It’s done, sweetie pie. The new administration is ensconced in the thoid floor of the Actors Colony, and it’s gonna be interesting to see how things shake out. The Asylum by the Sea is a place where politics doesn’t stop for much, including holidays.
The run up to the inaugural on Sunday had its various gripes and setch. There are a genuine number of people who do not like the new incumbent, and have a “history” as they say. And whilst the new herroner would like to make it seem like she’s the adult in the room. There are many that remember how and why she got into the political game and “adult” was not a way they would describe it.
Still, when one reads her address from Sunday only a real partisan – and we have many here in town – cannot wish he well in what she wants to accomplish. And, don’t be fooled. There are some that are hoping she does exackly what she says she will.
Y’see hon, the politicos hereabouts know that the city’s financial shape is like somebody’s who has lived on junk food for the last 20 years, and then tries to run a marathon. It ain’t gonna happen unless some things change for the better.
It’s generally admitted that despite the sale of the bonds paying off the deficit two weeks ago, the probability the city is gonna have a shortfall in the last budget – still waiting for that audit – and that will put us a million or two behind, yet again.
Add to that the fack that the city got caught up in the state budget problems and has a hole in the current budget that has to be filled or cuts made, and yew see the problem.
Sammy Bluejay sez that the city, even if it agrees to take the $8 million from the state that it hoped to git won’t git it for quite some time. Effen that’s the case, it and other cities are gonna hafta hobble along or make changes in order to hobble along.
Herroner has instituted a hiring freeze and take some other steps, but the big query before the house, is not so much what they don’t have in the past or present budget and the shortfalls that might be “baked into” the documents, but what other spending might be found or corners cut. That’s how the Picard administration found out about the deficit a dozen years ago – through culling through the books.
Herroner sez she is a CPA and will have her work cut out for her, that’s for sure.
~~~
Meanwhile, Nelly Nuthatch sez that whilst the City Council was poised to elect a chairman Monday night, and it’ll probably be Ron Quagliani (a future mayoral candidate?) the people on the council are split into two camps and one wonders effen there is gonna be any agreement betwixt the two.
The way Nelly splits it, the council has seven members allied with the O’Brien-Morrissey faction, whilst there are five in the Rossi-Picard (he still kind of holds sway in some respects) faction. That would give one side somewhat of an advantage to make mischief, but remember Quagliani is a bit of an independent voice.
He irked more than a few when he didn’t get involved in the tong war that was the write-in campaign that split the party even further. Still, he’s getting the chairmanship, and that will mean that the deciding vote in some future political tussle could be the GOP minority rep.
This is gonna be an interesting couple o’ years hon. There’s gonna be lotsa ink and lotsa Internet talk and social media gab, yew can bet.
The one thing I can probably predict with accuracy is the split in the majority party is gonna continue, the taxpayers are gonna be the odd-men out whilst the politicos continue their in-fighting. Cooperation ain’t gonna be the goal, methinks. Though, I do hope Iyam wrong.
~~~
While all the political stuff is going on, one thing that seems to be missing is information about Vic Hogfeldt’s lawsuit against the school system for his termination. As yew remember, Vic was considered a perty good teacher until he wasn’t – according to the record. He was good until he started to ask questions about certain policies and about union activities. Then from a rather well thought of instructor, his evaluations began to go south.
Well, as we’ve seen before elsewhere, that is the modus operandi of those who try to “build a case” against someone. In fact, we are told that same MO is being used right now against one or t’other teacher and the expectation is that they can be axed via the same means.
Well, I ain’t heard too much about Vic’s case, but Iva Lootey tells me that it is in court. There are things going on, and some in the school system are surprised it’s gone this far. Usually one or the other principle tries to settle.
We hope that doesn’t happen cuz we think a full-blown trial will uncover many, many things that have been jest under the surface for years. There are some nasty people in the higher reaches of the school system, and they should be brought down a peg or three. Having their schemes and pettiness exposed to daylight is jest the right thing, methinks.
~~~
Whilst there is all this talk about the building of the new high school, the wag came in t’other afternoon and made an observation or two. Effen yew noticed, the only thing that was bonded two weeks ago was the deficit. Effen the city had sold the $124 million or so bonds for the high school, nobody’s heard about it. Effen yew ain’t heard about it, it’s cuz it didn’t happen.
There’s still scuttlebutt in and around the school system indicating that many think the building ain’t gonna happen even after the G-wing is turned to rubble. And, the only reason that’s happening is cuz it’s become the metaphor for the entire exercise. There will be a lotta people happy to see that one part of the building go, if for no other reason cuz the shops caused them sooooo much angst a few years back. And make no bones about it, there’s still some blood to be squeezed from that turnip, if some have their way.
As I told yew a couple weeks ago, the plan right now is to have the wing demolished during the school recess, and then we find out what happens next.
~~~
Whilst that is going on, there are murmurings about asbestos abatement and the fack that the entire school ain’t shuttered up whilst it’s going on. I hear-tell a complaint has been filed and there are gonna be some waves crashing against the shores of the Actors Colony perty soon.
Effen the new herroner is smart, she’ll try to get out in front o’ this kerfuffle. Asbestos ain’t nothing to play with, and there are some who think this ball has been fumbled around all too much. As I git new details I’ll let yew know what’s happening.
Suffice it to say there are some parents on the tail of this, and they aren’t gonna stop following until they get they answers they are looking for.
~~~
With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzez,