and this job only) due to long term connections to the city. </span><br /><br />PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEG<span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">ISLATION</span><br /><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Ordinance 2011-27 Amending Chapter 1060 Solid Waste Rates: </b> Since we signed the new contract with Rumpke, the following rates will now apply:<br /><div style="margin-left:40px">Tier 1 (Not more than 35 Gallons): $10.40 Per Unit/Month<br />Tier 2 (Not more than 65 Gallons): $11.40 Per Unit/Month<br />Tier 3 (Not more than 120 Gallons): $12.40 Per Unit/Month<br /></div><div style="margin-left:40px"> [Commercial Services – Four Cubic-Yard Container: $55.00 Per Container/Month]<br /></div>I will vote yes.<br /><br /><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Resolution 2011-54 Home Inc. Tap-In Request</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">: </span>The amount requested is minimal--less than $20,000--which is less than the first year of taxes that will be brought in (about $25,000 per year), and the successful project will bring in $4.25 million dollars of tax credit equity. While they are continuing to look for other local support, they recently have become convinced that this support is vital for a successful proposal. It would have been better had this been a part of the original packet, and I am a little disappointed that it wasn't, but I will vote yes because I would have voted for this had it been a part of the original proposal, and I believe it is reasonable.<br /><br /><b>Resolution 2011-55 Supporting MVRCP’s Going Places Initiative</b>: I will vote yes. The plan was strongly influenced by Yellow Springs and our Visioning process; the goal is to encourage smart growth and reduce suburban sprawl.<br /><b><br />III. CITIZEN CONCERNS</b><br /><b><br />IV. SPECIAL REPORTS</b><br /><b>Library Evaluation Presentation:</b> Ted Donnell was awarded a contract to do a building and energy audit. He's recommending a variety of upgrades that are either "high" "medium" and "low" priority. The most expensive high priority item is replacing the 1963 windows with energy-efficient ones (estimated at $150K.)<br /><b><br />V. OLD BUSINESS</b><br /><b>Water Supply Feasibility Study:</b> Mark writes that likely will not have the information about likely rates from Xenia/Spfld by this meeting, in which case, we will discuss at 11/21 meeting.<br /><br /><b>VI. NEW BUSINESS</b><br /><b>State Collection of Income Tax Discussion: </b>RITA, our current tax collector, is concerned about the State's interest in taking over the function of all municipal tax collection. I could not understand this, and asked that we discuss the issue. We have a long email on the topic that was written by the manager of Albany Ohio: the good reasons to oppose this move include a loss of local control and an extensive list of historical problems with state collections. I will likely vote that we bring a resolution to Council opposig this State move.<br /><br /><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Discussion of Resolution 2011-50 Authorizing Payment to LJB for Additional Services Rendered</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">: This is a request of, I believe an additional $45,500 from the original contract, for work completed during the first 10 months of this year. While we recently authorized paying for a manual that was not included in the initial bid, that's only $5,840 (so far as I can tell, but I find the memo unclear on this point. If I am reading the bill correctly, the estimated additional costs are $33,373.54 so far, plus $5,840, which added together are substantially less than $45,500. So I don't completely understand this billing statement and I am surprised to be getting such a big additional bill at such a late date when the additional fees had apparently been adding up since January or even late 2010. So I will look forward to clarification at the meeting.</span>Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-27130017997336323262011-10-17T10:53:00.005-04:002011-10-17T13:05:05.349-04:00VC tonight! Water (very important!), campaign update, trees, budget<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tomhockartist.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/02-00080_YellowSprings_watermark3.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 212px;" src="http://www.tomhockartist.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/02-00080_YellowSprings_watermark3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">To the left is </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.tomhockartist.com/2010/03/yellow-springs-ohio-iron-water-glen-helen-john-bryan-clifton-gorge-photo/">a photo of the Yellow Spring by an artist named Tom Hock.</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> When the leaves disappear and things become mostly grey, the orange of the spring and the last green moss can seem this intense.</span></span><br /><br /><b>Dear people--</b>VC Meeting tonight and there's quite a bit going on. Our water treatment plant is especially on my mind, so I want to call your attention to that and ask for your response, see below.<br /><b><br />Quick Campaign Update:</b> I know many of you have asked for<span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)"> yard signs</span>, but I think I'm plumb out. Still, check your garage? We've found a few that people pulled off their own property after the last campaign and tucked 'em away. So make sure you don't still have one--and if you find one and you already have a sign, let me or Ona Harshaw or Jen Reich know, and we'll find a place for it. <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)"><br /><br />The best thing you can do for me right now is to write a letter for me to the YS News!</span> Please consider getting one in TODAY if you have even 15 minutes, a half hour. Can be short! (Short is good!--Just think of the most important reason you support me, and say it in a sentence.)<br /><br /><b>Key issue tonight: </b>The most important thing that I see on the agenda, and which <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">I'd really love some feedback and thought on <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">over the next few months, is</span> the </span><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">water feasibility study</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)"> </span>that we had LJB engineering do for us (John Eastman). It's included in its entirety in <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1-4gIAzJYrj6m4_YYhuLcoVHXLJPRV6DM8Dk7MOENltdZI0FhnWDdWtEnjOBq&hl=en_US" target="_blank">this week's packet</a> (the first page of the study is on page 34) and I'd appreciate if a few of you took the time to read it and shared your thoughts--particularly if you have any engineering background.<br /><br /><b>The suprising finding: </b> I've only read it quickly, but it looks like <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">our cheapest option may be to <b>update our current water treatment plant,</b> cheaper than the status quo</span> or getting water from Xenia / Springfield / Greene County or building a new plant.<br /><br /><b>COMMUNICATIONS: </b><br />YSAC re: Funding<br />YSAC re: BGSU Economic Impact Study<br />YSAC re: BGSU Arts Economic Study<br />Mayor’s Monthly Report<br />Jon Husted re: Information on Ballot Issues<br /><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">Colin Altman re: 2010 Annual Report</span> </b> <i>This is a really lovely report--take a look at it if you get a chance--it's at the very end of <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1-4gIAzJYrj6m4_YYhuLcoVHXLJPRV6DM8Dk7MOENltdZI0FhnWDdWtEnjOBq&hl=en" target="_blank">the electronic packet.</a> The fire department is doing a great job of serving us--nice pictures and graphs that tell a very positive story.</i><br />Anne Whitaker re: Barr Project Support<br /><br />E-Packet Only:<br />GCCOA re: Newsletter and Invitation<br /><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">RITA re: State Control of Municipal Income Tax Collection Update</span>: </b> <i>I actually read most of the documents about this <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1-4gIAzJYrj6m4_YYhuLcoVHXLJPRV6DM8Dk7MOENltdZI0FhnWDdWtEnjOBq&hl=en" target="_blank">(they begin on page 104)</a>, and I have a few questions. Kasich is apparently seeking to centralize muncipal tax collection at the state, which strikes me as bizarrely opposed to his normal mode of getting rid of decentralizing (i.e., offloading) state services onto municipalities; some say this is an attack on home rule for municipalities,...so I don't get it. If anyone does...I'm all ears.</i><br />Greene Co. Library re: November Programming<br />GCCHD re: Grant Obtained<br />MVRCP re: Going Places<br /><br />PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION<br /><b>Second Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-26 Supplemental Appropriation Securing Funds Necessary for the Third Quarter:</b> <i> Normal housecleaning, for the most part, some due to recent decisions that have altered the budget.</i><br /><b>Reading of Resolution 2011-52</b> <b>Contracting with LSL/KKG for Zoning Code Rewrite: </b><i> I will vote yes--this group is very professional and down to earth and I believe we will have good results. Their presentation was very concrete--they had already found many nitty gritty places where our zoning code contains out of date rules and contradictions; I believe they'll get us a code we can live with for many years to come.</i><br /><b>Reading of Resolution 2011-53</b> <b>Contracting with Arbor Care for Annual Tree Trimming:</b> <i style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> I will vote yes--Arbor Care's bid is a little higher than last year, because we are having them trim more. However, I will take the moment ask staff about the pretty egregious trimming that occurred on Spillan Road (perhaps some other places also). I believe that was done, however <b>NOT by Arbor Care</b>, with whom we had a long talk about the kind of trimming we were hoping for, but by the AMP contractors, whom we did not have a careful discussion with. The topped and mutilated trees on my street make me, well, ill.</i><br /><br />SPECIAL REPORTS<br /><b>Water Feasibility Report and Discussion</b>: See my plea above for help and input!<br /><br />OLD BUSINESS<br /><b>Discussion of Budget Process for 2011 / Discussion of Goals Process for 2011: </b>We are hoping to hit the ground running with the new council, so we are urging the current candidates to come for this discussion where we are hoping to set up a tentative calendar. Judith has written everyone a quick email about this, but if you see Shane, Gerald, or Dan, tell them to come on down tonight if they can!<br /><br />NEW BUSINESS<br /><b>New Council Orientation: </b>We're hoping that Council can have lunch with the new candidates on the orientation date, which is yet to be established. Again, it would be great to have the candidates attend tonight's meeting.<br /><b><br />POEM<br />This poem is the favorite fall poem of one of my favorite bloggers, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/ta-nehisi-coates/" target="_blank">Ta-Nehisi Coates.</a> </b> He's a black guy who writes for the Atlantic and he's just a brilliant, wide-ranging reader and thinker. Ok, it's true that he loves a lot of my favorites, Frederick Douglass and Edith Wharton (!!!) for starters, and he was just totally into Jane Austen (of all people) last year, AND he also introduced me to great histories--James McPherson's <i>Battle Cry of Freedom</i> and Daniel Walker Howe's <i>What Hath God Wrought</i> and the absolutely devastating <i>Slavery by a Another Name</i>--which is still haunting me--by a Wall Street Journal reporter--seriously!--Douglas Blackmon about the "re-enslavement of black Americans from the Civil War to WWII." I mean, did you know that slavery was not criminalized until 1944! For Real! Ok. So, you should read Ta-Nehisi's blog, linked above, and below, and <b><i>read anything that Coates recommends</i></b>.<br /><br />(Mostly, I just wanted to recommend Coates; I think I'm not quite as enamoured of this poem as he is--it does feel like more of a guy poem maybe to me?--but it may also grow on me. I do love poets who can rhyme and not sound amateurish.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/personal/archive/2010/10/because-its-friday/63943/" target="_blank"><b>October</b></a> by Frederick Seidel<br /><br />It is time to lose your life,<br />Even if it isn't over.<br />It is time to say goodbye and try to die.<br />It is October.<br /><br />The mellow cello<br />Allee of trees is almost lost in sweetness and mist<br />When you take off your watch at sunrise<br />To lose your life.<br /><br />You catch the plane.<br />You land again.<br />You arrive in the place.<br />You speak the language.<br /><br />You will live in a new house,<br />Even if it is old.<br />You will live with a new wife,<br />Even if she is too young.<br /><br />Your slender new husband will love you.<br />He will walk the dog in the cold.<br />He will cook a meal on the stove.<br />He will bring you your medication in bed.<br /><br />Dawn at the city flower market downtown.<br />The vendors have just opened.<br />The flowers are so fresh.<br />The restaurants are there to decorate their tables.<br /><br />Your husband rollerblades past, whizzing,<br />Making a whirring sound, winged like an angel--<br />But stops and spins around and skates back<br />To buy some cut flowers in the early morning frost.<br /><br />I am buying them for you.<br />I am buying them for your blond hair at dawn.<br />I am buying them for your beautiful breasts.<br />I am buying them for your beautiful heart.Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-25979257515374161002011-10-04T10:15:00.000-04:002011-10-04T10:15:22.584-04:00VC: Last night: Reorganization and Barr PropertyLast night we mostly discussed and voted on "old business"--specifically the Barr Property plans being developed by Home, Inc., and Buckeye Hope, as well as the re-organization of the village administration. Whereas our last vote on both was 4-1, this time, both passed unanimously, the former due to clarification of the process, and the latter due also to clarification of the responsibilities/roles of the position.<br />
<br />
See last week's posting for more info about my stance.Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-52283313886789848192011-09-19T15:53:00.002-04:002011-09-23T18:07:21.560-04:00VC: Reorganization and Barr Property<b>Dear People: </b> Mark will be out of town, so we're keeping the
agenda relatively light, but still there are big issues that a great
many of you care about, and as usual,<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=15RDauKLvE7PLVYPXWjqunXOCpl8GPJuV42WeSHFLST1katBQJ_29MRsmksRd&hl=en" target="_blank"> you can always read more about everything on the agenda by examining our packet, here</a>. I've<span style="background-color: #ffe599;"> highlighted </span>a few things below:<br />
<br />
PETITIONS/COMMUNICATIONS<br />
<br />
In Paper Packet and On Line:<br />
Housing Coalition of Greene Co. re: Support of Affordable Senior Housing<br />
<b style="background-color: #ffe599;"><span style="background-color: #ffff66;">Chief Grote re: Beggars’ Night: SATURDAY, OCT. 29</span>.</b><span style="background-color: #ffd966;"><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"> </span> </span><i><span style="background-color: #ffd966;">Chief
Grote also responds to various criticisms of the event, including the
charge that too many people come from outside the village, saying that
people come because it's family friendly and feels safe, and it's not
unlike 4th of July or Street Fair: part of who we are is about being
welcoming to visitors. </span> </i><br />
All Previously Received Letters Referencing Barr Property Proposal<br />
Anna Bellisari re: Barr Property Trees<br />
Alan Macbeth re: Barr Property Trees<br />
Steven Bognar re: Support for Senior Housing<br />
Suzanne Patterson re: Support for Senior Housing<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: #ffe599;">
<b><span style="background-color: yellow;">Vicki Hennessey re: Forum on DEFEATING ISSUE 2 (SB 5): </span></b><span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>THURSDAY! (this week!) Sept 22, 7:30 pm, YS Senior Center (227 Xenia).</b> <i>Rudy
Fichtenbaum (AAUP/Wright State), Aurelia Blake (YSHS); Ellis Jacobs
(local attorney--will also address the opposition to HB 194--be sure to
sign a petition opposing this bill.)</i></span> Please attend! This is the first event sponsored by a new groups calling itself Progressive Yellow Springs. </div>
<b><br />YS Arts Council re: Seat on Economic Sustainability Commission</b>: Requesting a seat for one of their Board of Trustee members.<br />
<br />
E-Packet Only:<br />
Greene Co. Library re: October Programming<br />
<br />
PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION<br />
<b>Reading of Resolution 2011-48 Authorizing $40,000 for Operations and Maintenance Manuals for WWTP: </b>This
should have been included in the original budget, it's necessary; I
support it. The funds will come from the loan that we are taking out to
cover the cost of building the new additions to the WWTP, required by
the EPA. I will vote yes.<br />
<b>Reading of Resolution 2011-49 Adding Streets to the 2011 Paving Program:</b>
This is correcting a discrepency between documents, due to human error,
rather than adding streets we did not initially intend. I will vote
yes. <br />
<br />
<b style="background-color: #ffd966;">First Reading of Ordinance 2011-24</b><span style="background-color: #ffd966;"> </span><b><span style="background-color: #ffd966;">Approving Amendment to the Village Organizational Structure:</span><span style="background-color: #ffd966;"> </span> </b>I
realize that this has been controversial in the village, and last week I
shared Judith's thoughts on this. I believe strongly that this new
structure is both the appropriate model for our work in the village, and
that it will better serve business interests to have the point person
on economic development (who, yes, will have other responsibilities) be a
full time employee, rather than a part time employee who is only in the
office 20 hours a week. I do not see this as a loss to the economic
development interests of the village but as a plus. I will vote yes. <br />
<div style="background-color: #ffe599;">
<br /></div>
<b style="background-color: #ffe599;">First Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-25</b><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"> </span><b style="background-color: #ffe599;">Amending the Zoning Code to Permit a PUD-R for Barr Property</b><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">:</span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;"> </span>
I will vote yes for this project, urging the developers to save as many
old-growth trees as they can. But this is the right kind of project
for our economic prosperity. If successful, this is a $6.25 million
dollar grant that will come into our community from the outside. It
fits with our goals of infill and re-development, and it serves the most
frequently selected need arising from our recent visioning process:
affordable housing. Many seniors in our community are eager to move
into these apartments, which would allow a life that is integrated into
the community, near important amenities like the pharmacy and the
grocery store, and down town shops. Finally, let's be clear: this is not
a shortened process, but a lengthened one. The developers have agreed
to go through the whole, required process after we give our (initial)
blessing for a project of this scale to be considered as they seek grant
money, with the understanding that if there are significant problems
with making the site work, based on engineering, they will have to
re-plan. I hear the concerns, but I believe it will be a win for the
village if we can help to facilitate it. I will vote yes.<br />
<br />
CITIZEN CONCERNS<br />
<br />
STANDING REPORTS<br />
<br />
POEM<br />
<div>
<h1>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poem/181335" target="_blank">Day in Autumn</a></span></h1>
</div>
By <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/rainer-maria-rilke" target="_blank"> Rainer Maria Rilke</a>
Translated By <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/mary-kinzie" target="_blank">Mary Kinzie</a>
<a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poemcomment/181335" target="_blank">Read the translator's notes</a>
<br />
<div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
After the summer's yield, Lord, it is time </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
to let your shadow lengthen on the sundials </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
and in the pastures let the rough winds fly. </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
As for the final fruits, coax them to roundness. </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Direct on them two days of warmer light </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
to hale them golden toward their term, and harry </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
the last few drops of sweetness through the wine. </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Whoever's homeless now, will build no shelter; </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
who lives alone will live indefinitely so, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
waking up to read a little, draft long letters, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
and, along the city's avenues, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
fitfully wander, when the wild leaves loosen.</div>
</div>
<div>
Source: <i>Poetry</i> (April 2008).
