Academy of Local Politics

It doesn't matter what a City Council does, somebody won't like it. Every decision is criticized by someone. Oakridge, Oregon , a sleepy little mountain town of 3700 in southern Oregon proves that.

What has their City Council done? Well, according to OregonLive.Com they plan ... to sell 18 acres in the city's industrial park to Atherton Properties. The Nevada company plans an 800,000-square-foot building housing up to 16 businesses and creating an estimated 545 jobs.

That's not all.

Another major development came to light last week when the City Council approved the sale of a 2-acre parcel along Highway 58 that formerly housed the city's public works department to a Eugene real estate group that, according to sales documents, hopes to use it and adjacent land to develop an outlet mall.

How horrible to some..

35-year resident Bob Gardner, a tree faller, said he was not pleased. "I don't like all the people moving into Oakridge," he said. "I like it like it is. You can pull out onto the road without a bunch of traffic like Sisters has."

It doesn't matter where these developments took place, there would be some people who would oppose it. Even if it does mean good paying jobs and lower priced goods.

Nothing, absolutely nothing can be done by any City Council anywhere, without someone not liking the decision. 

Oakridge is not unique.

Blight. It means different things ... to different people. But, every community has it in some form.

We learn from TimesUnion.com the story of how the City of Albany, NY is fighting blight.

A month after Mayor Jerry Jennings unveiled his plan to battle blight, Police Chief James Tuffey said the city is preparing to launch a systematic program to identify problem properties and force changes.

Tuffey, who was put in charge of the mayor's "Block by Block" initiative, briefed some Common Council members and neighborhood activists Tuesday at the Albany Public Safety Building. Standing in a conference room, Tuffey was surrounded with maps on the walls and large sheets of paper filled with proposals.

Huh? The Police Chief is in charge of urban renewal?

He was "surrounded with maps on the walls ..."

Who would want their Police Chief to be "surrounded with maps on the walls" that dealt with building violations and trash removal?

Truthfully, if you were to start a War on Blight, would your Police Chief be your choice to "put in charge"?

Not only that...

A police officer who gets a call that work is being done illegally will one day have access to check whether a plumbing or building permit has been issued.

Yes, police officers are going to be checking up on plumbing and building permits? They will be paying uniformed officer pay and benefits to enforce building permits?

Now, I always say ... Not every idea is so good it would work everywhere. Not every idea is so bad it would not work somewhere.

So ... maybe this bad idea will work in Albany?

An unused relic from the past! When rail was king.

Note the budding trees.

Speaking of Spring. I received a dozen Milwaukee Brewer pocket schedules from the Media Relations Department.  They will be available first come, first serve at the Clerk's Office.

Which brings up a touchy subject. Who is eligible for CommonSensevile.US benefits, such as Minnow Barrels or Brewer Schedules.

Let's talk about those Minnow Barrels. On Saturday I posted that we had two minnow barrels that were still for lease this year. It only took a couple of minutes this morning for those to be claimed and a new waiting list developed. The lease on these Minnow Barrels are only for citizens of CommonSenseville.US. Rural residents need not apply. 

But, they did. Six non-residents of CommonSenseville.US contacted Ronni Copper at Parks/Rec/Cemetery. One wanted to be first on a new waiting list of non-residents, just in case the City Council changes policy. No. Sorry. We are not going to start a waiting list of people ineligible to lease minnow barrels.

As for the pocket schedules, there is no paperwork required. You just reach out and grab one. No ID required.

Last week I wrote about the Economic Summit I attended. Over the weekend I found this report at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel web site.  Menard's the local home improvement giant (Eau Claire, WI) was importing firewood into Wisconsin in violation of "a federal quarantine designed to keep the emerald ash borer from hitching a ride into the state."

Excuse me. Importing firewood INTO Wisconsin. Just so I have this straight. Importing firewood INTO Wisconsin.

And, it isn't even good firewood!

Come on John. This has to come up on the same weekend you get some great press at your local Eau Claire Leader Telegram. If there is one thing we got in Wisconsin, its firewood. I don't know why, but it seems to me that Menard's should be shipping Wisconsin wood out?

Depending on how the next Economic Summit goes, maybe I'll bring it up. It does seem like a reasonable question to ask.

Mayor Al