Here we are in the latter stages of February and land sakes, honeybunch, this has been one o’ the coldest, wettest we’ve seen in a long time. It seems we’re having a storm every two days or so, and when we think it’s over, the next one comes rolling in. Yeah, we’ve had rain, but the snow is the story. We’ve had more small- and medium-sized storms in these parts than in a dog’s age. So much for “global warming”!
Tennyrate, things in the Asylum by the Sea are doing what they normally do in these weeks, slow down a bit. It seems like February is always a bit less active as we head into the last month of winter. Things don’t stop, but they seem to go indoors a bit, whilst everyone is getting ready for spring to arrive.
Of course, in February the nuts and bolts of the mayor’s budget, which is set to be presented to the City Council next month, is being put together piece by piece. And it is a very important one as I’ve mentioned to yew in the past. This is the one that might see the end of the Municipal Accountability Review Board, or MARB, that has been the overseer of all our financials since jest before Christmas 2017.
Effen this budget gits the once-over and the MARB puts its imprimatur on it they might ride into the sunset – or at least head outta town to find other towns and cities to peer over. It’s got some o’ the longtime politicos in the berg hoping so. Nobody likes to be elected to anything with the supposed authority, only to have that job done with a group of outsiders lookin’ over your shoulder.
Sooooo, in the halls of the Actors Colony, Herroner and her band of Merry Accountants determine what and how much each department will get, and what the mill rate ill be.
That, dearie, is gonna the be thing the taxpayers in this commune wanna know above all else. We had revaluation this year. They do it every five years now, not every ten like it used to be. Seems you jest get used to one assessment, and a new one comes down the pike.
Well, the new assessments will be – for the most part – skewed higher than the current ones. Property values have gone up just cuz the housing market is soooo overheated. We’ve seen this before.
The valuation is not based on the actual worth of the home or business, but on the market value, which is much higher.
The mill rate, which is in the mid-30s not including fire taxes, will probably be adjusted down a bit, but effen history plays out, there still will be a bit of an increase in the overall taxes paid.
The Bored of Assessment Appeals usually gits a slew of appeals cuz many houses are not visited and things are ascribed to the properties that might not be so. Most people don’t’ go through the process, but many do.
We shall see how this all pans out come next month, but whilst it looks a bit on the quiet side, much is going on that could affect many taxpayers. Stay tuned.
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The Wag was in t’other afternoon, and he – as always – had a query or two that he wanted answered. One of the topics was the Allingtown Library. As yew remember one of the things the Borer administration announced was the conversion of Lincoln School-cum Blake Building into the new location for the Piantino Library.
It’s been more than a little while since the library, which was once in the former Forest School Building, was closed and the stacks housed in the main library on Elm Street. The hope was that a new location could be found. That wallowed for about three years or so with some red herrings thrown in the mix until Herroner came up with the Blake Building as the site.
Now, as anyone can tell yew, that was a site brought up when the library was first forced to close, and it was pooh-poohed by the powers that be at the time. Well, here we are, and what was found to be not very appealing is now aces. Times change.
Now that the decision has been made, not much has happened. Sooo, he was wondering how things are going along. One wonders effen the aforementioned budget announcement next month will have some details about it. In the meanwhile, thee Wat is chomping at the bit wanting some info. Don’t’ we all.
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Sammy Bluejay saw that new zoning regulations were passed jest last week to as the reports said make things “exciting” and “more accessible.” Let’s hope so. This is on the heels of the announcement of the new plans for downtown, which we discussed a month or so back.
The downtown, for example, has been the thorn in the side of many an administration, and seeing zoning regs called “exciting” is a new one, even for ole gals like you and I. One has visions of adolescent boys hiding their zoning regs inside their comic books!
Sammy sez that those in charge of the projeck think it’s gonna make our little part of the universe a bit more attractive to those who might wanna drop some kopecks into the development of something or t’other. Again, one can only hope!
We like the new plans that were brought up for downtown and the new idea for the former Masonic Temple, changing it from an arts center into a place for public meetings ain’t a bad idea. Anything is better than watching the building deteriorate from lack of use.
So, we’ll see where this goes. The administration has a lotta new ideas and whilst many of them might move the needle slightly, one or two might move it off the dial. It only takes one or two, after all.
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We saw the jest-hired PR gal for the school system, interestingly named Kirkegard (only one a), determined that she had an offer too good to pass up, and left the job weeks after warming the office chair. From a newspaper standpoint, we hop the Board of Ed can get somebody to do as well as the first person who had the job.
Since then, getting stuff outta the school system, even on an ad hoc basis, has been akin to pulling hens’ teeth. There has to be a lot happening in the schools system one would think besides the politicos reading to classes or setch. It is February, there has to be a slew of things going on
We hope they git this thing fixed People wanna know what’s going on in their schools, and wonder why the school system ain’t publicizing them.
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Nelly Nuthatch mentioned the other day that she saw some “improvements” are gonna be made to our choo-choo station. Jest the usual upkeep and update stuff that one expecks for such a heavily used operation. We looked back during the conversation an were surprised to realize it’s been about 12 years since the station was opened.
And, of course, that took us back to more than 20 years ago when the idea for a train station for the city was nixed by the town fathers, only to be resurrected by a groundswell headed by Mikey Mercuriano. But realizin’ that it was 12 years since the projeck was finished was something. Tempus does fugit. And, the older you git, the more fugit it goes.
One of the things I remember about it is the hue and cry by those against it – mostly politicos – that the things would be a waste of time and space. “Nobody will use it,” they said.
Go by that area any time of the day, sweets, and it is busy. No, very busy! It has been one of the best things the city has every accomplished, and been a big help to people who have to git to work or go to the city. And, jest to put a fine point on it: it’s been 12 years since it was opened. Yikes!
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Today will be the last isshew that Eleanore Turkington has her colyume. Our esteemed editor will have more to say about it elsewhere, but El and Cobina go back quite a few weeks. It’s hard to believe that her Gripe Vine is going to cease after all these years.
She’s helped a lotta people over that time, and been a friend to many with her quick wit and ready smile. We will miss her, and hope she is able to relax and enjoy herself.
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzes,
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