</div>
Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-89926925050059575912011-09-08T17:16:00.000-04:002011-09-08T17:17:47.476-04:00VC: 9/6 (late posting) Treasurer's Report, Reorganization, Arboretum Name?<b>Apologies for the delayed posting. The fastest way to get these is to sign up for my email list--just drop me a note. I post these after I send the email, but sometimes time is very precious and it takes me awhile to get to the blog.</b><br />
<b>-----</b><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Dear People: </b> And suddenly it's fall. Our last meeting fell on
the evening of my first day back to school, but the chill in the air
since yesterday, following last week's blast of summer heat, and the
encroachment of the dark on both ends of the days, says it's time for
autumn rituals. Maybe we'll finally deal with all those stacks of empty
plant pots on the back porch, pick up the sticks that have fallen in
the yard, roast vegetables, make stew.<br />
<br />
But, the meeting tonight. <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1_uqEGePw4yKvNJ5UnQrVTlUGLfQoJbcI3Dbyv0nXWepHzMSOnArHlA2d8cLC&hl=en" target="_blank">Here's the full packet</a> if you're interested in any of the topics below. <br />
<br />
PETITIONS/COMMUNICATIONS<br />
<b><br style="background-color: #ffff99;" /></b><span style="background-color: #ffff99;"><b>AMP re: Standard Solar Project Update: </b> The <u>AMP</u>
solar project has been canceled (this is not the one that we are
working with YSRE, Melink and SolarVision for here in town--see below).</span> There's the possibility of AMP-owned, "behind the meter" solar installations.<br />
<b>Ohio EPA: Approval of WPCLF Application </b>(plans for Sewer Lift Station approved at Waste Water Treatment Plants) <br />
<b>AMP re: AMP Hydro Update: </b>new budget available for viewing. <br />
<b>Kathryn Van der Heiden re: Budget Concerns: </b>Would like to hear more discussion of budget.<br />
<b>Suzanne Clauser re: Reorganization:</b> Opposes the plan.<br />
<span style="background-color: #ffff99;"><b>Jeremy Chapman re: Solar Update: </b>they
are hopeful that a final agreement can be made with a major financer of
the project soon, so that the final engineering contract between Melink
and SolarVision can be signed and that a majority of the construction
can still be completed by the end of the year.</span><br />
<b>Mayor’s Monthly Report</b><span style="background-color: #ffff99;"><b>Dave Conley re: Milling/Paving Schedule: Happening this week.</b> Affected streets include: North College, Herman, Randall, Stafford, Greene, Xenia Ave..</span><br />
<br />
<br />
PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION<br />
<b>Second Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-22 </b>Authorizing Village Manager to<br />
Sign Addendum to the Trailside Museum Inter-Agency Agreement. See last week's note. I support.<br />
<b>Second Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-23 </b>Supplemental
Appropriation for Flatter Hereford Farms (Glass Farm property--needed
for Solar project). See last week's note. I support.<br />
<b>Resolution 2011-44 </b>Accepting
the Amounts and Rates as Determined by the Budget Commission and
Authorizing the Necessary Tax Levies and Certifying Them to the County
Auditor. (Pro-forma, basically)<br />
<b>Resolution 2011-45 </b>Authorizing the Village Manager to Enter into a
Contract with Pavement Management for 2011: $18K for street
sealcoating. (Last year this was $50K--it is a way to make the new
surfaces last longer). I support.<br />
<b>Resolution 2011-46 </b>Authorizing the Village Manager to Enter into
an Agreement for Property Casualty Insurance for 2012. $52K. Rates are
increased by $2K next year, partly due to increased property value out
at our waste water plant. For the last several years, our insurance has
been through our membership in the Public Entities Pool of Ohio, which
helps us to keep rates lower. I support.<br />
<b>Resolution 2011-47</b> Resolution to (re)Appoint John C. Chambers of
Coolidge Wall as Village Solicitor: Rate: $165/hour. I am not sure what
rate we paid last year--have submitted a query as to whether this is
the same as last year. In principle, I support this resolution.<br />
<br />
<b>SPECIAL REPORTS</b><br />
<b>Treasurer’s Report:</b> Our treasurer,
Rachel MicKinley, has done a good job of getting our bank
charges/interest earned back in order. Earnings from interest and
investments are extremely low. The investments committee is looking at
the possibility of retiring the bond debt on the Bryan Center, which is
$650K and still costs us interest charges (although it's primarily
principal payments at this time, so that makes it a closer call.)<br />
<br />
<b>OLD BUSINESS</b><br />
Discussion of Reorganization of Village
Operations: We have received a handful of letters expressing concern
about this plan. I do hear the concerns expressed. I still support
this plan for reorganization. Judith has written eloquently about this
to a citizen expressing concerns, so I would like to share it with you:<br />
<br />
"<i>Thanks for your email regarding this important issue. I am writing
to clarify my thinking, although I realize you may not be satisfied
with my response. I have always supported policy and Village action
based on what I believed was best for the village citizens, and at
times they are difficult decisions. Also, I am very cognizant of the
current economy. <br />
<br />
Obviously, this is a very difficult situation and it is not a case
of just needing to cover the Village Manager for his vacation. We
are a very small community with limited resources and as I'm sure
you are aware, the State has cut our funding in a way which will
make meeting the needs of our citizens that much more difficult. <br /><br />And we have a village manager who needs support. That support is not
there at the present and something needs to be done if we wish to be
fair to our village manager and be able retain a village manager
over time. If money were not an issue, we could just enlarge our
staff. The new assistant manager position would be given the
responsibilities for planning and economic sustainability while
being someone that the village manager can also rely on for backup.<br />
<br />
Lori, the VP of Council, and I have reviewed with Mark, our options.
In spite of the unpleasant realities of this proposal, we believe
Mark’s proposal is the best option.
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I
believe we have been compassionate leaders of this community. That
compassion did not suddenly disappear with the event of this
proposal. It is an awkward situation, and I am sorry that to
address the needs of our community, we will negatively impact, at
least in the short run, two of our staff members. However, I have
been on the Village Council for six years, and I believe Mark’s
proposal is the way to solve this problem while being fiscally
responsible. </i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Mark
has done a very good job. He is a workhorse. On top of the areas
he oversees, which he has enumerated in his report, he coordinates
and provides much of the staff support for planning commission. He
has recently been asked to meet monthly with Community Resources
to keep the Center for Business and Education project moving
forward in a timely way. He is coordinating the work on a new
zoning code. He is coordinating the work on the Barr Party
proposal. </i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I've
been reviewing in my mind the major projects he has lead during
this calendar year. Early in the year he presented and worked
with the Village Council on our 2011 budget. We were then
approached with a proposal for a solar farm, and he switched gears
and put a huge amount of time into that proposal. He provided
reams of information for the tax levy renewal. He made
recommendations on sidewalk policy and any number of other smaller
projects and decisions made and carried out by the Village. He is
our HR department. He oversees our infrastructures, which include
the water system, sewer system, electric system, and the streets
and parks system. He is even the supervisor of our police chief
making him the person Chief Grote turns to with problems and
concerns. And he frequently is called upon to do much of the grunt
work as well, to meet deadlines and needs of projects at hand. </i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>He
writes reports on every piece of legislation that comes in front
of Council. He is our point person on all of the AMP legislation
we have seen in the last many months. He oversees all the
departments of the Village. He is the main person citizens want to
talk with about the issues that they have. </i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>This is way too much work for one
person from day to day. It has been an ongoing problem well before
Mark's arrival. It was also a recognized problem during the
employment of Eric Swanson and the Interim Manager, John
Weithofer.</i>
</div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Mark
spends way more than 40 hours a week to barely keep his nose above
water. He also needs to be able to get away from time to time to
refresh himself and spend time with family and friends, without
all of the work he is responsible for, stopping until he gets back
to mountains of unanswered emails, and snail mail and phone calls
etc. </i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We are
friends and neighbors of two persons who will be negatively
affected by this change. Loyalty and friendship are powerful
energies that run deep, and I know that many of us are unhappy
about the negative impact on them. However, if there were another
way to solve this problem, it would have been proposed. </i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I trust Mark, and he knows more
intimately then anyone else can, the full picture of our staff’s
responsibilities and what it takes to meet those responsibilities. It can be a lonely and heavy
responsibility and he has shouldered his responsibilities well.
Therefore, I support his proposal. </i>
</div>
<i>
Sincerely,</i><br />
<i>Judith</i><br />
<br />
I hope you will also read
Mark's memo in the packet. I will add that with no one able to back the
Manager up and take on some responsibilities as needed, the potential
for extremely costly errors or lost details goes way up, as does the
potential for all-out burn out. When our last manager left, we were
faced with a fine of $80,000 from the EPA because work simply wasn't
moving forward to deal with our sewage plant violations, and raw sewage
was flowing into the Glen. It is hard to find and keep a healthy
manager, because right now there is too much pressure on this one
position. This is not an easy decision, partly because it's way
overdue. <br />
<br />
<b>NEW BUSINESS</b><br />
<br />
<b>Discussion of Purchase of Pole Setter for Electrical Distribution</b> : Dave Conley will explain the benefits of a model that he recommends. Funds available in Electrical fund to pay for it. <br />
<b>Review of 2011 Work Plan: </b>Judith
has created an overview of what we've done, what's ongoing, and what's
still to do--including work specific to the Clerk, Manager, and the
committees and commissions of Council.<br />
<b>Discussion of Naming of Arboretum at Ellis Park</b>: Plan to honor
Lloyd Kennedy for his work on this committee since 1967 by naming the
Arboretum at Ellis Park after him, using Tree Committee funds to create a
new sign.<br />
<b><br />LABOR DAY POEM</b><br />
<br />
In addition to a poem, I am going to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6451676564529471890">link to a video of a commercial I remember from my youth--an old ILGWU (International Ladies' Garments Workers Union)</a>.
Remember when there were commercials for Unions on television? I don't
think I've seen one since the 1970s! Take one minute to watch this--I
bet you'll remember the song, "Look for the Union label, when you are
buying a coat, dress, or blouse. Remember somewhere our Union's
sewing...")<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/7Lg4gGk53iY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
And here's a companion poem by Robert Pinsky:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177167" target="_blank">Shirt</a><br />
<div style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 16px; width: 16px;">
</div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
By <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/robert-pinsky" target="_blank"> Robert Pinsky</a><br />
<div style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 16px; width: 16px;">
</div>
<br /><br />
<br />
<div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The back, the yoke, the yardage. Lapped seams, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The nearly invisible stitches along the collar </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Turned in a sweatshop by Koreans or Malaysians </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Gossiping over tea and noodles on their break </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Or talking money or politics while one fitted </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
This armpiece with its overseam to the band </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Of cuff I button at my wrist. The presser, the cutter, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The wringer, the mangle. The needle, the union, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The treadle, the bobbin. The code. The infamous blaze </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
At the Triangle Factory in nineteen-eleven. </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
One hundred and forty-six died in the flames </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
On the ninth floor, no hydrants, no fire escapes— </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The witness in a building across the street </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Who watched how a young man helped a girl to step </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Up to the windowsill, then held her out </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Away from the masonry wall and let her drop. </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
And then another. As if he were helping them up </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
To enter a streetcar, and not eternity. </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
A third before he dropped her put her arms </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Around his neck and kissed him. Then he held </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Her into space, and dropped her. Almost at once </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
He stepped to the sill himself, his jacket flared </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
And fluttered up from his shirt as he came down, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Air filling up the legs of his gray trousers— </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Like Hart Crane’s Bedlamite, “shrill shirt ballooning.” </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Wonderful how the pattern matches perfectly </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Across the placket and over the twin bar-tacked </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Corners of both pockets, like a strict rhyme </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Or a major chord. Prints, plaids, checks, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Houndstooth, Tattersall, Madras. The clan tartans </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Invented by mill-owners inspired by the hoax of Ossian, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
To control their savage Scottish workers, tamed </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
By a fabricated heraldry: MacGregor, </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Bailey, MacMartin. The kilt, devised for workers </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
To wear among the dusty clattering looms. </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Weavers, carders, spinners. The loader, </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The docker, the navvy. The planter, the picker, the sorter </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Sweating at her machine in a litter of cotton </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
As slaves in calico headrags sweated in fields: </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
George Herbert, your descendant is a Black </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Lady in South Carolina, her name is Irma </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
And she inspected my shirt. Its color and fit </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
And feel and its clean smell have satisfied </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Both her and me. We have culled its cost and quality </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Down to the buttons of simulated bone, </div>
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The buttonholes, the sizing, the facing, the characters </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
Printed in black on neckband and tail. The shape, </div>
<div style="padding-left: 1em;">
The label, the labor, the color, the shade. The shirt.</div>
</div>
Robert Pinsky, “Shirt” from <i>The Want Bone.</i> Copyright © 1990 by Robert Pinsky. Reprinted with the permission of HarperCollins Publishers Inc.<br />
<br />
<br />
Source: <i><i>The Figured Wheel: New and Collected Poems 1966-1996</i></i> (HarperCollins, 1996)
Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-15561216222933399512011-08-13T17:38:00.003-04:002011-08-13T17:45:20.802-04:00Of rights-of-way, loans, raises, reorganization, and summer's end<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wIIEWL-8LrE/TIOsTQbDJfI/AAAAAAAAGIA/9q0d4-q2hTc/s400/sunflowers+in+Yellow+Springs.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wIIEWL-8LrE/TIOsTQbDJfI/AAAAAAAAGIA/9q0d4-q2hTc/s400/sunflowers+in+Yellow+Springs.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><--This is a <a href="http://jafabrit.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html">Jafabrit picture </a>of the sunflowers at Whitehall Farm. Soon they will be blooming again, with that painful joy of the refulgence of the end of summer.
<br /><b>Dear People: </b> It's a lovely day! Hope you're out enjoying it as those on a semester schedule face "The End of Summer" (see poem below!). Ok, so there's a lot going on in this meeting, even though<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1wGr7rcaBBAM59D93Pv5ODvILc7iADMIV-Db8fTkVOI_sh_OP-lwU4zqcU-2f&hl=en_US" target="_blank"> the agenda</a> looks pretty light at first glance. I've highlighted the major items for discussion that I think people may have thoughts about. Do feel free to read the whole or parts of the packet by clicking the blue link above. So here goes:
<br />
<br /><b>PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION
<br />
<br />First Reading of Ordinance 2011-22</b> Authorizing Village Manager to Sign Addendum to the
<br />Trailside Museum Inter-Agency Agreement: <i>We entered into an agreement in 2009 with the Trailside/Glen Helen Ecology Inst. to help them get a grant from the Ohio DNR by serving as a "pass-through" for the money (money had to go through a governmental agency); the project is now complete but the ODNR wants to be sure that the museum and restrooms will be open to the public when the museum is open.</i> I support this ordinance.
