Council Meeting June 4 2007

Pull up the boot straps and batten down the hatches. Next meeting it's here we go again!!

A meeting presumed by some to be swift and uneventful turned out to be quit a surprise with all CM present. The Communications – City Officials portion of the meeting cooked up some heated discussion.

Cm Gahan labored on with his pursuit for financial accountability from the sewer board. “All I am asking here is for someone to give me a legitimate budget that the board has voted to approve. That’s not asking too much is it?” There was not much discussion at this point. After all who wants to sign on to a budget with that balance sheet?

CM Price brought to the attention of the council a list of possible road/ally closures by CSX for railroad repairs along 15th street. After some discussion council seemed to agree that the work was going to be done to benefit CSX and not the City of New Albany. I understand CSX stands to gain funds from the state if the tracks and crossings are deemed safer. I guess if a large corporation profits in some way it must be bad for someone. On a side bar here, Cm Price definitely made it sound like he was in communication with CSX and that they were working with him on this issue. When Cm Price was prodded for a second time as to who he was talking to and who gave him this information, amidst a few chuckles from a council member or two and a few from the peanut gallery, he confessed Valla Ann gave them to me. Now you all can hate this woman all you want and say what you wish. As for me I always strive to find a positive within everyone. Regardless of how you see her motives, Valla Ann is a “Go-Getter”. May I suggest reading the book by Peter B. Kyne? It is one of my favorites.

CM Coffey brought to council’s attention his concern that EMC is forcing people to sign confidentiality agreements or lose their jobs to prevent dishonorable information from reaching the public. He states again that we should discontinue our relationship with this company. Later in the miscellaneous communications portion, EMC states this is an issue with just one particular employee who is leaving the company and the information EMC wants kept confidential is related solely to the personal issues between the employee and EMC.

Back to the Communications-City Officials portion, CM Blevens jumps on the Gahan band wagon to revisit the sewer board budget. After repeatedly asking why the sewer board has not signed off on this budget CM Kochert finally gave in and said it is because the president of the board (The Mayor) hasn’t presented it to us to vote on!! I think I will give 20-1 odds that the Mayor “WILL” be at the next council meeting!! For those of you who read the Kathy Copas post from this site that the Tribune published, if you know business people looking to check out New Albany by sitting in on a council meeting, have them skip this next one.

Three more properties have been cleaned up at a total cost to the city of just $6,500.00. Of course if we ever collect that money it will go into the general fund where it will be lost forever.

CM Coffey pulled an ordinance to appropriate funds to the storm water dept. He doesn’t like their budget and is sure that they have spent some of the money not yet appropriated to them. This topic is another reason to follow the suggestion from two paragraphs preceding.

Look for some “special” council meetings to be called soon and beware the notice can be as little as 48hrs.

I will miss the next meeting. Hope to see video back in service.