With Mayor Cole abstaining, and only Councilman Lance Jack voting in favor, Item 6.5 on last night's General Business Agenda went down in flames -- 5-1 against -- after the owners of D's Quick Shop (a take-out fish place on the corner of Oak & Washington St.), complained about the downside to letting the bus to stop next door to their business.Hugh Williams spoke ably in favor, but no one else (it's always easier to motivate people to come out against something than in favor).
The only shock was seeing Councilman Joel Fritzler's new look (above left) -- like a totally different person -- with new eyeglasses and no moustache.
And while the vote didn't surprise me, I was floored (or rather hopped up from the floor!) when I heard Councilman Wissmann propose requiring the office to be open two hours before and one hour after each bus arrived! But Councilman Jack, doing the math, pointed out that this would mean offices hours from 8:40 a.m. - midnight, 5 days a week! Something physically and financially unreasonable for a small business.
In the end (but is it?) the experience cost me about $250 (which I can write off). But at least I tried to do the right thing. (I wonder if the City could have found a way to work it out more effectively behind the scenes. )
To those who would gloat at this 'defeat', I must say -- I'm completely satisfied with the outcome, since I did my best, and the Council's decision will make my job easier, for the most part.
So there. ;-)
2 comments:
Kind of odd that the Mayor would abstain, isn't it Dave?
What's he afraid of? The idea is either good for the city or it isn't.
Good question, anonymous. This will be discussed in detail in my blook, in a new chapter, "The Bus Stops Here."
I can tell you this: he raised the possibility of abstaining weeks before, and after some consideration, I acquiesced, lest there should be no talk of favoritism, since I have done some work for Cole in the past.
In effect it got him off the hook from voting against me,which he surely would have (imo), yielding to the longwinded protectionism of two elderly siblings and one concerned neighborhood watcher.
The plan to have the bus stop at 215 N. Washington is not a perfect solution, but it is a solution.... It could have been tried for a month. We could have worked something out. However, the system that is designed to facilitate business and serve its citizens is imperfect, too, imo.
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