<br /><b>
<br />First Reading of Ordinance 2011-23</b> Supplemental Appropriation to Flatter Hereford Farms for Fertilizer applied to Farmland: <i>This is a result of the solar farm proposal. That land had already been leased to a farmer who had already applied fertilizer for the upcoming season--which is standard practice in industrial farming. Per contract agreement, since we canceled the contract, we will pay them $2,951.39 in reimbursement costs for their receipted expenses.
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<br /></i><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Resolution 2011-39 </b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Adopting a Statement of Services the Village Will Provide to Territory</span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"> Proposed to be Annexed (Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd. ROW)</span>
<br /><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Resolution 2011-40 </b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Consenting to the Annexation of Territory (Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd.</span><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">ROW)</span> <i>These two resolutions are regarding the annexation of 1.77 acres of land which currently is the right of way for the Dayton-Yellow Springs Road west of the village, a peninsula of land that is surrounded by village property on three sides. This will allow for construction of a safe entrance to the CBE (Antioch Midwest, etc.) and allow us to extend the 35 mph speed limit to west. (If it stays at 55 mph there, a whole new and much more expensive and larger intersection would need to be designed.) I support these two resolutions. </i>
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<br /><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">Resolution 2011-41 </b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">Approving Annual Wage Increases for Certain Village Employees</span> <i>We directed the manager at our last meeting to bring forward a resolution raising the pay of all employees by 2% (except the village mgr., clerk of council, village treasurer, and law director), as their annual cost of living raise, retroactive to July 3. This is in keeping with (actually a hair less than) the average raises for public employees in Greene County. I support this resolution.
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<br /></i><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">Resolution 2011-42</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> Approving a Loan to Antioch Company, LLC</span> <i>I am reluctantly in support of this loan. I do not think it was ideally constructed, I'm concerned that the terms could have been better, and the process was not good. It seems very important and valuable to keep the kinds of excellent jobs that eHDS provides, so I am voting yes. I have heard serious critiques of this from community members, and many of the critiques are valid. I will vote yes.</i>
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<br />NEW BUSINESS</b>
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<br />Discussion of Planning Commission Recommendation to Council to Approve a PUD-R for the Barr Property</b> <i>In his memo re: this discussion item, Mark explains the revised process that he and Brad Schwab (our planning consultant) proposed, and Planning Commission endorsed at our meeting on Monday, for the Barr Property PUD-R approval request. Staff is alerting us to the Planning Commission's recommendation that we "require that the preliminary plan be reviewed again once project financing is obtained," which is different from our ordinary process. Staff also asks Council to schedule a Public Hearing on the approval request for the Sept. 9th meeting. I support this process and this schedule.</i>
<br /><b>Discussion of Purchase of Pole Setter for Electrical Distribution </b><i>In our budget this year we approved $100,000 to buy a new pole setter. Kelley Fox, Electrical Distribution Supervisor, feels it's needed to access rear yards, where many power poles are located, without having to bring in trucks, which do much more damage. He found one that has a taller reach and better features, including a bucket attachment</i> <i>so that it can be used for maintenance as well as power pole setting. But it costs more--$124,441. There are adequate funds in the Electric Utility to pay this additional expense, so I tentatively support this, but I'm fairly ignorant about this kind of purchase so I will be interested to hear more.</i>
<br /><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">Discussion of Possible Reorganization of Village Operations</b> <i>This is the most contentious item I suspect. Even before Mark's arrival, the structure of the village operations has been a concern--both of our previous managers during my tenure argued that the manager position has too many demands on it and this makes it likely that some work is done poorly or never attended to, and makes it virtually impossible for the manager to leave for more than a day or two. He has 8 direct reports, and has to back up most of them when they are gone, but there's no one to back up the manager when he's gone. If we could just hire more staff, the solution would be simple. We cannot afford that--and our budget is about to be reduced. The Manager proposes, and I strongly endorse, that we eliminate the full-time planning assistant position and the 24 hour per week economic sustainability coordinator position and combine them into one assistant manager position with a focus on both of those areas. The full package for this one position should cost less than the two positions combined (with all the attendant costs of two positions). The two people in the positions have been contacted and have offered to be of assistance in the transition. </i>
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<br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=1_c0RWAN7d-iIRwlKGEemWHIDCeZXQ40NQmoCcrTUelZhzVjggyp3EuiDnPi9&hl=en_US" target="_blank">MANAGER’S REPORT: </a> </b>Lots of information in his report about the CBE, the vandalism at Ellis Park, deduct meters (rules have been set, you should be able to get the rules and a list of approved devices, which a plumber needs to install, at the village offices), tree trimming, and the delays to street paving. Take a look!
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<br /><b>POEM:</b> Feeling melancholy as I enter this last week before classes begin, when the meetings really kick in. But the ABBA rhyming in this modern poem is lovely, refreshingly old-fashioned. I am glad there's a formalist movement in modern poetry, bringing back the old structures with some nice resistances, such as the 5th stanza below:<span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span><div> <h1><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://goog_646610003/" target="_blank">The End of Summer</a><i><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177405" target="_blank"> </a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> </i> <a style="font-weight:normal" href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/rachel-hadas" target="_blank"> by Rachel Hadas</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div></span> </h1> </div><span></span> <div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Sweet smell of phlox drifting across the lawn— </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">an early warning of the end of summer. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">August is fading fast, and by September </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">the little purple flowers will all be gone. </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Season, project, and vacation done. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">One more year in everybody’s life. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Add a notch to the old hunting knife </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Time keeps testing with a horny thumb. </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Over the summer months hung an unspoken </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">aura of urgency. In late July </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">galactic pulsings filled the midnight sky </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">like silent screaming, so that, strangely woken, </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">we looked at one another in the dark, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">then at the milky magical debris </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">arcing across, dwarfing our meek mortality. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">There were two ways to live: get on with work, </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">redeem the time, ignore the imminence </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">of cataclysm; or else take it slow, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">be as tranquil as the neighbors’ cow </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">we love to tickle through the barbed wire fence </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">(she paces through her days in massive innocence, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">or, seeing green pastures, we imagine so). </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">In fact, not being cows, we have no choice. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Summer or winter, country, city, we </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">are prisoners from the start and automatically, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">hemmed in, harangued by the one clamorous voice. </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Not light but language shocks us out of sleep </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">ideas of doom transformed to meteors </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">we translate back to portents of the wars </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">looming above the nervous watch we keep.</div> </div> <p> Rachel Hadas, “The End of Summer” from <i>Halfway Down the Hall: New and Selected Poems.</i> Copyright © 1998 by Rachel Hadas. Reprinted with the permission of Wesleyan University Press.
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<br /> </p> Source: <em>Halfway Down the Hall: New and Selected Poems</em> (Wesleyan University Press, 1998)
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<br />Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-24495358368142708452011-08-08T12:28:00.001-04:002011-08-08T12:42:58.713-04:00PC: Barr Property Plans<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sauna-talk.com/images/nude-sauna.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 229px;" src="http://www.sauna-talk.com/images/nude-sauna.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><--Traditional Finnish sauna!
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dear People: </span> This morning I turned in 80 signatures (I needed 35) for my Village Council nomination petition, two days ahead of the deadline (yahoo!). Thanks to all who signed and/or sent in good wishes. I find it's actually pretty heartening to speak to villagers. My experience is that even most people who have disagreed with me on a single issue or vote, or a few votes, are very appreciative of those of us who stick our necks out and try to fill this role to the best of our abilities and with integrity.
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<br />Thanks for recognizing our efforts, and don't be afraid to let me know your thoughts on any vote. I really do listen, and hearing your arguments--even if I ultimately disagree--is helpful as I try to have an awareness of the 'pulse' of the village. It may shape a future vote or project in future ways even if the immediate vote doesn't go your way.
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<br />Tonight the Planning Commission will be voting on the "Preliminary Plans" for the Barr Property being put forth by Home Inc and their partner for this project, Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, which we discussed conceptually at our last meeting. While I have some logistical concerns, I was impressed by the plans, in general, as was the rest of the Planning Commission, I believe. Home Inc and Buckeye would like to get initial approval for use, density, parking, and open space, and then be able to delay submitting more detailed preliminary plans until after they have secured the tax credits from the highly competitive process. Brad Schwab, our planning consultant, argues that this is a reasonable request due to the uncertainty of the tax credit process, and suggests we allow this. Additionally, as I see it, it allows for a little more time for us to fully digest the plans. I support a modified plan approval process.
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<br />Mr. Schwab also recommends that we suggest some design modifications to help make the building fit better with the neighborhood and to keep the units usable for seniors for at least 15 years. They seem reasonable, and I look forward to continued discussion tonight. If we decide on the modified process, we could focus on these kinds of details at a later date.
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<br />The only other item of significance on our agenda is Tim Tobey's work on examining the Parks and Rec Master Plan with local people who have a particular interest. I suspect that agenda item could be delayed if the Barr Property plans take a significant amount of time.
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<br />Watched a wonderful PBS film, "Steam of Life," about Finnish men in the sauna (<a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/steamoflife/promote.php" target="_blank">available for free streaming until Nov. 1</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div>) last night after our sauna. So I thought I'd end with a poem about women and sauna:
<br /><div> <h1>The Bodies</h1> </div> <span>By <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/elizabeth-spires" target="_blank"> Elizabeth Spires</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> </span> <div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Here, in the half-dark of the sauna, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> the bodies of the women glisten ... </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Naked, disproportionate, lush, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">hung and burdened with flesh, they open slowly, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">like orchids blooming out of season. </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Sweat beads my forehead. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Heat rings my breasts, like circlets, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and I <i>am</i> my body, all shimmering flesh. </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Secrets are whispered here. Stories told. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">The bodies, alabaster, abalone, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">relax, give up their pose, to ask, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">How shall we be joined? </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">How shall we know each other? </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">By doors, by chains and linkages </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">through which we shall be </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr>entered, touched, possessed. </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">I see them, row upon row, the rank and file </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">of generations moving without pause: </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">—the bodies of the young girls, the willows, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">complete unto themselves, androgynous; </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">—the great bodies of the mothers, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">circled by their little moons, adoring; </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">—the mothers of the mothers, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">the old wise ones, ponderous and slow. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">And in another room, not far from this one, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">the restless bodies of men, searching </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">without knowing what it is they search for. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Body of the world! Body of flesh! </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Leaving this room, I leave the orbit of women. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">I dress and walk into the snowy night, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">into the great body of the world, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">cold, still, and expectant. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Bodying forth, I am taken by the dark. </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">What am I? Asked, shall I say: </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <i> Struck by a spark, I quickened </i></div><i> <div style="padding-left:1em"> and was born to flashing </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> days and nights, a small significance </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> of one. I did not wish to change, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> but changed, feeling desire and fear </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> and love, failing many times. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> My meaning made, I died, </div> </i><div style="padding-left:1em"><i> the windows darkening for the last time.</i> </div>
<br /><div style="padding-left:1em">We move, we love, we cry out, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">we hold or cannot hold to what we are </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and finally wake to find ourselves </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">changed beyond all imagining. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Was it enough to have lived? </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">In that moment of still approach, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">will it be given to us to know?
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<br /></div> </div> Elizabeth Spires, “The Bodies” from <i>Worldling.</i> Copyright © 1995 by Elizabeth Spires. Reprinted with the permission of W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. This selection may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher.
