Here we are in the middle o’ May, honey bunch, and it’s even money as to whether this year’s Memorial Day parade is gonna step off. The last two, effen yew remember, were washed out by Mother Nature, who insisted that her May flowers needed the water. The processions were pushed to their rain date, but even then the skies didn’t allow for the event.
Of course, the parade ain’t what it used to be. Not so long ago, the parade was a goodly event with several bands in it, including the high schools from nearby towns. Then the idea was floated to make it a Sunday event, rather than an event on the holiday. That went over like a lead balloon with several of the bands having other gigs.
After the thing was moved back to the day itself, those same bands had taken other parades and now the only ones that seem to show up are the city’s own school bands and Notre Dame. Soooooo, it ain’t as big as it once was, and is sort of a metaphor for the way things are in these parts. Effen yew git m’drift.
Effen they do get the parade off the ground, it’ll be interesting to see how the procession of city officials go. It’ll be the foist one for herroner as mayor of this little corner of the universe. We’ll keep our eyes on this one.
Needless to say, of course, things are focused on what the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB) has to say about the city’s punt on the budget. As yew remember, the mayor’s recommended budget went through by default by an 8-5 defeat of the budget ordinance. Ironically, that is the same count that happened back in 1991 when the city budget first went into effeck by default. Those were not the good ole days, and we seem to having a reprise.
With the mill rate not set – the council still hasn’t done anything about it, there could be some repercussions to homeowners. Banks don’t know what to do with mortgage payments, which include taxes. Effen the mill rate ain’t set, the whole thing could be thrown into a tizzy.
And, we don’t know what changes the MARB is gonna dictate. Sammy Bluejay has been hovering around the Actors Colony trying to git a feel for what might happen, but the next meeting of the MARB ain’t for a couple weeks. It’s expected it will reject the budget and give its own take on what the council and mayor should do. That don’t make it easier for the city and the taxpayers. Tax bills usually go out in June.
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Nelly Nuthatch happened by t’other afternoon and saw that the city is sending a reminder to homeowners about “blight.” This is one o’ them ordinances that we see “reminded” each year. It has some success, but not nearly as much as it should. Part o’ the problem is absentee ownership. Over the years, more and more of the houses – especially the rental properties – have been taken over by out-of-town people who are in it for the kopecks.
Most take some care of the properties, but many don’t. The result is that instead of leaning on their renters to keep things orderly, they don’t wanna make waves. Also, they ain’t from here and don’t pay attention to when bulk trash happens. Soooo, when people move out, they clean out the apartments and put the trash at the curb, where it sits. Again, some pay attention, but a lot don’t.
Not to put too fine a pernt on it, Nelly reminded me that the same is true for the noise ordinance as it regards motorcycles. Each year the signs go up about noise, and how the area is monitored, but as the weather gits warmer the gangs of motorcycle people go through the city, especially but not exclusively the beach, and the noise is ear-busting.
Once in a while the constabulary get a band of cyclists and do some smart ticketing, but usually the constables are elsewhere doing their jobs and can’t be expected to find each and every violator.
Getting back to the blight thing, let’s hope some tickets are posted on one or two Beach Street sites that are getting seedier by the day. Cobina is thinking of one place in particular that ain’t the most “stylish” or “urbane” as the name might indicate.
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Speaking of the beach area, it’s interesting that Sandy Point was named as the 11th nicest beach in the area. It even beat out Hammonasett. Wow! I guess it ain’t the surf that has the people interested, it’s the boidy sanctuary. Effen yew haven’t been around there, the yellow signs that prohibit people from stepping in a certain area have reappeared. Whist the area is supposed to be Sandy Point, the birds that come in each year to breed don’t read signs very well, and seem to get more and more of the beach area involved.
The fishermen seem to be affected by this as they can’t get to their favorite areas whilst the breeding season is going on. I remember when they foist ribboned off those areas it was around the thoid of July and we were all wondering how that area was gonna handle the revelers that seem to come here each year for the fireworks.
Since then, the breeding area has got bigger, and affected more the way people come into town. We don’t wanna have nervous fledglings, I guess.
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Cobina did mention the cancellation of the Savin Rock Festival last week, and the decision has had a few repercussions hereabouts. People are wondering effen the miniscule savings are worth losing the event. The problem is some think once we lose it, it’ll never come back. This was supposed to be the thirty-ninth setch event, and yew and I were there when it foist happened.
Cobina’s thoughts have turned to John and Mary Perrone who were so instrumental in getting and keeping the event in those early years, not to mention Gloria “Dodie” Ireland and many others. They’re all gone now, but this was their legacy to the city. Let’s hope a new committee separate from the city can bring it back. We still like our idea of melding the fireworks and the festival together. It’s an idea that should be explored.
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Madame Olga was in t’other day and sez that whilst the Charter Revisions Commish didn’t git a lotta people at its public hearing a couple weeks back, there’s still interest in what the panel is gonna do. After yew talk about term limits and term lengths, review of the budget, etc., there really ain’t much that the public is gonna have to contribute unless they read the charter like a romance novel.
Word is that Ed Granfield and his crew are working out the kinks and getting things ready for some tough debates. The public will be kep’ involved and informed, but nobody is making too much of the fact that hundreds didn’t show up for the confab. Charter revision ain’t the most scintillating of topics, yew know.
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With that bit o’ chatter, I’ll close this week till next, mitt luff und kizzez,