Picture the City Council like the Panda...that's how today was and for the citizens and how it should always be.
"When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson
No the people didn't get everything they wanted, but our leaders seemed a little bit more conducive to what the public wants and maybe realized these people showing up at these meetings aren't going away...at least I hope not....
Now, on to the meeting...
The government spent....THE END!
I know you know me by now and you know I'm kidding but, they did spend, it's just not the end...there is never an end. But it was a good day at the council in that THE PEOPLE were in the house...or what we formally know as City Hall. It was packed with citizens still concerned with about the cuts to Fire and Police. I would just like to say, in a perfect world, it would be packed like today at every meeting, even after this issue has died down. This is how you hold your officials accountable. By being present or at the least, knowing what's going on downtown so that you and everyone can hold your leaders accountable.
A good portion of the meeting was spent on the following..
(WMC) - Once again city retirees, employees, and supporters packed the chamber as Memphis City Council approved three proposal to ease the pain of previously passed budget cuts.The council approved a $2 million "safety net" for certain retirees by a vote of eight to three.
A plan by council members Jim Strickland and Shea Flinn was also approved to fill gaps in the cuts approved in June. It makes up for some previously passed cuts."
Read whole thing here...
http://bit.ly/1DhB62A
Mike Williams, head of the Memphis Police Association mentioned that an audit of the City of Memphis might be needed and also that in Memphis certain people have prospered and deals and contracts have been made with the inference that some things may have been underhanded or not above board. Councilman Bill Boyd seemed to take great offense to this and told Mike Williams that he was starting to sound like Bill Hawkins from the MLGW Union. Boyd sounded to me like...well...me thinks he doth protest too much. This is the 2nd time I have heard him mention Hawkins at one of these meetings in a negative way. Struck a nerve has he?
The talk about an audit was interesting. An audit of the City of Memphis? Bring it on! Councilman Lowery stated he was all for it. Sure, Loooooowery is all for an audit. I'll leave that one for others to decide. Councilman Joe Brown piped in to clarify that Loooooowery had stated that Brown had called for an audit and he wanted everyone to know that the CIty of Memphis doesn't not want an audit because there will be things that will be found. Well, alrighty then, Lowery wants it, Brown knows there is stuff to be found and I'm sure everyone else on the council wants one. Hahaha, just kidding, of course they don't. Except for maybe Wanda Halbert and yes, Janis Fulilove. They at least are not doing the administrations bidding.
Something that stuck me as odd to say the least. There was conversation about where the money would come from to fund the 2 million dollar safety net. Very good questions were asked. Apparently, 1 million would come from the Methodist Lebonheur Health Foundation? That struck me as odd. Is the City of Memphis taking 1 million dollars from a foundation that was created "to serve as an instrument to assist, advance and strengthen Methodist Healthcare in the ministry of healing; in its community healthcare services; in its provision of educational excellence for students in various health fields; and its related health and humanitarian endeavors."? I got that from their website. Another 500,000 would come from Cigna and apparently the other 500,000 would mysteriously appear through a portal from another world that has not yet been found or known to exist at all but that's how this works you know...monopoly money. That's your government on crack. You think I'm kidding, I'm only half kidding. They didn't know where the other 500,000 would come from but they would seriously scan the different funds (of monopoly) money and come up with it if need be. Yeah, a city audit can't come fast enough for me.
Also mentioned by Mike Williams was the fact that there is currently an investigation going on of council members who may have profited from their positions. Say it isn't so...elected officials profiting from their positions? It can't be...it just can't be...or can it? I hope we find out soon but I will say there were some quiet councilmen tonight. I won't name any names but they have not been mentioned here in this recap.
I have included video of the meeting for you guys that can't get enough, fast forward to 1:50 and listen to what Brown says about an audit for interesting stuff and 1:56 to hear Mike Williams comments about an audit and an independent audit...shortly after Mike you can hear Bill Boyd protesting too much...
I am still having trouble getting the video I want to upload but below is a link to the full meeting and at the bottom is the link with Joe Browns comments...
http://memphis.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=6&clip_id=4424
Regarding the other issues I wrote about earlier during the week: 5,000,000 in CIP funds for the Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing? It's a go, there was no discussion, just rubber stamped because..you know.. it's only monopoly money anyways right?
I still don't have the scoop on the fee on top of the fine regarding electronically written tickets...it's a work in progress...bear with me....
And the other things? National Welcoming Week which is about highlighting the contributions of immigrants to American communities... well they were welcomed and there was talk about diversity, acceptance, equality, decency, respect,etc and other feel-good terminology that elected officials like to throw around to show their political correctness and how they are down with anything and everything that is currently the in-thing for the elites to be showboating about. It doesn't really mean anything, but hey, they mean well, right?
Investigations, audits, and who knows what else is in the works? I don't know, but it's sure to be exciting...