<br />Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-49633898378086286992011-08-01T17:00:00.000-04:002011-08-01T17:01:17.906-04:00VC: Short Meeting, Exec Session, Funny PoemHi, folks--Very short meeting tonight, so this will be a short email. <br /><br /><b>SHORT MEETING: <br /><br />Resolution: </b> We're discussing only the decision we basically made last meeting to again issue a contract for our trash collection/recycling with Rumpke.<br /><b><br />New Business: Raises for our village staff.</b> (We have a new system in place for determining raises, which we created last year on Mark's recommendation. He's recommending a 2% across the board, cost of living increase for all staff, which is in line (slightly less than) with salary increases for public and municipal employees in Greene County.<br /><b><br />Executive Session: </b> Evaluation of Mark's work and contract negotiation, litigation.<br /><br /><b>ONE OF THE FUNNIEST POEMS I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME:</b><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://goog_1180157829/" target="_blank"><br /></a></span><div> <h1><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/180369" target="_blank">Life Story</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div></span></h1> </div> <span>By <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/tennessee-williams" target="_blank"> Tennessee Williams</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> </span> <div> <div style="padding-left:1em">After you've been to bed together for the first time, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">without the advantage or disadvantage of any prior acquaintance, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">the other party very often says to you, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Tell me about yourself, I want to know all about you, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">what's your story? And you think maybe they really and truly do </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">sincerely want to know your life story, and so you light up </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">a cigarette and begin to tell it to them, the two of you </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">lying together in completely relaxed positions </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">like a pair of rag dolls a bored child dropped on a bed. </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">You tell them your story, or as much of your story </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">as time or a fair degree of prudence allows, and they say, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">each time a little more faintly, until the oh </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">is just an audible breath, and then of course </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">there's some interruption. Slow room service comes up </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">with a bowl of melting ice cubes, or one of you rises to pee </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and gaze at himself with the mild astonishment in the bathroom mirror. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">And then, the first thing you know, before you've had time </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">to pick up where you left off with your enthralling life story, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">they're telling you <i>their</i> life story, exactly as they'd intended to all along, </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">and you're saying, Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">each time a little more faintly, the vowel at last becoming </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">no more than an audible sigh, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">as the elevator, halfway down the corridor and a turn to the left, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">draws one last, long, deep breath of exhaustion </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and stops breathing forever. Then? </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Well, one of you falls asleep </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and the other one does likewise with a lighted cigarette in his mouth, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and that's how people burn to death in hotel rooms.</div> </div> <p> "Life Story" by Tennessee Williams, from THE COLLECTED POEMS OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, copyright © 1937, 1956, 1964, 2002 by The University of the South. Used by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp.<br /><br /> </p> Source: <em>THE COLLECTED POEMS OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS</em> (New Directions Publishing Corporation, 2002)Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-78352901610095622472011-07-18T16:10:00.001-04:002011-07-18T16:10:30.269-04:00VC tonight: Solid Waste and Creative Memories<b>Dear People: </b>We have a light agenda for tonight's Village Council meeting. The main issue I would like feedback on is the issue regarding <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">our solid waste (trash collection) contract--see yellow below. </span> I also give thoughts about the Creative Memories deal, which I will endorse with some reluctance, as I explain below.<br /><br /><b>Second Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-18 </b>Amending the Zoning Code to Permit Internet Gaming Cafes as Conditionally Permitted Uses in the General Business District<b>--</b><i>I will vote yest. See my last VC meeting note.</i><b><br /><br />Emergency Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-19 </b>Supplemental Appropriations. <i> This looks like the standard shifting of funds midyear--it does look like costs are running a little higher than expected in some areas, but it's a little hard to tell--I will ask about this. (General fund budget is up by $30K, e.g., but it looks like we have more funds coming in to our Special Revenue sources--up by $35K; and quite a bit of small shifts in the Enterprise funds--but I'm not 100% sure what it all adds up to.)</i><b><br /><br />Second Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-20 </b>Approving Transfer and Sale of Land to Peaches<b>--</b><i>I will again vote yes; see last VC meeting note from me.</i><b><br /><br />Emergency Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-21 </b>Transfer from Electric Fund to Bond Retirement Fund<i>--This is a transfer of $215.01 from Electric Fund to the Bond Retirement Fund. I will likely vote yes, because this is likely a minor blip--I'm not sure why such a small amount is even coming before us<b>, </b>unless perhaps it was inadvertantly left off the original budget.</i><b><br /><br /><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">Resolution 2011-26 </span></b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">Awarding Solid Waste Contract: </span><i>We have competing proposals from Rumpke and Waste Management. The contract offers are very similar, with Waste Management's offer (probably) being slightly lower, although there are some variables that we can't be 100% sure of. Mark Cundiff, our manager, reasonably argues that the "intangibles" are arguably pretty equal, so he would suggest simply going with the lower of the two bids. However, I am leaning toward Rumpke because I'm hearing some positive feedback, they have been our provider for about 20 years, and they are a more regionally based company</i><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)"><i> I</i> would like to hear from you if you have strong feelings!<br /><br /></span>Resolution 2011-30</b> Approving Planning Services Contract with Schwab Planning Group LLC. <i>This looks like a cheaper and more local source for Planning consultation; we've been working with Mr. Schwab for a long time through Woolperts, a national group, and he's now breaking off and becoming his own independent consultant--charging half as much as Woolperts. He's been a good consultant; I will be voting yes.<br /><br /></i><b>Resolution 2011-36 </b>Waiving Section 206.01(b) Requiring Formal Bidding for the Purchase of a Police Cruiser. <i>One resident is raising concerns about possibly getting a more energy-efficient alternative to the Crown Victoria cruiser (likely with a higher initial cost), which I hope we will have answers to, but on the face of it, this seems to be a reasonable request as a way to get the car we need and at a lower cost than our normal procedures. </i><br /><br /><b>Resolution 2011-37 Approving a Loan to Creative Memories: </b>Pros and Cons: <i>Here's the issue as I see it: <br /><br />Pros: We need the tax revenues that the excellent jobs provided by companies like eHDS represent. Even if those employees do not live in town, and some of the do and will, we will get their municipal tax dollars by housing their jobs here. We know that good, beyond-minimum wage jobs are key to our sustainability as a community, and we are short on "A-1 office space"--office space that is in good shape, fully furnished, and ready for modern electronics and e-communication networks--of useable dimensions. This wall would create two such "A-1" spaces of a more useable size for most companies, and thus help to promote our economic growth. The forgiveness in the loan is contingent on CM's getting and retaining excellent employers in our community. Thus, there's incentive to getting both sides rented out. So on those levels, this is a reasonable loan. <br /><br />Cons: I am aware, however, of the sentiment out there that Creative Memories is a big corporation that many would argue has caused pain and even damage to many residents of our community when it closed YS operations awhile back, and it seemingly could use its own funds to make the building more leaseable. The loan has had to be pulled together at the last minute and with some pretty major changes each time I received any new communication about it. So I am a little uneasy about it. I am also uneasy about whether this is good practice for the future--I believe we need better advice on these issues and it's hard to come by clear answers in economic times that are difficult--there's a "bidding wars" context for companies like eDHS between communities that can start to feel a little like blackmail--leadership from the state and national level on this would be helpful but is unlikely to be forthcoming. Finally, it seems frustrating that this is our current capitalist context in which the richest get the easiest access to funds, on the best terms, and those who are poor or just getting started have to go begging and can be easily reviled for any need for government support. <br /><br />I will, with some concern and ambivalence, likely support this loan, <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">but I am interested to hear your feedback.</span></i><br /><br /><b>POEM(?)</b><br />I am going to go swimming now. In lieu of a poem, I give you a quotation from <a href="http://shortstoryclassics.50megs.com/cheeverswimmer.html" target="_blank">and link to the magnificent short story, "The Swimmer," by John Cheever, and urge you all to go read it now</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div>, in some cool place:<br /><br />"The sun was hot. Neddy Merrill sat by the green water, one hand in it, one around a glass of gin. He was a slender man—he seemed to have the especial slenderness of youth—and while he was far from young he had slid down his banister that morning and given the bronze backside of Aphrodite on the hall table a smack, as he jogged toward the smell of coffee in his dining room. He might have been compared to a summer's day, particularly the last hours of one, and while he lacked a tennis racket or a sail bag the impression was definitely one of youth, sport, and clement weather. He had been swimming and now he was breathing deeply, stertorously as if he could gulp into his lungs the components of that moment, the heat of the sun, the intenseness of his pleasure. It all seemed to flow into his chest. His own house stood in Bullet Park, eight miles to the south, where his four beautiful daughters would have had their lunch and might be playing tennis. Then it occurred to him that by taking a dogleg to the southwest he could reach his home by water. His life was not confining and the delight he took in this observation could not be explained by its suggestion of escape. He seemed to see, with a cartographer's eye, that string of swimming pools, that quasi-subterranean stream that curved across the county. He had made a discovery, a contribution to modern geography; he would name the stream Lucinda after his wife." <br /><br />--<a href="http://shortstoryclassics.50megs.com/cheeverswimmer.html" target="_blank">"The Swimmer" by John Cheever</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div><br /><br />Peace!<br />LoriLori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-43297042586298799142011-07-09T14:14:00.004-04:002011-07-09T14:55:51.529-04:00PC meeting on Mon: Parks Master Plan and New Barr Property Plans?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/piximages/images/AL00644.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 200px;" src="http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/piximages/images/AL00644.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><--Image from the <a href="http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/ohiopix/Image.cfm?ID=650">Ohio Historical Society</a><br /><b>Dear People-- </b>The weather is gorgeous and the summer has suddenly become lush and beautiful. The Iowa farm girl in me noticed that the corn in the field just south of us on Spillan has grown at least a foot in the past week; it's now well over my head, I judge. When I was a kid I swear we could literally hear it growing on very hot, humid, still July nights--there's a kind of popping sound that I think is corn growing. (Although I just tried to verify this fact by consulting Dr. Internet, but I found nothing authoritative, just lots of wonderful anecdata....)<br /><br />So, looks like we're in for another round of exciting Yellow Springs debate. There's just two things on our PC agenda:<br /><ul><li>Tim Tobey is working on the old Parks Master Plan draft to see if it can be salvaged into a useable document for us, and,<br /></li><li>more importantly, we're having our first discussion of a PUD proposal from Home, Inc. and Buckeye Community Hope Foundation. <a href="http://www.yso.com/index.php?page=planning-commission-packet">You can download the packet with all the details of this plan to this email.</a></li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">In a nutshell: </span>Home, Inc. and Buckeye propose to develop 37 units of "high quality energy efficient housing for independent seniors aged 55 and older in Yellow Springs" on the Barr property (321 Xenia, corner of Xenia and Limestone.)<br /><br />This property has a long Planning Commission history, as many of you are aware. A couple of years ago PC and Council approved a plan by the Friends Care Community to build 30 units on that property (plus space for another building and with retail/community space and 4 more dwellings). This proposal has many similarities to that: it's affordable apartment housing for seniors located near the heart of town. It's a different size and shape--2 stories, not three, and the plan is less of a solid block so to me it is more appealing in several ways.<br /><br />Assuming we can work out issues regarding storm water management on the property and some other problems, my initial inclination is to support this project. I suspect that some of you will disagree with this position, given the history of the last project proposal--hence my assertion that we're in for a debate.<br /><br />Do let me know if there are specific questions you would like me to ask of the developers about this project.<br /><br /><b>POEM</b><br /><br />Well, one of the three books I'm reading right now is John Steinbeck's <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=l2mQQIN0KSQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false"><i>The Grapes of Wrath</i>. </a>There's a whole lot of poetry and power in that book, with a verbal aesthetic that evokes the great graphic art of the 1930s, with noble, dignified workers standing larger-than-life in woodcut landscapes. Here's a few great, and timely, passages:<br /><br />"<span>Some of the owner men were kind because they hated what they had to do, and some of them were angry because they hated to be cruel, and some of them were cold because they had long ago found that one could not be an owner unless one were <span>cold. And all of them were caught in something larger than themselves. Some of them hated the mathematics that drove them, and some were afraid, and some worshipped the mathematics because it provided a refuge from thought and from feeling. If a bank or a finance company owned the land, the owner man said, The Bank—or the Company—needs—wants—insists—must have—as though the Bank or the Company were a monster, with thought and feeling, which had ensnared them. These last would take no responsibility for the banks or the companies because they were men and slaves, while the banks were machines and masters all at the same time. Some of the owner men were a little proud to be slaves to such cold and powerful masters. ...<br />'We’re sorry. It’s not us. It’s the monster. The bank isn’t like a man.'<br />'Yes, but the bank is only made of men.'<br />'No, you’re wrong there—quite wrong there. The bank is something else than men. It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the bank does it. The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It’s the monster. Men made it, but they can’t control it."<br /></span></span>(from Chapter 5)<br /><br />"For man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments. This you may say of man—when theories change and crash, when schools, philosophies, when narrow dark alleys of thought, national, religious, economic, grow and disintegrate, man reaches, stumbles forward, painfully, mistakenly sometimes. Having stepped forward, he may slip back, but only half a step, never the full step back. This you may say and know it and know it. This you may know when the bombs plummet out of the black planes on the market place, when prisoners are stuck like pigs, when the crushed bodies drain filthily in the dust. You may know it in this way. If the step were not being taken, if the stumbling-forward ache were not alive, the bombs would not fall, the throats would not be cut. Fear the time when the bombs stop falling while the bombers live—for every bomb is proof that the spirit has not died. And fear the time when the strikes stop while the great owners live—for every little beaten strike is proof that the step is being taken. And this you can know—fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is the foundation of Manself, and this one quality is man, distinctive in the universe."<br />(from Chapter 14)<br /><br />"And the great owners, who must lose their land in an upheaval, the great owners with access to history, with eyes to read history and to know the great fact: when property accumulates in too few hands it is taken away. And that companion fact: when a majority of the people are hungry and cold they will take by force what they need. And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed. The great owners ignored the three cries of history. The land fell into fewer hands, the number of dispossessed increased, and every effort of the great owners was directed at repression. <span><em></em> The money was spent for arms, for gas to protect the great holdings, and spies were sent to catch the murmurings of revolt so that it might be stamped out. The changing economy was ignored, plans for the change ignored; and only means to destroy revolt were considered, while the causes for revolt went on."<br />(from Chapter 19)<br /><br />Peace,<br />Lori<br /></span>Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-87329508826158291732011-07-05T14:54:00.000-04:002011-07-05T14:55:26.700-04:00VC tonight: Internet Cafes, Land transfer (Peach's), Solid Waste, Affordable Housing, eHDS(?)/office space, Tree Trimming, Manager Eval.<b>Dear People--</b>I saw many of you as I marched for Planned Parenthood in yesterday's parade. Thanks for the shout-outs! It was a feel-good experience for an organization that needs some feel good support. (If you want to support them in any way--time, treasures, or talents--talk to me! or go to <a href="http://ppswo.org/" target="_blank">ppswo.org</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div>!) And ended with an amazing show of fireworks as usual by the Township fire fighters and the Lion's club. Thanks!<br /><br />Wow--a massively big schedule for tonight.<br /><br /><b>PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION<br />First Reading of Ordinance 2011-18 Amending the Zoning Code to Allow Internet Cafes as<br />Conditionally Permitted Uses in the General Business District. </b>I will vote yes. <br /><b>First Reading of Ordinance 2011-20 Approving Transfer and Sale of Land to Peaches, Inc.</b> I will vote yes. This is a tiny, narrow "bowtie" of land that is part of the Peach's lot (it's the part of their lot that basically abuts the bike path, running the whole length of their property), that is technically owned by the village, which makes it difficult for them to expand their business. Peach's have spent $1800 having this property surveyed and appraised, and its value is only $600. This ordinance sells it to them for $1. I support this Ordinance.<br /><b>Resolution 2011-26 Awarding Solid Waste Contract to Waste Management.</b> The manager suggests ending our 20-year relationship with Rumpke and awarding this contract to Waste Management. This will likely change your trash pick up date (so beware!) but it is a lower cost bid than Rumpke, so it would save you money. I support this resolution.<br /><b>Resolution 2011-28 Approving the Selection of Home, Inc. as the Development Partner for the Cemetery St. Affordable Housing Project</b> I co-sponsored this proposal, and support this resolution. Home Inc has a good, achievable small-scale plan that will create revenue, eventually, and cost very little in the short term, for a needed goal.<br /><b>Resolution 2011-29 Approving a Farm Lease for Sutton Farm</b> I support this lease agreement. It covers 43 acres of village-owned land.