The “Responsible Bidder” ordinance passed by a 4-1 vote. I don’t recall who the opposing vote was from. (I guess I’ll have to go take a look at the tape.) Interestingly, the clause in the ordinance that I had particularly objected to was altered. Potential bidders don’t need to participate in or provide funding for apprenticeship programs if they pay their workers “journeyman” wages, whatever that is.
I really have to wonder why our elected officials, who are supposed to be acting as our agents, are so worried that we might not pay the people we hire enough compensation. I want to pay them as little as possible. After all, I thought we were going to start running the town “like a business”. What business leader lies awake at night trying to figure out how to limit his vendor options and how to pay more for labor? Certainly not my boss!
The best comment on the issue came from Tom Dilberger, who warned that legislation like this drags into our affairs organizations such as the IRS …”a good group of guys”, the Dept of Labor…”another good group of guys”, and OSHA….”probably the worst group of guys since Al Qaeda”.
In other business, the council also voted 4-1 to hire a consultant, Ms. Megan Downing to assist borough administrator Colleen Connolly. We’re told that we’re lucky to have her and that she’s way overqualified for the job. I suppose I should be happy to be getting such a bargain but I am concerned that she’s never participated in a consultant apprenticeship program approved by the Department of Labor. She must be no good.
The SID hearing was a little weird. Sal Marchese, president of the SID, presented the SID budget to the council and then the hearing was opened up to the public. First to speak was Robert Harris of Belmar Self-Storage. He expressed his dissatisfaction at being charged the full SID assessment even though, his business being on 13th Avenue, he enjoyed no benefit from any improvement provided by the SID. Next up was Belmar devotee Connie Dellaportas who shared Mr. Harris’ displeasure with the increasing cost of having a business here in town. After Ms. Dellaporte some crazy guy went up there and tried (probably in vain) to make the Council see the immorality involved in using force against peaceful honest people like Mr. Harris, and asked the Council to demonstrate some accountability to him since they are the ones taxing him. After the crazy guy, resident Patricia Corea asked that the vote be put off until the deficiencies with the SID are addressed. (Improvement District….Improve thyself!) Finally Tom Burke, my former running-mate, spoke about among other things the need for a “parking summit” to address that issue.
The strange thing was that even though a hearing was held, a resolution to have the vote was left off the agenda so there was no vote on the matter. I suspect this was not an oversight and that the mayor wanted more time before making a decision. Presumably it will be on the agenda for the next meeting, so the public will have another chance to comment before the vote.
Other news is that we’re having a property revaluation in 2016 and that we are scrapping the 2003 Seaport Redevelopment Plan. To that I say good riddance and replace it with nothing. All these government plans do is interfere with people’s wishes to enjoy their property. I asked the Council to keep any new plan as modest as possible.
And this just in off the wires……………
Al Qaeda, apparently offended at being compared to OSHA, has issued a fatwa against Tom Dilberger!
Adam Yahiye Gadahn, a former Osama bin Laden spokesman and now the American spokesman for the group, said in an audio speech posted on militant websites: “Yeah, we’re evil and we’ve killed a lot of people, but c’mon, we’re no OSHA. Allah Akbar! Death to America! Death to Tom Dilberger!”
I guess I have more readers than I thought!
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