What Does Bill Schmidt Have Against Codes Enforcement?
I try to give the benefit of the doubt to members of the New Albany city council, believe it or not. But sometimes I can't begin to understand what motivates them.
What turned into a multi-year effort to create the position of Ordinance Enforcement Officer to enforce the city traffic, parking, and cleanliness codes reached what was thought to be a successful conclusion at the beginning of 2005.
Due in no small part to the tireless lobbying of our neighborhood associations (Greg Roberts and ESSNA, take a bow), the council and administration agreed to create the position. Setting aside my own belief that this was just the first step in creating a vigorous codes enforcement regime, it seemed that the council was being responsive to its constituents.
As of today, however, the council has refused to give the mayor the resources to fill that position. As of today, the ordinance authorizing a salary for that position lies on the table where 2nd district council member Bill Schmidt put it.
Of course, the recent kerfluffle over state-mandated budget cuts gave Mr. Schmidt all the cover he needed to defer action to authorize the hiring of an OEO. Schmidt and others simply went into hibernation until they could find out, to the penny, just how much the penalty would be for financial mismanagement during the previous administration.
Mayor Garner, by his nature, is seldom one to demand anything from council and he continues to show deference to the prerogatives of council, having served there previously. Quite obviously, I'm a bit less hesitant about such things.
The council has known for months what the budget bite was going to be, within a reasonable margin, so I can only assume that funding the OEO position is the absolute lowest priority of Mr. Schmidt and the other council members who are keeping this matter on the table.
Does Mr. Schmidt believe that the neighborhood associations and the residents of New Albany expended all that effort just to get a feel-good sense-of-the-council resolution about ordinance enforcement?
Does Mr. Schmidt believe we have forgotten the commitment to real codes enforcement? Is there some hidden reward that motivates him to delay the enforcement of ordinances designed to whip the slumlords and others into shape and make our community more livable?
Does Mr. Schmidt live in the same fantasy world his colleague Mr. Coffey inhabits? You'll remember Mr. Coffey's belief that "quality of life just happens." Does Mr. Schmidt believe "codes enforcement just happens?"
The time for shell games is over, Mr. Schmidt. If it ever was, our attention is no longer diverted. Bring the OEO pay ordinance off the table and bring it to a vote. Your constituents aren't fooled.
What turned into a multi-year effort to create the position of Ordinance Enforcement Officer to enforce the city traffic, parking, and cleanliness codes reached what was thought to be a successful conclusion at the beginning of 2005.
Due in no small part to the tireless lobbying of our neighborhood associations (Greg Roberts and ESSNA, take a bow), the council and administration agreed to create the position. Setting aside my own belief that this was just the first step in creating a vigorous codes enforcement regime, it seemed that the council was being responsive to its constituents.
As of today, however, the council has refused to give the mayor the resources to fill that position. As of today, the ordinance authorizing a salary for that position lies on the table where 2nd district council member Bill Schmidt put it.
Of course, the recent kerfluffle over state-mandated budget cuts gave Mr. Schmidt all the cover he needed to defer action to authorize the hiring of an OEO. Schmidt and others simply went into hibernation until they could find out, to the penny, just how much the penalty would be for financial mismanagement during the previous administration.
Mayor Garner, by his nature, is seldom one to demand anything from council and he continues to show deference to the prerogatives of council, having served there previously. Quite obviously, I'm a bit less hesitant about such things.
The council has known for months what the budget bite was going to be, within a reasonable margin, so I can only assume that funding the OEO position is the absolute lowest priority of Mr. Schmidt and the other council members who are keeping this matter on the table.
Does Mr. Schmidt believe that the neighborhood associations and the residents of New Albany expended all that effort just to get a feel-good sense-of-the-council resolution about ordinance enforcement?
Does Mr. Schmidt believe we have forgotten the commitment to real codes enforcement? Is there some hidden reward that motivates him to delay the enforcement of ordinances designed to whip the slumlords and others into shape and make our community more livable?
Does Mr. Schmidt live in the same fantasy world his colleague Mr. Coffey inhabits? You'll remember Mr. Coffey's belief that "quality of life just happens." Does Mr. Schmidt believe "codes enforcement just happens?"
The time for shell games is over, Mr. Schmidt. If it ever was, our attention is no longer diverted. Bring the OEO pay ordinance off the table and bring it to a vote. Your constituents aren't fooled.
posted by All4Word at 10:32 AM
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