<br /><b>Resolution 2011-31 OEPA Planning Loan Application for I &I Elimination</b> Inflow and infiltration--I&I is a problem that unnecessarily taxes our waste water treatment plant (wwtp) and system, and can lead to overflows. Storm water goes through the sewer treatment that should not be treated. This was part of why we had to do major improvements to our sewer system. This loan, if successful, will help us do the testing that will help us eliminate this problem.<br /><b>Resolution 2011-32 OEPA Planning Loan Application for Sanitary Sewer Lift Station<br />Improvements</b> As part of our EPA required improvements to our WWTP, and resolution 31 above, we also need to evaluate our lift station. I support this.<br /><b>Resolution 2011-33 2012 Tax Budget</b> This is basically pro-forma. I will ask some questions, but I will vote yes.<br /><i><br /><b>Important:</b> In addition, in our paper packet was initially included <b>a resolution (2011-34) regarding a proferred loan to eHDS, </b>a local business that provides many well-paying jobs but that may move from YS as a result of lack of space. (See this week's excellent YS News article on the challenges.) This offer was rejected, so the resolution and loan offer were removed from the online packets. From my very limited involvement in this negotation, I believe it is likely that we may consider a revised proposal or at least a report of some sort tonight, but negotiations are on-going.</i><br /><br /><i>Due to the confusion of the process, I asked our legal Counsel to weigh in on whether it was proper to remove that legislation, by Sunshine laws. He saw no violation of Sunshine, and provided helpful counsel for how to approach our negotiations with businesses in keeping with the law and the rights of business owners.<br /><br />I suspect this issue, including the broader issue of the lack of "A-1 office space" in YS will be discussed under New Business.<br /><br /></i><b>SPECIAL REPORTS<br />Chamber Marketing Plan for 2011-2012. </b>Report of activities and request for our support of $2400 for the Chamber's cooperative marketing of the village and local businesses.<b><br /><br />OLD BUSINESS<br />AMP Tree Trimming Update </b>We are under contract with AMP's forestry division to do some major line clearance work (this is on top of our regular, annual line clearance in another section of the village, which would be done by competitive bidding). The AMP foresters have looked at the area south of Allen Street, and estimate $179,000 to do so. This would come out of the electrical fund, which has money to cover it. I will vote yes, because prevention is the best cure: the electrical outage problems that overgrown trees are creating, cost a lot of money and time and sometimes are even dangerous for people's lives.<br /><b>Solar Farm Update </b>The solar partners visited the proposed site on Thursday with staff and Council people Hempfling and Walkey. We will have a report on what they saw.<br /><b><br />EXECUTIVE SESSION: We will be doing our annual review of Village Manager Cundiff. Feel free to send in input, as well as discussing pending litigation.</b><br /><br /><b>POEM</b><br />An immigrant's decision to love this country, painfully. Happy day after Independence!<br /><br /><div> <h1>Learning to Love America</h1> </div> <span>By <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/shirley-geok-lin-lim" target="_blank"> Shirley Geok-Lin Lim</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> </span> <div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because it has no pure products </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because the Pacific Ocean sweeps along the coastline </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because the water of the ocean is cold </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and because land is better than ocean </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because I say we rather than they </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because I live in California </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">I have eaten fresh artichokes </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and jacaranda bloom in April and May </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because my senses have caught up with my body </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">my breath with the air it swallows </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">my hunger with my mouth </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because I walk barefoot in my house </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because I have nursed my son at my breast </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because he is a strong American boy </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because I have seen his eyes redden when he is asked who he is </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because he answers I don’t know </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because to have a son is to have a country </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because my son will bury me here </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because countries are in our blood and we bleed them </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">because it is late and too late to change my mind </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">because it is time.</div> </div> <div> <p> Shirley Geok-lin Lim, “Learning to love America” from <em>What the Fortune Teller Didn’t Say.</em> Copyright © 1998 by Shirley Geok-lin Lim. Reprinted with the permission of West End Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.<br /><br /> Source: <em>What the Fortune Teller Didn’t Say</em> (West End Press, 1998) </p> </div>Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-82518025932597311052011-06-20T16:52:00.001-04:002011-06-20T16:53:51.496-04:00VC tonight: AMP, Water Deduct, Gambling, Library Evaluation, Affordable Housing, Tree Trimming, Solid Waste<b>Dear People</b>--I went to a wedding this weekend where for once I wasn't the cynical one in the corner, but was instead totally swept up by the whole ritual, romance, generosity, and intimacy of the event, and periodically made misty-eyed. It's quite possible I'm losing my edge. <br /><br />Anyway, love is in the air and I hope that all the men out there who have loved and raised children, by playing an active and generous role in their lives, regardless of whether you were a biological father or not, had a great fathers' day. (Special shout out to adoptive and foster fathers.) So I'm ending with a poem for fathers (with a reference to John and Yoko...)<br /><br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1-lMS0cojIv6D3cZvlkGn-BKPigD-cC-q1nDjGugoc9WS-BquVT4nc2hdraau&hl=en_US&authkey=CK78rNUF" target="_blank">Here's the whole packet if you want to follow along at home!</a><br /> <b><br />PETITIONS/COMMUNICATIONS</b><br />The Clerk will receive and file:<br />Mayor’s Monthly Report<br /><b>Christine Roberts re: Natural Gas Prices</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">(concern that newly allowed exports of natural gas will cause the prices to skyrocket)</span><br /> <b>Christine Roberts re: Renewable Energy</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">(against locking ourselves into natural gas, ideas about how renewables may become storeable)</span><br /><b>Pat Murphy re: CO2 Estimates</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">(gas lower than coal)</span><br /> <b>Pat Murphy re: Greenhouse Gas </b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">(excellent analysis from the National Energy Technology Lab--a federal agency. While there does need to be better reporting of fugitive gas emissions, etc., gas is better than coal on basically every measure)</span><b><br /> Pat Murphy re: Fracking and Methane Contamination</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"></span><br /><b>Pat Murphy re: Policy Recommendations </b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">(scientific paper from Duke center on Global Change/Environmental policy noting that gas has more energy per pound than coal and producing almost none of the mercury, sulfur dioxide and particulates of burning coal; "bridge to a carbon constrained future"; urging study, regulation and caution, but not rejecting fracking outright.)</span><br /><b>Fritz Leighty re: Support for Affordable Housing Project</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)"> (Cemetery St. project for which Home, Inc., has turned in their Qualifications--sees it as a no-brainer and necessary)</span><br /> <b>OML re: Legislative Updates</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">(The current budget is really a disaster for local jobs and budgets--please contact your state reps: Hackett--Ohio House of Reps; Widener--Ohio Senate)</span><br /> <b>Sharon Potter re: Investment Summaries</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 102)">(banks are providing little interest on our money but our investment possibilities are limited by statute. Treasurer and Finance director are working to do what they can.)</span><br /> Greene Co. Public Library re: July Programming<br /><b>Lori Askeland re: Thanking Marc Gerken</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">(AMP CEO, for coming to speak to us last meeting)</span><br /><b>Jerry Papania [for the ENERGY BOARD] re: Membership in Fremont Facility</b> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">(the EB recommends that we participate at the .5 MW level)</span><br /> Bob Moore re: Tree Trimming Practices (recommends that we develop good policies around tree planting and trimming, and use certified arborists.)<br /><br /><b>PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION</b><br /><b><br />Emergency Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-15 Approving a Contract with AMP for the Fremont Natural Gas Facility</b>: Having looked long and hard at this, and being assured that we can sell if we find a better, greener option, I support the lowered amount of investment in this facility at .5 MW. I hear loud and clearly the concerns about fracking and also about the future costs of gas which are not knowable; I still believe this small amount is our best bet, for now, giving us some control over the way power is being delivered into the grid. I believe it is now up to us to cut our usage if we really want to make selling this small amount back to AMP a realistic possibility, and to get ourselves as close to green and sustainable energy sourcing as possible.<br /> <b><br />Second Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-16 Approving a Change in Sewer Fees</b> <b>to Permit Residential Installation of Deduct Meters</b> I will vote no, because I believe in conservation above all else. However, of all the ways to allow people who garden to reduce their sewer costs, this is the best mechanism. Please don't water your grass, people. And use covers with pools, etc., to avoid water loss.<br /> <b><br />First Reading of Ordinance 2011-18 Amending Section 1242.09 General Provisions & Definitions, and Section 1258.02 Principally Permitted Uses, of Title Four – Zoning of Part Twelve – Planning and Zoning Code of the Codified Ordinances of the Village of Yellow Springs, Ohio</b> This is to allow "sweepstakes" internet gambling in the "general business district"--i.e., NOT downtown but out here on south 68, basically, where places like KFC, etc., are. We apparently have little ability to regulate these businesses other than limiting where they may be located.<br /><br /><b>Resolution 2011-27 Awarding Library Building Evaluation Contract</b> After going through a public bidding process, only one firm applied for the library building evaluation. Ted Donnell's firm has submitted a bid of $12,725 for this project; we originally budgeted $30,000 for it. This is part of what we promised we would spend the levy money on five years ago. Karen Wintrow will recuse herself from this discussion.<br /><br /><b><br />OLD BUSINESS</b><br /><b>Affordable Housing RFQ Process Update: </b> Home Inc has submitted their qualifications for this Cemetery street development--four affordable houses. We will be discussing the process and voting as to whether they should submit a proposal for the next step. I support this project.<br /><b>Tree Trimming Discussion</b> The most recent power outages that were not DP&L's fault, are not due to problems with our machinery, they are due to trees. Many branches were lost during the last big ice storm, but many were merely weakened, only to fall later. I believe we need to be much more aggressive than we have been in most places, generally cutting 10' from both sides from the ground all the way up, except when the trees are very mature or even historic. (This is the policy that Piqua uses and they had no outage during the last storm.) I also want to thank Bob Moore (a citizen and certified arborist) for his helpful input and will ask that the information he sent in be sent to the tree committee who can perhaps help us look at our current policies and develop better long-term goals. <b><br /><br />NEW BUSINESS</b><br /><b>Chamber Marketing Program</b>: We have been paying $2,400 to the Chamber as a cost effective way to market the village's events to the region. This comes from Economic Development money, from the levy. I support it. (Karen Wintrow will recuse herself.)<br /><b>Solid Waste Contract Discussion</b> We have two bids, from Rumpke and Waste Management. They are very close. Waste Management's is the lower, on many counts, and overall, but there are slight differences in the many areas we need to consider. WM would not charge for any trash and recycling pick up in the downtown, but does basically charge more for the large containers you use when you're doing work on your house, and a little more for "spring clean up" service. Would love to hear your thoughts!<b><br />Sutton Farm Leases: </b>Manager Cundiff proposes extending the lease to Flatter Herefords, same price, for 5 more years.<b><br />CR Update of Activities</b><br /><br /><br /><b>Executive Session: </b>For pending litigation, discussion of personnel issues, and the Manager's annual evaluation.<br /><br /><b>POEM<br /><br /></b><a href="http://www.americanlifeinpoetry.org/columns/088.html" target="_blank">My Father Holds the Door for Yoko Ono</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div><br /><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">In New York City for a conference </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">on weed control, leaving the hotel </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">in a cluster of horticulturalists, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">he alone stops, midwestern, crewcut, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">narrow blue tie, cufflinks, wingtips, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">holds the door for the Asian woman </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">in a miniskirt and thigh high </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">white leather boots. She nods </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">slightly, a sad and beautiful gesture. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">Neither smile, as if performing </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">a timeless ritual, as if anticipating </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">the loss of a son or a lover. </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Years later, Christmas, inexplicably </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">he dons my mother’s auburn wig, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">my brother’s wire-rimmed glasses, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and strikes a pose clowning </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">with my second hand acoustic guitar. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">He is transformed, a working class hero </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">and a door whispers shut, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">like cherry blossoms falling.</div> <span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:78%;"> American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation (<a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/" target="_blank">www.poetryfoundation.org</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div>), publisher of <em>Poetry</em> magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Reprinted from “Folio,” Winter, 2004, by permission of the author. Copyright © 2004 by Christopher Chambers, who teaches creative writing at Loyola University New Orleans. Introduction copyright © 2009 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. </span></div><br />Best,<br />LoriLori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-8489970023659283892011-06-13T17:40:00.001-04:002011-06-13T17:41:49.937-04:00PC tonight: Solar Farm Zoning, Internet "Sweepstakes", and Parks/Rec PlanHi People--Just a quick note. There are 3 things on our planning commission agenda tonight:<br /><br />1) The solar farm is to be sited on a part of the Glass Farm that is still only zoned according to Township Zoning--it has never been re-zoned by the village. The township zoning apparently does allow for a solar farm. Also, our current zoning code defines "essential facilities" but does not make them exempt from the provisions of the zoning code, which is unusual. We will discuss whether it would be worth our while to look at any other properties that have not had village zoning established. I am not sure how important this is when we're beginning the process of rewriting our zoning code.<br /><br />2) We had hoped to make Internet "Sweepstakes"--i.e., gambling--facililties a conditional use in the general business district. Our solictor now tells us that we have no choice but to make them a permitted use. We'll discuss this further this evening.<br /><br />3) Tim Tobey is taking a stab at working the old Parks and Rec Master Plan that was drafted in the late 90s and never finally endorsed by Council. Karen Wintrow had made some updates in the mid-2000s but those hadn't been attended to. He'll be letting us know what it looks like and whether it's doable to make small updates to it or if we should just drop it.Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-47908175204312469062011-06-05T16:25:00.002-04:002011-06-05T17:03:41.792-04:00VC Monday: Power and possibilities.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://jafagirls.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/flower-power-textile-graffiti-by-the-jafagirls.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 262px;" src="http://jafagirls.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/flower-power-textile-graffiti-by-the-jafagirls.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><-- Photo courtesy of <a href="http://jafagirls.wordpress.com/tag/yellow-springs/">jafagirls!</a><br /><br /><b>Dear people: </b>Blog readers: I apologize. I don't know why I fail to take the simple step of posting these emails to my blog--I assure you it is more from rushing and getting out of the habit than any nefarious agenda on my part. I am, once again, committed to doing better. Do feel free to email me any thoughts or questions.<br /><br />The agenda for Monday is heavy, and<span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"> I'd really appreciate some feedback on several items which I have highlighted in yellow. </span> Please consider downloading the whole packet from <a href="http://www.yso.com/index.php?page=council-packet" target="_blank">the village Council website</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> so you can be fully informed.<br /><br />I. PETITIONS/COMMUNICATIONS<br /><b> Dinsmore Report for Week of 5/23 : </b><i> I don't know who this group is; they are lawyers and lobbyists who sometimes work for municipalities. We just started getting these weekly summaries/reports. I've looked at their website so I get the basics but am still not clear about what they are really like. This is a sort of newsletter/overview of the Statehouse legislation for the week. Seems designed to drum up business...<span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">I detect a slight right-leaning bias. If anyone knows more about the firm, feel free to share.</span></i><br /><b>GCCHD Press Release re: Motorcycle Safety Month and Traffic Fatality Report<br />GCCHD re: Tractor Pull Benefitting Health Foundation<br />Lori Askeland re: Testimony Before Senate Finance Committee: </b><i>This is what I presented to the Ohio Senate Finance committee on May 19th. But I was more blunt in my testimony: I said they should raise taxes and revenues from wealthy people as part of the plan to deal with the budget deficit. </i><br /><b> Pat Murphy re: Fracking Information :<i> </i></b><i>I believe Pat simply provided some articles (there was no name on them in my packet indicating who had sent them.)</i> <i>We welcome information; it's most helpful, however, if each item has a clear cover note or email identifying who is responsible for bringing it to our attention.</i><br /><b> Vickie Hennessey re: Letter and Information on Fracking: </b><i>also opposed to AMP gas plant</i><br /><b> Yellow Springs Home Assistance Program re: Services Available<br />Sharon Potter re: Monthly Financial Statement<br />Christine Roberts re: Opposing Fracking </b><i>also opposed to AMP gas plant</i><b>. </b><i>Both Roberts and Hennessey suggest that we craft a request for proposals for renewable "intermediate" sources of power.</i><br /><b> MORPC re: Newsletter </b><br /><br />PUBLIC HEARINGS/LEGISLATION <u style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"><br /><br /></u><b><u style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">Emergency Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-15 Approving a Contract with AMP for the Fremont Natural Gas Facility</u><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"> </span> </b>I do not feel I have fully grasped this proposal, and I am still thinking carefully about it, and would like to hear from citizens. This Fremont Natural Gas plant would be a source of "intermediate" power: that means the energy we use during work-week days, from dawn until night. Since it's 5 days a week, 16 hrs per day it's sometimes called "5x16" power. We have received some confusing and contradictory advice; an external consultant to a group of AMP municipalities looked at this and said don't sign because they thought it was base power (24/7 power), which they say we have enough of. But, while this could be used as base power, AMP is going to use it as intermediate power--because it can be and will be shut off on weekends. Moreover, from looking at the colorful graphs of our likely future energy needs, it seems pretty clear that, without dramatic reductions, we will need new sources of "intermediate"/ 5x16 power in our near future.