Comments on The Bainbridge Island Postscript: The Power of Information

Time to not merely change to a city-manager form o...

2008-04-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

Time to not merely change to a city-manager form of government - but as well to call for an investigation by the WA State Attorney General with a firm commitment to reveal the entire truth, all the players and hold all legally accountable - i.e., "no immunity."

The more I think about what has gone on the last f...

2008-04-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

The more I think about what has gone on the last four years, the more I think this is about issues of control. People said that when Darlene was a member of the Planning Commission, she would come with books and books of planning ideas, and read out what great planning mind said what. With that kind of outlook, and being a control-minded person, taking the reins of government was the ultimate drug. Add in the paid adulation of people like Randy Witt, and having had her own private urban designer on staff, and it became one giant Lego set. And imagine what a narcissistic personality felt like when they heard Tom Haggar and Tom Nakata whispering "You can be great!" The only problem is that she ran out of our money. And now she is trying to cover up the fact that she ran down our cash balances and ran up credit card debt to keep paying all the consultants and staff people carrying out studies. Is she going to go down with the ship, saying everything is all right and that we simply have to dare to be great?

"An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, ...

2008-04-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

"An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation.” —John Marshall

Bainbridge is now part of a far larger problem, elitism. The economic well being of the homeowning citizens of this Island are being held hostage by a Mayor who considers herself anointed rather than simply elected. At every turn there a total lack of respect for the citizenry who must pay the bill for this arrogance and any pretense of citizen involvement dissolves when it is in conflict with the narrow interests of those who support the contiuing deprecations of this City administration.
It is all the more disheatening that a community, that numbers so many otherwise informed individuals, allows itself to be continually denied access to the unpleasant truths of the failures of the Island government, that they elected, to protect their common interests and maintain the quality and well being of all the inhabitants.

Years ago back in New York City there was an a li...

2008-04-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

Years ago back in New York City there was an a line people would use about their mega utility (ConEdison) as far as their deafness to complaints and indifernce to their customer: "ConEd doesn't care ~~ they don't have to." That applies to COBI sadly. If the people march on COBI and demand their rights, we will see the ugly side of a politicized Police Chief and department.

A remedy may the the route of a Mayoral recall if you want to remove the main obstacle -- and perhaps remove a Councilperson with the package.

Where's our island's "David" to stop the City's Go...

2008-04-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Where's our island's "David" to stop the City's Goliath? A few intrepid Council members & what seems like an army of community activists at times can't seem to stop the BI Goliath.
When will we all march into City Hall and demand what's due us? After all, the taxpayers paid for the survey. How much time do you need, Administration, to come up with your spin on this document of truth?
We ask nothing more than that the Mayor and the Council majority (it was Franz, Peters, Snow & Stoknes who voted to send another $1.3 million off island to Heery INTERNATIONAL) walk the talk and listen to the community, listen to our own City Finance Director, listen to what's happening to our national economy. Our plea is that you not wait for David to strike the knockout blow. "Trust me" doesn't work any more.

Right on, McCoy. We have indeed been bushwhacked, ...

2008-04-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Right on, McCoy. We have indeed been bushwhacked, hoodwinked and generally duped for too many years with regards to ethical standards in City Hall.

Now, of course, that the Heery International Contract and the upcoming vote on council bonds (taxpayer debt to pay Heery for more work on the Streetscape that we can’t afford) are up on city council's April 23 agenda, we learn about the Missing In Action Community Values and Priorities survey results. Why are those results scheduled for presentation AFTER city council members vote for the contract and funding? Looks like the fix is in.

Here's a prediction: Proponents of the Heery/Streetscape/bond debt will attempt to take the focus off of the deliberately delayed scientifically valid phone survey results. McCoy & Others will be accused of undermining the still-to-come online survey. Of course there will be no mention that the online survey is, by any professional survey standards, invalid because it is not random. Be sure to watch BITV on April 23 for the next installment of “Truth or Consequences.”

Speaking of the power of information and the contr...

2008-04-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

Speaking of the power of information and the controlling of information/disinformation by Mayor, Council and staff, before Mary Jo Briggs left, she tried to lure BITV into the city's web. Demands were made for BITV to be rolled into one of the COBI departments. Can you imagine what would have happened to the quality and the quantity of sunlight shown on COBI by the running cameras.

Mayor k is a master Machiavellian character with her tentacles into all these projects and cabals. Add to this a toothless Council and we have our current governmental anarchy.

I think the withholding of the survey results is e...

2008-04-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

I think the withholding of the survey results is even more of an affront to the community than all the deficit spending they can dream up. You have got to be kidding! Was the whole a survey a community relations fraud? Listen up Madame Mayor et al: the public is not a thorn in the side of city government to be tolerated, we are the city.

Two words...COUNCIL-MANAGER (OK, one hyphenated wo...

2008-04-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

Two words...COUNCIL-MANAGER (OK, one hyphenated word!)