Until next time...
"When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson
No the people didn't get everything they wanted, but our leaders seemed a little bit more conducive to what the public wants and maybe realized these people showing up at these meetings aren't going away...at least I hope not....
Now, on to the meeting...
The government spent....THE END!
I know you know me by now and you know I'm kidding but, they did spend, it's just not the end...there is never an end. But it was a good day at the council in that THE PEOPLE were in the house...or what we formally know as City Hall. It was packed with citizens still concerned with about the cuts to Fire and Police. I would just like to say, in a perfect world, it would be packed like today at every meeting, even after this issue has died down. This is how you hold your officials accountable. By being present or at the least, knowing what's going on downtown so that you and everyone can hold your leaders accountable.
A good portion of the meeting was spent on the following..
(WMC) - Once again city retirees, employees, and supporters packed the chamber as Memphis City Council approved three proposal to ease the pain of previously passed budget cuts.The council approved a $2 million "safety net" for certain retirees by a vote of eight to three.
A plan by council members Jim Strickland and Shea Flinn was also approved to fill gaps in the cuts approved in June. It makes up for some previously passed cuts."
Read whole thing here...
http://bit.ly/1DhB62A
Mike Williams, head of the Memphis Police Association mentioned that an audit of the City of Memphis might be needed and also that in Memphis certain people have prospered and deals and contracts have been made with the inference that some things may have been underhanded or not above board. Councilman Bill Boyd seemed to take great offense to this and told Mike Williams that he was starting to sound like Bill Hawkins from the MLGW Union. Boyd sounded to me like...well...me thinks he doth protest too much. This is the 2nd time I have heard him mention Hawkins at one of these meetings in a negative way. Struck a nerve has he?
The talk about an audit was interesting. An audit of the City of Memphis? Bring it on! Councilman Lowery stated he was all for it. Sure, Loooooowery is all for an audit. I'll leave that one for others to decide. Councilman Joe Brown piped in to clarify that Loooooowery had stated that Brown had called for an audit and he wanted everyone to know that the CIty of Memphis doesn't not want an audit because there will be things that will be found. Well, alrighty then, Lowery wants it, Brown knows there is stuff to be found and I'm sure everyone else on the council wants one. Hahaha, just kidding, of course they don't. Except for maybe Wanda Halbert and yes, Janis Fulilove. They at least are not doing the administrations bidding.
Something that stuck me as odd to say the least. There was conversation about where the money would come from to fund the 2 million dollar safety net. Very good questions were asked. Apparently, 1 million would come from the Methodist Lebonheur Health Foundation? That struck me as odd. Is the City of Memphis taking 1 million dollars from a foundation that was created "to serve as an instrument to assist, advance and strengthen Methodist Healthcare in the ministry of healing; in its community healthcare services; in its provision of educational excellence for students in various health fields; and its related health and humanitarian endeavors."? I got that from their website. Another 500,000 would come from Cigna and apparently the other 500,000 would mysteriously appear through a portal from another world that has not yet been found or known to exist at all but that's how this works you know...monopoly money. That's your government on crack. You think I'm kidding, I'm only half kidding. They didn't know where the other 500,000 would come from but they would seriously scan the different funds (of monopoly) money and come up with it if need be. Yeah, a city audit can't come fast enough for me.
Also mentioned by Mike Williams was the fact that there is currently an investigation going on of council members who may have profited from their positions. Say it isn't so...elected officials profiting from their positions? It can't be...it just can't be...or can it? I hope we find out soon but I will say there were some quiet councilmen tonight. I won't name any names but they have not been mentioned here in this recap.
I have included video of the meeting for you guys that can't get enough, fast forward to 1:50 and listen to what Brown says about an audit for interesting stuff and 1:56 to hear Mike Williams comments about an audit and an independent audit...shortly after Mike you can hear Bill Boyd protesting too much...
I am still having trouble getting the video I want to upload but below is a link to the full meeting and at the bottom is the link with Joe Browns comments...
http://memphis.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=6&clip_id=4424
Regarding the other issues I wrote about earlier during the week: 5,000,000 in CIP funds for the Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing? It's a go, there was no discussion, just rubber stamped because..you know.. it's only monopoly money anyways right?
I still don't have the scoop on the fee on top of the fine regarding electronically written tickets...it's a work in progress...bear with me....
And the other things? National Welcoming Week which is about highlighting the contributions of immigrants to American communities... well they were welcomed and there was talk about diversity, acceptance, equality, decency, respect,etc and other feel-good terminology that elected officials like to throw around to show their political correctness and how they are down with anything and everything that is currently the in-thing for the elites to be showboating about. It doesn't really mean anything, but hey, they mean well, right?
Investigations, audits, and who knows what else is in the works? I don't know, but it's sure to be exciting...
Until next time...
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