<br /><br />So I am still trying to understand the projected future needs of our village and how this would play into those needs.<br /><ul><li><b>One thing I know for sure:</b> THE BEST thing we can do now for our electrical-power portion of the environmental crisis is work to find ways to lower our home energy consumption and our consumption of all manufactured products. The 10% club is full of great ideas. </li></ul><ul><li><b>Some things that I'm pretty sure of:</b><br /></li></ul>1) <b>Should we vote to reject this facility, we won't stop this facility</b> from opening and operating;<br />2) and even if we that were not the case, it's pretty clear <b>fracking will not stop immediately</b>: the demand for natural gas is huge overseas as well as here, so if there is gas available to be fracked, it almost certainly still will be, and our current governments are heavily lobbied, and campaigns are heavily subsidized by these industries, so sensible regulation must be fought for tooth and nail and is looking very uncertain;<br />3) <b>Also, while <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/blogs/greeninc/Howarth2011.pdf" target="_blank">one recent study</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> that our Energy Board and some citizens are citing made what I believe to be a very interesting claim that emissions from natural gas are worse than from some coal emissions: That study </b><a href="http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2011/04/fracking-methane/" target="_blank"><b>is quite likely flawed</b>--see this analysis by a NASA climate scientist--who is very critical of the gas/oil industries--whose research was used to help make the case</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> (even the comments on that link are amazingly excellent and thoughtful, btw--it's really worth a read). The bottom line: Coal mining--particularly mountain top removal coal mining--also produces fugitive methane emissions that are, at best (still wastefully) just burnt off: this study did not fully account for that--ironically in large part because the industry is so resistant to any reporting on these facts. Therefore...<br /><br />4) .<b>..I remain strongly persauded that on almost every conceivable level, coal is the worst possible form of energy for us to use--it is horrific at every step of the path and far too many old coal plants</b> like our Gorsuch facility, which is thankfully closing, are the worst of the worst because they've been grandfathered in to avoid complying with the Clean Air act--and it remains a dominant form of energy in Ohio.<br /><br /><b>5) Many--probably most?--environmental scientists thus still regard natural gas as a "bridge" fuel to a more renewable future and preferable to coal. </b> Although it remains true that we cannot be 100% sure what the total emissions are from any of these industries, <b>please do NOT underestimate just how bad coal <i>mining and burning</i> is for the planet and the local environments around where coal plants are located. </b>Yes, fracking is bad: but mountaintop removal and coal burning and the by products of mining and burning coal are horrific and horrifically damaging in virtually all of the same ways that fracking is bad as an extraction method. Coal mining today does almost everything that fracking does and more. Then, once gas is extracted it is <u>considerably</u> less productive of both greenhouse gases and of particulates, which create breathing problems, contribute to asthma, and lifelong lung damage--gas produces virtually none of these. Coal damages horrifically and often invisibly at every step of the path.<br /><b><br />The risks of saying "no":</b> There are <u>currently</u> no good, renewable alternatives on the market for this "intermediate"/5x16 energy. The main problem being the lack of ability to store energy from things like wind or solar. Wind and solar are not viable for us at this point, where we are, for this 5x16 usage. Thus we will likely still end up buying the same (or worse--coal) sources of energy, and this will likely come at higher cost, on the open market. Moreover, this is a new, state-of-the-art facility that is already nearly completely constructed (unlike the coal plants we turned down in 2007) and has been purchased for what seems to be a very good price, and it has been built to much better standards than most of Ohio's currently operating power (mostly coal) plants.<br /><br />So while the energy from the 50 year contracts on coal plants that we turned down is reportedly costing more than expected, energy from this one would more likely be lower than market costs. The higher costs of buying on the open market hurt lower income and fixed-income people in our community harder than they hit higher income people. Although we are doing some things to support our rate payers in usage reduction, there's still inadequate infrastructural support for dramatic reductions of one's energy usage. So it takes a great deal of time, effort and often some initial investment to cut back. Thus, the attempt to lower our usage also often burdens lower income people, people who work long hours or have disabilities, more than able bodied people on comfortable incomes. Moreover, we're a small town: while our saying "no" has symbolic power and may have marketing power for us, it likely has little practical power against the massive energy companies that control all the fossil fuel mining.<br /><b><br />The risks of saying "yes"</b>: We lock ourselves in for 30-years in a contract for natural gas energy that lawyers call a "hell or high water" contract (I'm not joking! two lawyers in our documentation used that exact phrase!): meaning we're on the stick even if it never comes to fruition. There seems to be some real possibility that storage for renewables and "smart grid" improvements could come on the market in, say, the next 5-10 years, which could make renewables more viable as a 5x16 fuel source. Because this contract may keep costs a little lower, there may be less incentive for people to make the effort to dramatically reduce their usage. We miss a chance to say no to a continuation of the status quo; to put our little bit more pressure, community pressure, on the suppliers to come up with viable alternatives to fossil fuels. We may hurt our ability to see ourselves, and market ourselves as a "green" town that cares about the environment. Right now, our state (especially) and even federal governments do not seem to many of us very serious about applying this pressure.<br /><br /><b>Final notes:<br /></b><ul><li>Some citizens have suggested we issue an RFP for a renewable source of intermediate/5x16 energy. One suggests that we do so in a very public way--making it a press release and using it as a way to announce ourselves as serious about our green commitments. This has merits, in the abstract, but I am concerned about the logistics of it, and I also know that our small staff is not in a position to take on another new task like that in the short term. </li></ul><ul><li>I am disturbed by the persuasive evidence that some citizens--Chris Roberts in particular--have brought forward that AMP so heavily loads these contracts in its favor, against its own member communities. While "hell or high water" contracts are apparently the industry standard, and are due in part to the practicalities of financing, it's also partly because the industries are so powerful and there is so little competition. Thus, even in a co-op like AMP, that creates standards that inevitably favor the industry over the needs of people / individual rate payers.</li></ul><b>Conclusion: This is a close call for me</b>--much closer a call than the coal decision was. (Especially with the benefit of hindsight; we now know that the Meigs plant never got built, but had expensive planning that we didn't have to pay for, and the other plant is charging above the market rate. So I am very happy with that position). <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"> </span><b style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)">But I am leaning toward saying "no."</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"> </span><br /><br />I will be listening very carefully tomorrow night and very much still want to hear what people have to say. So please write, and/or bring your friendly face to the meeting tomorrow night!<br /><br /><b>First Reading of Ordinance 2011-16 Approving a Change in Sewer Fees to Permit Residential </b><b>Installation of Deduct Meters </b>This is the ordinance to allow "deduct" metering to sewers for garden watering, lawn watering, etc. While I understand the point, I was strongly persuaded by a letter from Nick Boutis and other community members who spoke to me privately, that we really need to be in the business of using whatever tools we have to encourage water saving<b>, </b>so I will likely vote no.<br /><b><br />Emergency Reading and Public Hearing of Ordinance 2011-17 Amending Pool Fees </b> This is the "swimming for all" fees, and it's an emergency because the pool is already open! I support swimming for all.<br /><br />III. CITIZEN CONCERNS<br /><br />IV. SPECIAL REPORTS<br /><b>Tornado Siren Update </b>Lack of clear internal rules and communication, and some difficulties with the vendors, led to some of the problems that caused malfunctioning. We believe that staff has made good steps toward solving these problems.<br /><b>DP&L Power Outage </b>The losses of power over the last few weeks were not Village problems but DP&L problems. We get all the power we distribute via DP&L's lines: if they don't get power to us, we have no power to distribute.<br /><br />A final note: I understand that it's upsetting when the power goes out, but it is inappropriate and mean and counterproductive to make wild accusations and threats to our hard working staff, particularly when an emergency is ongoing. Of course residents should call the Village to report problems, but please remember that these are human beings who are doing challenging work for all of us. <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"> Be kind.</span> (See poem below, particularly the final lines for more.)<br /><br />V. OLD BUSINESS<br /><b>Technical Review Committee Membership Discussion </b> Snafu. Partly my fault--we have 4 members of the PC on here, and that's a quorum, which poses problems beyond those we initially considered when we discussed this at the last meeting. I am striving to resolve it.<br /><b><br />VI. NEW BUSINESS<br />Discussion of Bryan Center Janitorial Service </b>During the summer we need to hire internally to clean the Bryan Center.<b><br />Liquor Permits (Chief Grote) </b>Having an interest in the Emporium, I will have to recuse myself. This is just the annual renewal of liquor licences for village businesses.<br /><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"> Discussion of Tree Pruning Parameters<span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">: </span></span></b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)">We currently trim every line every 4 years, 10 feet around, but not usually above the lines. Part of the reason we had so many downed wires during the ice storm last year is that we don't tend to trim above the power lines. </span></span><b><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 0)"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"></span></span> </b>We could trim more aggressively and we have some good info in our packet advising us about this. I'd love your input! Do you want more cutting and likely more stable power? Or are you worried about too much cutting of trees?<br /><br /><b>POEM: </b>I'm told by a New York reviewer that this poem was read at Jimmy Carter's inauguration in 1977. It's a fine one. I've had to read and re-read it. It speaks to me about the quiet power that is all around us--and particularly the ways we might sense that power in small towns. (When I think about the more banal power of this very computer and where it's coming from, I am aware of the disconnect between the direct and amazing power flowing in our universe and our power system of huffing and chugging plants and puny wires on poles...it seems so small and silly and small and wildly inefficient and kind of "missing the point" at some level.)<br /><br />And the prayer at the end is so on point: calling us to our internal dignity, "tended strength...and kindness." Preach it, I say. May we all chant the final lines with him, "My life belongs to the world. I will do what I can."<div style="display:block"> <h1><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171428" target="_blank">The Strength of Fields</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div></span></h1> </div> <span>By <a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/james-l-dickey" target="_blank"> James L. Dickey</a><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> </span> <div> <p><i>... a separation from the world, a penetration to some source of power and a life-enhancing return ... </i><br /></p><p>Van Gennep:<em> Rites de Passage<br /></em></p> <div style="padding-left:1em"><br />Moth-force a small town always has, </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em"> Given the night. </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> What field-forms can be, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Outlying the small civic light-decisions over </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> A man walking near home? </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> Men are not where he is </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Exactly now, but they are around him around him like the strength </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em">Of fields. The solar system floats on </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Above him in town-moths. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> Tell me, train-sound, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> With all your long-lost grief, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> what I can give. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Dear Lord of all the fields </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> what am I going to <em>do</em>? </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> Street-lights, blue-force and frail </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">As the homes of men, tell me how to do it how </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> To withdraw how to penetrate and find the source </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Of the power you always had </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> light as a moth, and rising </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> With the level and moonlit expansion </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Of the fields around, and the sleep of hoping men. </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em"> You? I? What difference is there? We can all be saved </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em"> By a secret blooming. Now as I walk </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">The night and you walk with me we know simplicity </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Is close to the source that sleeping men </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Search for in their home-deep beds. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> We know that the sun is away we know that the sun can be conquered </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> By moths, in blue home-town air. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> The stars splinter, pointed and wild. The dead lie under </div> <div style="padding-left:1em">The pastures. They look on and help. Tell me, freight-train, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> When there is no one else </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> To hear. Tell me in a voice the sea </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Would have, if it had not a better one: as it lifts, </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Hundreds of miles away, its fumbling, deep-structured roar </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Like the profound, unstoppable craving </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> Of nations for their wish. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em"> <wbr> <span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"> <wbr>Hunger, time and the moon: </span></div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"> The moon lying on the brain </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"> <wbr> as on the excited sea as on </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"><span style="background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"> The strength of fields.</span> Lord, let me shake </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> With purpose. Wild hope can always spring </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> From tended strength. Everything is in that. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> That and nothing but kindness. More kindness, dear Lord </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)">Of the renewing green. That is where it all has to start: </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> With the simplest things. More kindness will do nothing less </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> Than save every sleeping one </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> And night-walking one </div><br /><div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> Of us. </div> <div style="padding-left:1em;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 51)"> My life belongs to the world. I will do what I can.</div> </div> <p> James Dickey, “The Strength of Fields” from <em>The Whole Motion: Collected Poems 1945-1992</em>. Copyright © 1992 by James Dickey. Reprinted with the permission of Wesleyan University Press, <a href="http://www.wesleyan.edu/wespress" target="_blank">www.wesleyan.edu/wespress</a></p><div style="display: inline-block; cursor: pointer; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div>.<br /> Source: <em>James Dickey: The Selected Poems</em> (Wesleyan University Press, 1998)Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-20171695260817853032011-04-04T14:26:00.000-04:002011-04-04T14:27:11.005-04:00VC tonight! Solar park? Landfill Gas Power, Affordable housing project, Zoning update, Levy Renewal<b>Dear People</b>--Well, this day is about as dark and dreary as they come. I hope these April showers are going to bring us those promised May flowers, or we may have to write a sternly worded letter. So, tonight's agenda--is heavy and I'm under the gun as usual. Let's go--<br /> <b><br /><u>PETITIONS / COMMUNICATIONS:</u></b><i> I will mention the ones in yellow tonight; my comments in italics.</i><br /><br /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Rhonda Mullins re: Consumer Affairs, US Post Office</span><br /> <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Cynthia Smith re: Customer Care, US Post Office</span><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>The above two are in response to a letter Karen wrote urging the USPO not to shut down the YS PO</i><br /> </div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Ronald Schmidt re: Complaint and Records Request</span><br /><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Judy Kintner re: Response to Schmidt Request</span><br /> <div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>The above two are about Mr. Schmidt's concerns that the ESC minutes have not been posted to the website. Judy responded to his request in full.</i><br /></div>Sharon Potter re: Monthly Financial Statement<br /> <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Marlin Newell re: Use of Cemetery St. Parking Area @ Street Fair for Aftercare</span><br />OML Legislative Bulletin re: Recent Legislation and Committee Schedules<br />Greene Co. Combined Health District Media Alert re: Health Week<br /> <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Yellow Springs Environmental Commission re: Fracking Resolution</span><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>The EC unanimously recommends that Council pass a resolution supporting a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing until the current USEPA study is complete and the practice is proven safe. </i><br /> </div><br /><u><b>PUBLIC HEARINGS / LEGISLATION</b></u><br /><br /><b>Resolution 2011-21 Approving RFQ for Non-Profit Partner for Affordable Housing Development on Cemetery St. </b> I have covered this in earlier emails. I hope that everyone heard Karen Wintrow's eloquent statement on this project, which she supports--it was one of the finest, clearest explanations I've heard from our desk. I will vote yes.<br /> <b>Resolution 2011-22 Approving an RFQ for Rewriting of the Zoning Code for the Village of Yellow Springs</b>. At our joint meeting--VC, PC, BZA--last week, we decided to make this a two step process in order to be more likely to get the best bid for our village's needs.<br /> <br /><u><b>SPECIAL REPORTS</b></u><br />Community Access Panel Report to Council<br /><br /><u><b>OLD BUSINESS</b></u><br /><b>Skatepark Repair and Upgrades Discussion</b> Our levy promised money for parks; we have spent very little of that promised money, and this park is a draw for young people, who are our future. I support modest upgrades and efforts to find private grant money.<br /><br /><b>Solar Farm Discussion:</b> I support this project: I know it is last minute. But it is $400,000 up front and a $13 million investment in our village for a source of clean, green power. <br /><br />Frankly, also, I am leaning towards the Glass Farm as the best site: $400,000 in our coffers would be a huge boon, instead of paying that money for more land on the Fogg Farm--although that's also not a horrible plan. And it's basically temporary: if after 20 years we decide we want housing or something else there, it can easily be put in.<br /> <b><br />Landfill Gas Contract with AMP </b> (Not sure where this will come in our discussion): We also have information on a Landfill Gas contract: here's Mark's memo:<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>This would be a 10 year contract [with AMP] under which we would receive 700 KW of power. The breakdown of the costs is attached as Exhibit A [</i>I can send you this, people--just let me know. --LJA].<i> As you can see, there are three time periods and there are different costs for each time period. The cheapest power will be available between 11 pm and 8 am for the entire year. The other two time periods are for 8 am to 11 pm, and are dependent on the day of the week, time of year, and whether it is a holiday.<br /><br />AMP is also asking if we want to keep our share of the RECs or have AMP sell them for us.<br /><br />Due to some extenuating circumstances, we will need to adopt the ordinance authorizing the signing of the agreements with emergency language in order to meet the deadline of April 30th.<br /></i></div><br /><b>Levy Renewal Update</b>: Kate Levesconte, of the levy committee, has written a great letter on this, so I'm including it:<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>April 2, 2011<br /><br />Dear friends,<br /><br />On behalf of the Yellow Springs YES Committee I am writing to lobby you to participate in our effort to pass Issue 16, the renewal of the Yellow Springs 8.4 mill Property Tax Levy. I joined the committee to help insure that Yellow Springs would continue to have the resources we need to provide the services that are part of what I find distinguishing for our town.<br /><br />Currently the Village gets about 25% of the General Fund from the property taxes, so this is a big part of the village's income. The General Fund pays for just about everything the village does, with the exception of our utilities which are managed out of the Enterprise Fund. The General Fund pays for our police force, parks and recreation, village council functions, the Bryan Center, maintenance of the library and a host of other smaller but important services.<br /><br />To be candid, even if the levy passes, the village has been and will continue to need to find ways to reduce costs, both because of declining revenues from other sources and because of the increasing costs due to inflation. The village's situation, if it has to cut costs by an additional 25%, will indeed be dire.<br /><br />There have been some who have suggested opposition to the levy as a referendum on one or another of the decisions that council has made. I strongly encourage you to consider these issues separately. Three of the five council members are elected every two years, so there is frequent opportunity to change leadership if one desires. Whether that leadership has minimally adequate resources with which to do their job is another question entirely, and that is the issue at hand. For my part, I am generally pleased with the job council is doing. But even if I wasn't, I would be in favor of the levy renewal (won't create any additional taxes).<br /><br />There are two primary needs for which the committee is currently soliciting help. One is volunteer canvassers to go door to door to talk to residents about the levy and distribute literature. The other is fund-raising. The committee is raising funds to cover the costs of literature, signs and buttons. If you'd like to canvass, please call or email me (631-1092; <a href="mailto:klevesconte@oesterlen.org" target="_blank">klevesconte@oesterlen.org</a>). Each Saturday in April we will be meeting at 12:30 in the Art Room at the Bryan Center to train canvassers and distribute materials and maps. Come one, come all! If you'd like to donate to the committee, checks can be made out to Yellow Springs YES and mailed to our treasurer, Ken Huber, 617 Fairfield Pike, YSO.<br /><br />I hope you will consider participating in this community effort, but in any case, I will look forward to seeing you again at our gatherings.<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />Kate<br /><br />P.S. For more information on the levy, you can go to <a href="http://yellowspringsyes.com/" target="_blank">yellowspringsyes.com</a> or come to the public forum at the Senior Center, 2-4 p.m., Sunday April 17th.<br /></i></div> <u><br /><b>NEW BUSINESS</b></u><br /><br /><b>Approval of Letter from Council to Governor Kasich: </b> I wrote this letter (included in the attached packet) regarding the draconian cuts that the governor is proposing for the "local government fund" which provides<br /> <b><br />Clerk's report includes a public records policy that we will consider.</b>Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-43726510208084809822011-03-28T17:31:00.000-04:002011-03-28T17:32:46.498-04:00Tonight! Joint meetingHi, all: <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1J5VokOwNtYWRTt7qc6vqODXjVBj4gAkntUCtRjwnHj3C2r_ADO6Mx9ebVJid&hl=en">Here's the packet</a> for the joint meeting tonight of Village Council, Planning Commission, and the Board of Zoning Appeals. It includes an RFP for a consultant to help us write our new zoning code. <br /><br />I hope you will read it and offer any thoughts you have. (Positive or negative.) We will also be discussing this at our 4/4 meeting, based on the ideas generated tonight.<br /><br />Sorry this is late!Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-7905206056641866772011-03-21T16:55:00.002-04:002011-03-21T16:57:11.390-04:00I will be better--somehow I just got out of the habit of posting here.<b>Dear People: </b>Well, it's be a depressing and pretty scary week or so, with the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear breakdowns in Japan, the attack on Libya, and the Kasich budget announcement which proposes to cut the funding for local governments by 25% this coming year and 49% next year. This is a very significant drop in revenue. (The schools are also facing smaller but still significant cuts--and privatization measures. Here's the <a href="http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/deep-cuts-privatization-fill-kasichs-first-budget--1109000.html" target="_blank">Dayton Daily News' story</a><div style="display: inline; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 16px; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div>.) On top of that, YSI is being sold.<br /><br />These are serious times. I am gravely concerned, because I think it's a lot easier to tear something complex and valuable down, than it is to build it up. And I'm worried that that's exactly what's happening in the state of Ohio right now. Things are being torn down and blown up by "market forces" and cries for no new taxes on the extremely rich and on businesses that have been making record profits.<br /><br /><b>We will need the levy we are asking you to pass this Spring: it will not raise your taxes; it will hold them steady.</b> We will still have to make cuts--probably serious ones--no matter what happens with this current budget proposal; without the levy they may need to be catastrophic. I can only urge you to talk to your friends and neighbors about this current situation.<br /><b><br />LEGISLATION:<br /><br />1) ORDINANCE (1st reading): SIDEWALKS:</b> I have been supporting the plan for the village to take over sidewalk repairs, but in light of these most recent threats to our budget, I am considering delaying this decision, very, very reluctantly. It's not a huge expense, and not doing it ourselves is an expense, too, because we then need to track down owners. But I admit that the new budget pressures are deeply concerning to me. I am still pondering this at this time. $30,000 / year isn't a huge percentage of our total budget, but we may need to take a vacuum cleaner to the whole thing in order to weather this crisis.<br /><b><br />2) ORDINANCE (2nd reading) ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION: </b> Changing (lowering) the requirements for a quorum.<br /><b><br />3) ORDINANCE (2nd reading) REVISING ECONOMIC REVOLVING LOAN FUND GUIDELINES:</b> I was not at the last meeting, but have read the minutes, and I have heard from several constituents on both sides of this issue. No one I know has anything bad to say about YSKP as an entity, but some have grave concerns about opening up the application pool for this loan fund to non-profit organizations. I have thought about those positions. As I read the information, our primary concern with this fund is to try to create and retain jobs, particularly for low-income people. While some of the loans may be capital loans, for things that could be sold by us, the lender, should the entity default, they are not required to be capital loans that have this kind of collateral behind them. Indeed, one of the requirements of this loan is that the organization seeking the loan is supposed to prove that they have tried and been rejected for a loan from a traditional lending agency. They do, however, need to "secure the proceeds used for operating costs with business or personal liens."<br /><br />A not-for-profit entity is as capable of repaying a loan as is a for-profit entity. Yes, there are many not-for-profits that might conceivably try to apply for this loan, but they would need to go through the process, and there would need to be loan funds available. They need to prove that they meet the guidelines: that the entity actually provides jobs for low-income people. Although I know that some of you will disagree with this policy stance, I support changing the guidelines to include non-profit organizations that can otherwise satisfy the requirements of the loan.<br /><br /><b>4) ORDINANCE (1st Reading): ANNUAL TRANSFER OF FUNDS:</b> This is a boilerplate ordinance that gets our approved budget in operation. This ordinance needs to passed as an emergency to meet the state guidelines of having it in effect by March 31. This "emergency" language puts it in effect immediately, rather than one month from today.<br /><b><br />5) ORDINANCE (1st Reading): ICE / WINDSTORM DAMAGE: </b>This allows us to use unencumbered funds from the electrical funds, which is in good shape, to help pay for all the overtime, etc., caused by the ice/windstorm in February. The governor did not declare an emergency, so we will not get funding from federal sources.<br /><b><br />6) RESOLUTION: RENEWING LEASE WITH FLATTER HEREFORD FARMS ON HAY FIELD, SUTTON FARM.</b> The last 5-year lease expired in November 2010; this would renew until 2015.<br /><b><br />7) RESOLUTION: SOLID WASTE RFP: </b>Ed Amrhein worked with Dana Storrs of Greene County Solid Waste Mgmt and the Environmental Commission on this proposed RFP. A very small number of customers may have to reduce the tier of service to where the rest of us are--does anyone really produce more than 120 gallons of waste per week? (most businesses have their own contracts with providers)--which I think would be good.<br /><b><br />8) RESOLUTION: AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON CEMETERY STREET: </b>I support this resolution. It will create low income housing with minimal investment, and some construction jobs to boot, which are few and far between in our region right now.<br /><br /><br /><b>SPECIAL REPORTS:</b> Annual reports from Environmental Comm. and Planning Comm.<br /><br /><b>OLD BUSINESS:</b> Neighborhood gardens and Solar Farm. I generally support trying to build this, probably on the Fogg Farm, although I'd probably prefer the Glass Farm since we own that already, but we're on a short time frame. Again, it's a few new jobs and it would increase our renewable energy portfolio. Mark suggests we need some help evaluating this proposal because we lack expertise. It may be that the timeline is just too short for us to adequately deal with it.<br /><br />We may also discuss briefly a natural gas plant that AMP, our energy co-op, is building.<br /><br />Margaret Atwood is good for the soul--and funny, too. (<a href="https://secure.ppaction.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=pp_ppol_DonationFormOneTimeGift&__utma=1.1907282273.1300740775.1300740775.1300740775.1&__utmb=1.3.10.1300740775&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1300740775.1.1.utmcsr=%28direct%29%7Cutmccn=%28direct%29%7Cutmcmd=%28none%29&__utmv=-&__utmk=92836381" target="_blank">Hey, my birthday is this Thursday and you can still give money to our local Planned Parenthood! </a><div style="display: inline; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 16px; width: 16px; height: 16px;"> </div> Even just a little bit means a lot!)<br /><br /> <div> <span>POEM</span> <h2><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=177290">Backdrop addresses cowboy</a></h2> <p>by Margaret Atwood </p> <span>Margaret Atwood</span> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Starspangled cowboy </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">sauntering out of the almost- </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">silly West, on your face </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">a porcelain grin, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">tugging a papier-mâché cactus </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">on wheels behind you with a string, </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">you are innocent as a bathtub </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">full of bullets. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">Your righteous eyes, your laconic </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">trigger-fingers </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">people the streets with villains: </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">as you move, the air in front of you </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">blossoms with targets </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">and you leave behind you a heroic </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">trail of desolation: </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">beer bottles </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">slaughtered by the side </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">of the road, bird- </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">skulls bleaching in the sunset. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">I ought to be watching </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">from behind a cliff or a cardboard storefront </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">when the shooting starts, hands clasped </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">in admiration, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">but I am elsewhere. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">Then what about me </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">what about the I </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">confronting you on that border, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">you are always trying to cross? </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am the horizon </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">you ride towards, the thing you can never lasso </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am also what surrounds you: </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">my brain </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">scattered with your </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">tincans, bones, empty shells, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">the litter of your invasions. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am the space you desecrate </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">as you pass through.</div> <div> <p> Margaret Atwood, “Backdrop addresses cowboy” from <i>Selected Poems 1965-1975.</i> Copyright © 1974, 1976 by Margaret Atwood. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. <br /><br />Source: <em>Selected Poems</em> (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1976) </p> </div> </div>Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-35558785446774755762010-10-30T19:12:00.003-04:002010-10-30T19:22:11.114-04:00VC: 11/1 Sidewalks, Solar, Widows!, Green Space, Affordable Housing, Water, Ancestors,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.americanprofile.com/asset/file/art/84/30584/55m175.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 363px; height: 191px;" src="http://www.americanprofile.com/asset/file/art/84/30584/55m175.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">{--A local widow who receives John Gaunt's flour and sugar bequest for her Christmas cookies, from <a href="http://www.americanprofile.com/spotlights/article/30584.html">an American Profile</a> magazine article last year</span><br /><br /><b>Dear People:</b> Ok, this is a pretty big agenda, and the packet is attached to this document.<br /><b><br />ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1) DAVID SCOTT, new Director of Senior Center, </b>will introduce himself, offer brief explanation of his vision for the Senior Center's future. He has submitted a proposal for village funding of the Senior Center, but this proposal will not be discussed on Monday.<br /><br /><b>2 ) FLUORIDE FORUM November 13th, 2-4:30 pm, Bryan Center Gym. Kathleen Theissen (SENES labs, Oak Ridge TN, National Research Council scientist), Kevin Schlueter (YSI Labs, biochemist), Mary White (Director, Division of Medical Humanities). Moderator: Meg Carver (Village Mediation).</b> This is a panel of scientists and a public health professor: these are not activists arguing for a cause, so much as scientists explaining their understanding of the water fluoridation issue. This is a forum for learning; come prepared to ask questions politely and respectfully.<br /><b><br />COMMUNICATIONS: </b>Since I post this email to my blog, I am only here identifying residents who have current or recent positions connected to Village government, and leaving anonymous those who do not. Their names will be mentioned at the meeting and their signed letters are in the attached packet:<br /><br /><b>Resident</b>: <b>SIDEWALKS</b> against new sidewalk policy;<br /><b>Steve Conn (former EC): HOUSING </b> use the Sustainable YS report, possibly avoid need for Housing Needs Assessment;<br /><b>Tom Clevenger (EC):</b> <b>RECYCLING</b> offers a power-point plan for real recycling options (and encouragement thereof) downtown, including clearly marked containers and ideas for placement and other signage<br /><b>MTFR Annual Report </b>(passed levy, bought a new engine, trained many EMTs/fire fighters, lessons from first life-threatening on-the-job injury).<br /><b>2 Residents (1 household):</b> <b>AFFORDABLE HOUSING</b> against Cemetary St. development<br /><br /><b>LEGISLATION:<br /><br />ORDINANCE: </b><b>SIDEWALKS</b> Amending sidewalk policy (2nd reading/public hearing). DIscussed earlier; this ordinance would make the village, rather than individual property owners, responsible for sidewalks.<br /><b>ORDINANCE: SOLAR </b>Approving the Form, Authorizing Execution of Solar Energy Schedule with AMP (1st Reading). The agreement with AMP last month has been approved; this is just the next step in the process.<br /><b>RESOLUTION: COMP PLAN</b> This would be the final adoption of the Comp Plan by this Council. Just in time to start revising again...<br /><b>RESOLUTION: FLOUR/ SUGAR for WIDOWS. <a href="http://www.americanprofile.com/spotlights/article/30584.html#discuss"> </a></b><a href="http://www.americanprofile.com/spotlights/article/30584.html#discuss">Everybody's favorite, annual, heart warming resolution, in honor of the bequest of our revered ancestor, John Gaunt, survivor of slavery, entrepreneur, public benefactor.</a><br /><b>RESOLUTION: SIDEWALK REPAIR RFP</b> This is a request for proposals from contractors who would repair village sidewalks next year.<br /><br /><b>SPECIAL REPORTS<br />Community Resources Presentation: </b>Lisa Abel, president of CR, will present the report CR gave some months ago to the community at large on their current activities and plans.<br /><b>Water Testing Report: </b>Resident Ellis Jacobs and Water Treatment Plant Manager Joe Bates will discuss the testing of YS water for commonly used herbicides, etc., conducted earlier this year. This test is not required by the EPA or other federal agencies, but probably should be (<a href="http://projects.nytimes.com/toxic-waters" target="_blank">see this New York Times series on water quality in the US</a>). (Agricultural chemical tends to be more of problem on water from surface sources rather than groundwater, as YS water is.) Our water passed with flying colors.<br /><br /><b>OLD BUSINESS<br />Housing Needs Assessment Discussion: </b>I believe we will here discuss what next steps we ought to take with regards to the Housing Needs Assessment, including the suggestion made by Steve Conn, above.<br /><b>Affordable Housing Initiative: </b>This is the plan that Judith and I are introducing to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Home, Inc., to develop a plan for a few permanently affordable houses on Cemetary Street.<br /><b>Green Space Funding: </b>We will be discussing a possible resolution to place $50,000 into the Green Space fund each year from the Estate Taxes (when such funds are available), to a cap of $250,000.<br /><b>2011 Council Goals: </b>We will discuss all 6 principals and the goals related to all six.<br /><br /><b>AGENDA PLANNING:<br /></b>The next agenda will be very full, as we are starting to discuss the budget, levy renewal, public safety, etc.<br /><br /><b>EXECUTIVE SESSION:<br /></b>Personnel--Clerk position and progress<br /><br /><b>POEM FOR THE ANCESTORS: I love singing this hard song, with its crazy key changes, and I love the words of this, the "Negro National Anthem," particularly the second verse.<br /></b><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="80%"><b><span><br />Lift Every Voice and Sing</span></b> </td> <td colspan="2" align="right" nowrap="nowrap" valign="top"> <br /></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"> by <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/72" target="_blank">James Weldon Johnson</a> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br /></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" valign="top"> <pre>Lift ev'ry voice and sing,<br />Till earth and heaven ring,<br />Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;<br />Let our rejoicing rise<br />High as the list'ning skies,<br />Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.<br />Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,<br /><br />Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;<br />Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,<br />Let us march on till victory is won.<br /><br />Stony the road we trod,<br />Bitter the chast'ning rod,<br />Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;<br /><br />Yet with a steady beat,<br />Have not our weary feet<br />Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?<br />We have come over a way that with tears has been watered.<br />We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,<br /><br />Out from the gloomy past,<br />Till now we stand at last<br />Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.<br /><br />God of our weary years,<br />God of our silent tears,<br />Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;<br />Thou who hast by Thy might,<br /><br />Led us into the light,<br />Keep us forever in the path, we pray.<br />Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,<br />Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;<br />Shadowed beneath Thy hand,<br /><br />May we forever stand,<br />True to our God,<br />True to our native land.</pre></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />--<br />Lori Askeland (lori.askeland@gmail....)<br />Yellow Springs Village Council<br />1640 Spillan Road // Yellow Springs OH 45387<br /><a href="http://www.askelandforcouncil.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.askelandforcouncil.<wbr>blogspot.com</a> (updated regularly with council news)<br /><a href="http://www.yso.com/" target="_blank">http://www.yso.com</a><br />937.767.8116<br /><br />* TO UNSUBSCRIBE: If you wish to cease receiving regular Council updates from me, just send me a quick email; I won't be offended! *<br /><br />"You may be certain that the world is heading for destruction, but it's a good thing, a moral thing, to behave as though there's still hope. Hope is as contagious as despair: your hope, or show of hope, is a gift you can give to your neighbour, and may even help to prevent or delay the destruction of his world,"- Primo Levi, 1985Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-24854453267269887902010-10-02T20:10:00.000-04:002010-10-02T20:11:35.446-04:00VOTE! VC Mon: Sidewalks, Affordable Housing, 2011 Goals, Comprehensive PlanDear People: I am so happy for the cool weather and the rain. I actually love a cold rainy fall day--although I'm kicking myself a little for not being more productive today; I was supposed to grade all day. Didn't. Ah well, I guess that's what Sundays are for.<br /><br />But I did look through the Council packet (which I've attached the electronic version of) as I was downtown this afternoon, sans computer. Here's the agenda:<br /><br />1. ANNOUNCEMENTS Greene County Combined Health District will make an announcement urging us to support the upcoming Levy, Issue 5.<br /><br /><b>Speaking of which: I want to urge you all to vote. You can still register as of this Monday (10/4)</b>, and you can start voting absentee as of last week, so get out and vote. I'll send you my choices, but basically I have to tell you I'm feeling more yellow-dog Democrat than ever this fall, perhaps grimly so--the behavior of the Republican party is simply not responsible government by any stretch of the imagination at this moment: it's demagoguery and we cannot afford it: they want to give still more useless tax breaks to the wealthiest of US citizens, who are richer than ever before, and they want to pay for it by cutting education. You may not be feeling "thrilled" or "enthusiastic" but you need to exercise this right.<b><br /><br />I am enthusiastic, by the way, about Maryellen O'Shaunessy who is running for Secretary of State. </b> I have two words for you: Ken Blackwell. Remember him and the fouled up election of 2004? The Republicans are running a young man who is a perpetual candidate with no experience; Maryellen O'Shaunessy has long experience in municipal government and small business doing work that has well prepared her for this job. I heard her speak, and I was impressed. Support Maryellen! <a href="http://www.maryellenforohio.com/" target="_blank">http://www.maryellenforohio.<wbr>com/</a><b><br /> <br />2. PUBLIC HEARINGS / LEGISLATION:<br /><br />ORDINANCE 2nd Reading and Public Hearing: </b> Amending, very slightly, the economic sustainability committee ordinance.<br /><b><br />3. OLD BUSINESS:<br /><br />Sidewalks: </b>Mark has prepared a really good report about sidewalk repair, especially focused on how much it would likely cost if we were to decide to simply take on the costs of repair and replacement of sidewalks as a community, rather than having property owners in charge of this process--which does, actually, itself cost the village some considerable staff time and energy to try to enforce, and is, at this point, haphazard at best. <br /><br />Over the course of wrestling with this for the past three years, I actually have come to believe that it's time for the Village, which aspires to being a walkable and bikeable town, that welcomes people of differing abilities, to take on this cost and treat it much as we do our streets, alleys, and the bike trail, which we pay to maintain. We are at a place in our street-repair plans that we are no longer needing to spend as much money doing complete street replacements, so I plan to support a plan to budget $50,000/year, which is a fraction of what we've annually spent on streets in the past several years, to begin repairing and replacing the sidewalks in town. (I would support reimbursement to property owners who have, at village behest, replaced faulty sidewalks in the past year, upon their provision of reasonable receipts for their costs.)<br /><br />I understand the arguments on the other side of this issue, and I believe I have carefully considered them. I am open, of course, to hearing arguments on the other side of the issue.<br /><br /><b>4. NEW BUSINESS<br /><br />Affordable Housing Initiative: </b>Our visioning process revealed that affordable housing was the top concern of those who participated. Judith and I propose to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with Home, Inc., to develop approximately one acre of land on Cemetary Street for affordable housing units.<br /><br /><b>2011 Council Goals: 1, 2, 3: </b>We're going to look at our old goals and plans from 2010, as well as the Visioning Results, and try to determine what we hope to accomplish for next year. Overarching goals 1, 2, 3 were:<br /><ul><li>Deepen decision-making processes with active citizen participation and effective representative governance</li><li>Be an excellent employer and provider of services within a responsible fiscal framework</li><li>Be a welcoming community of opportunity for people of diverse races, ages, sexual orientations, cultures, and incomes.</li></ul><b>Comprehensive Plan:</b> At long last, the revisions and edits we made to the Comprehensive Plan last year, before the loss of our Council Clerk Deborah Benning's untimely death, have been completed. Before she died, Deborah had begun work on the final edits, which have now been completed by Village Manager Mark Cundiff and our new Clerk, Judy Kintner. Thanks go to both of them for their efforts.<br /><br /><b>5. Manager's Report: </b>Mark will be reporting on the completion of the Bryan Center's roof repairs, the most recent works on the design of the CBE (the center for business and educaiton, where Antioch University Midwest is located), work to improve the drainage on the Ellis Park parking lot, and some water and sewer planning studies to help us think about how to best move forward to keep up our aging systems.<br /><br /><b>6. A FALL POEM<br /></b><h2><a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=172090" target="_blank">A Sunset of the City</a></h2> <p>by Gwendolyn Brooks </p> <span>Gwendolyn Brooks</span> <p><i>Kathleen Eileen</i></p> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Already I am no longer looked at with lechery or love. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">My daughters and sons have put me away with marbles and dolls, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Are gone from the house. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">My husband and lovers are pleasant or somewhat polite </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">And night is night. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">It is a real chill out, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">The genuine thing. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am not deceived, I do not think it is still summer </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Because sun stays and birds continue to sing. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">It is summer-gone that I see, it is summer-gone. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">The sweet flowers indrying and dying down, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">The grasses forgetting their blaze and consenting to brown. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">It is a real chill out. The fall crisp comes. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am aware there is winter to heed. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">There is no warm house </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">That is fitted with my need. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am cold in this cold house this house </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Whose washed echoes are tremulous down lost halls. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am a woman, and dusty, standing among new affairs. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">I am a woman who hurries through her prayers. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">Tin intimations of a quiet core to be my </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Desert and my dear relief </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Come: there shall be such islanding from grief, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">And small communion with the master shore. </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Twang they. And I incline this ear to tin, </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">Consult a dual dilemma. Whether to dry </div> <div style="padding-left: 1em;">In humming pallor or to leap and die. </div><br /><div style="padding-left: 1em;">Somebody muffed it? Somebody wanted to joke.</div><br /><br /><b>-- </b><br />Lori Askeland (lori.askeland AT gmail....)<br />Yellow Springs Village Council<br />1640 Spillan Road // Yellow Springs OH 45387<br /><a href="http://www.askelandforcouncil.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.askelandforcouncil.<wbr>blogspot.com</a> (updated regularly with council news)<br /><a href="http://www.yso.com/" target="_blank">http://www.yso.com</a><br />937.767.8116<br /><br />* TO UNSUBSCRIBE: If you wish to cease receiving regular Council updates from me, just send me a quick email; I won't be offended! *<br /><br />"You may be certain that the world is heading for destruction, but it's a good thing, a moral thing, to behave as though there's still hope. Hope is as contagious as despair: your hope, or show of hope, is a gift you can give to your neighbour, and may even help to prevent or delay the destruction of his world,"- Primo Levi, 1985Lori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451676564529471890.post-53822668701816970262010-09-06T22:10:00.003-04:002010-09-07T09:07:26.183-04:00VC 9/7: Meeting and a Labor Day Meditation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.paulsgrains.com/walkingbeans8-06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.paulsgrains.com/walkingbeans8-06.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> This is an image of walking beans, from <a href="http://www.paulsgrains.com/photos06.htm">an organic farm in Iowa!</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dear People:</span> Tomorrow night we'll be meeting at 7 pm in the Bryan Center. I have attached the agenda and the entire packet if you're interested in knowing more about any of these points. I am feeling a bit rushed right now--but I'll try to give at least a quick overview here of the meeting.<br /><br /><u><b>LEGISLATION:</b></u><br /><b><br />Ordinance: Demolition Permit:</b> This will ensure that no buildings are demolished without turning off village utilities and ensuring for the village that the regional air pollution authority (RAPCA) has been notified and signed off on the demolition, etc. I support this legislation.<br /><br /><b>Resoulution: Accepting the rates </b>as determined by the Budget Commission and Authorizing the Necessary Tax Levies and Certifying Them to the County Auditor. This is a pro forma thing we have to do every year.<br /><br /><b>Resolution: Appointing John Chambers </b>of Coolidge Law as Village Solicitor. He's doing a fine job; we are very satisfied, across the boards.<br /><br /><b>First Reading of Ordinance: Solar Project with AMP</b><br /><br /><b>Resolution: Authorizing Application for the Ohio Public Works Commission Round 25 Issue One Grant for Construction of the CBE-Dayton Yellow Springs Street Intersection.</b> This is a grant application for the construction of an entrance to the Center for Business and education, and the creation of a safe intersection with Dayton Street.<br /><br /><b>Resolution: Approving Train Station Lease</b> with the Chamber of Commerce.<br /><br /><b>Ordinance: Revising the Economic Sustainability Board: </b>This is a minor revision, having to do with clarifying the membership, I believe.<br /><br /><u><b>SPECIAL REPORT</b></u><br /><br /><b>Update on Safe Routes to School--Ed Amrhein<br /><u><br />OLD BUSINESS</u><br /></b><br /><b>Plan Fluoridation Meeting:</b> I have worked on this with several villagers over the summer--Vickie Hennessy, Carl Hyde, Angela Brintlinger, and Steve Conn all provided helpful input. It's tentatively scheduled for Saturday, November 13th (or the 6th, as an alternative). An afternoon meeting, to begin at 1:30 pm and last no more than 2 hours. 3 speakers--one pro, one con, and one on ethics.<br /><br /><b>Review 2010 Goals.</b> We will examine these to see what more needs to be completed.<br /><br /><u><b>NEW BUSINESS</b></u><br /><br />Mental Health and Recovery Board Presentation (Greta Mayer)<br />Report on Annual Audit<br />Visioning Discussion<br /><b>2011 Council Goals Initial Discussion</b>: We hope that we can complete our goals discussion early so that we can have a Budget in place much earlier than in the past several years.<br /><br /><u><b>REPORTS</b></u> from Manager and Clerk<br /><br />----<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">FOR LABOR DAY, my own meditation on my first job, walking beans.</span> I wrote this for my English 101 class this week (in response to my own assignment):<br /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;" align="center">Scarred for Life</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>On my left leg is an old scar—a slash at about a forty-five degree angle to the ground.<span> </span>It marks the place where my oldest sister, Karla, sliced through a shock of volunteer corn in our father’s bean field with her trusty machete—and also through my six-year-old calf.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>I will never forget that moment.<span> </span>The sky was blue, the dirt was black, the sun was hot, and the green of the fields stretched on and on between gravel roads.<span> </span>I think I was deliberately standing in the shade of the corn plants, avoiding the rising ripples of Iowa heat for a June moment.<span> </span>We were at the end of a round, drinking from a dusty, insulated plastic water jug and reapplying the pathetic 1970s suntan lotions that we used to try to avoid becoming burnt to a freckled, blistered crisp—even as we walked in cut offs, bikini tops, and seed-corn hats with our pony tails popping out the back.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>I remember feeling just a strange jolt, not pain.<span> </span>I looked down to see the blood lips of skin and flesh splitting open.<span> </span>I was strongly aware of the odd lack of pain—it was a huge gash, but it didn’t hurt.<span> </span>This numbed sensation convinced me that I must be dying.<span> </span>For sure.<span> </span>How else could a huge wound not be painful, unless I already had one foot, maybe one whole leg, in the grave?<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>My sister tells me I looked at her with a doleful, reproachful gaze that only a wounded child can muster and said, “Oh, for Pete’s sake, Karla!”<span> </span>She was just thirteen years old, and I now know that she felt horrible.<span> </span>She’d just sliced through the leg of her little sister!<span> </span>But she didn’t realize that I believed I was mortally wounded, and those were possibly my last words on earth.<span> </span>Oh, for Pete’s sake.<span> </span>Karla.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>The thing is, I hated “walking beans,” which is what we called the act of walking up and down the rows of beans, in the days before Round-Up Herbicide, TM, and Round-Up Ready, TM,<span> </span>beans, pulling and hoeing weeds or, if there was almost more volunteer corn from last year’s crop than there were beans,<span> </span>stalking the rows of green pimpled beans with machetes, slashing away below the growth line of the new shoots of corn, sprung up where whole ears had fallen off last year, before the John Deere combine had passed through the rows.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Now, I had started walking beans when I was four years old—it was how farm families avoided child care expenses.<span> </span>I got paid $.25 an hour, to get out to the fields with my family by 7 AM, and then walk up and down the half-mile rows, supposedly weeding the row on my left and my right, until 12 noon, when we’d break for lunch and then mom would let us go swimming up town at the local pool.<span> </span>(I suspect my mom and my sister, on either side, did most of the work when I was four.)<span> </span>My sisters and my mom would work 4 or 6 or even 8 rows at a time, if the field was pretty clean.<span> </span><span> </span>I just had to take care of my two rows.<span> </span>Other families hired teams of Mexican workers, or high school student teams raising money for a church trip.<span> </span>But our family mostly just did the work ourselves, and my parents paid us for our efforts.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Admittedly, walking the beans was better than “picking rocks,” which is what we called going out in the back of the pick-up, in the early spring, driving catty-wampus across the empty fields, watching for the larger stones that had worked themselves up through the winter—gifts from the glaciers that had scraped across this land thousands of years before.<span> </span>We’d yell, “ROCK!” when we’d see one.<span> </span>The pick-up would stop, and we’d jump off, run over to the rock, dig it up with hands, a hoe, or a small shovel, and toss it in the back of the truck, readying ourselves for another bumpy ride across the blank field.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Of course, I didn’t die from my sister’s machete slice—my mother ran over, tied one of my white socks around my bleeding leg, and carried me to the pickup truck.<span> </span>She rushed me into the emergency room at the local hospital (which no longer exists), and they stitched me up then and there—ten stitches, under the hot white lights of a small operating room.<span> </span>In fact, only when they started to anesthetize my leg—a process that kind of fascinated me—did my mom quietly begin to faint. A nurse ran over, scrambling to find some smelling salts to revive her.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>I carry that scar with me today, and I have come to value it, in a strange way.<span> </span>When I was a kid, it was a tool I could use to make my sister feel really bad, and it gave me this very story of an exciting event that mobilized our whole world around me and my well being.<span> </span>The third of four children, and one of dozens of grandchildren on both sides, I was a child who needed tangible proofs of my value:<span> </span>I was deeply impressed that my mother would drop everything, pay any price the hospital asked, to have me healthy and whole.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>As I grew older, it became the sign that I was not a soft, city kid: I had worked hard all my life, and I had the scar to prove it.<span> </span>But I was, I knew, absolutely not about to stay in that life.<span> </span>It was also a sign that I had a “better” life to lead—away from the dust and grime of hot mornings in the field.<span> </span>Away from blowing my nose and having it come out black with dirt; or walking in muck so thick and deep that it sucked off our shoes, leaving us stranded in our socks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Apparently, kids in my home county don’t really walk beans any more.<span> </span>There’s really no need, now that round-up can be sprayed on the crops, killing all the weeds whose names and leaves I learned to recognize on sight—cocklebur, thistle, ironweed, sunflower, choke cherry, deadly nightshade, and buttonweed.<span> </span>The crop lines are smooth, and the horizon is dotted by wind turbines, their massive blades spinning swiftly in the constant wind that has blown across those fields since the dawn of time, slicing it into fragments.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>It would be weird to say that I’m glad that my sister slashed my leg open with her machete that day when I was just six years old.<span> </span>But, in a strange way, it’s true.<span> </span>Some how that wound opened up the world for me.<span> </span>It seems both to keep me grounded in my past and also striving toward a new and different life—suitably haunted by the loss of the old farm life that has been plowed over and sprayed down with chemicals that I don’t fully understand, or trust. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>But mostly it assures me of my family’s love, faith, and integrity—the invisible ground that I’m still walking on and supported by; the garden I need to tend and guard, with sharpened hoe and machete.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> --------</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> Peace!<br />LoriLori Askelandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11601576950553569506noreply@blogger.com0