We promised a BreakDown on Tuesday night’s Danville City council meeting, so let’s get that done.
Here’s the LIVE! coverage of Tuesday’s city council meeting so that you can play along at home. Let’s bring on the BreakDown Big Board!
- It was good to see a large crowd in the gallery at the meeting. It’s not good to watch groups leave after their issue is addressed. I find that highly rude. Stick around for the rest of the meeting, people. It’s not that long.
- Very few people know everything that the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce does. It’s not an organization that’s a social club for businesses. They get it done by helping businesses and the region with workforce development, education initiatives and much more.
- I think it’s amusing that even city council members don’t quite completely understand the issuing of bonds. Michael Adkins, interim finance director for the city, can explain it all.
- It’s politically incorrect to say “nursing home” anymore, so it’s “Roman Eagle Rehabilitation and Health Care Center”. And wow, it apparently makes lots and lots of money. They’re putting six million dollars into the new expansion.
- Here we go. Jeff Smith wants to move his successful veterinary practice to Piney Forest Rd. into what used to be a commercial laundry. Good for him and good for the city. You can look at the main article to get my opinion on what opposition he faced. The sad part is that the council was getting ready to accept that opposition as valid. As I said earlier, this area is a relatively busy street and the property was pretty close to industrial before. Yes, dogs will bark at the kennel and doggy daycare. There’s going to be a lots of noise reduction at the building and lots of employees to help quiet the barking down. Although the maximum number of dogs allowed will be 100, there’s not going be 100 dogs there constantly. Those dogs will also be inside after 9 PM. I’m pretty confident that there are dogs in that residential neighborhood that bark as well. I lost all respect for the neighborhood opposition once they tried to say that the fire station next door was in opposition to this plan. I found out that wasn’t true afterwards. The other opposition was from his potential competitors and that’s no justification for their opposition. Let’s hope that Jeff Smith can get his vet clinic approved. We’ll be watching this one closely.
- For the first time in a while, Sherman Saunders notes that the meeting is running long. Hush up and keep working.
- Now to the potential bonus for city retirees. You can see why I think it’s a horrible idea here. Buddy Rawley & Fred Shanks share my opinion. Gary Miller, Larry Campbell and Alonzo Jones are in favor of the bonus payout. John Gilstrap can’t say anything nor vote because he’s a city retiree. Sherman Saunders stays quiet. Lee Vogler says he’ll make his comments at the actual vote in two weeks. Well, that’s convenient. James Buckner doesn’t say a word on this issue. Two of the Saunders/Vogler/Buckner group will have to vote “Yes” for it to pass. We’re watching this issue closely, too.
- The Evans family completes their donation of 105 acres of land off of Eagle Springs Rd. to the city for a potential park. That’s an amazing donation, but there’s no funding to actually make it a park. There probably wont be that much funding available for a very long while. I’m wondering how many people have ever been on Eagle Springs Road?
That’s the BreakDown. We’ll have a BreakDown on Thursday’s school board meeting soon here on SouthsideCentral.
Maybe Roman Eagle should get into the kennel business. It seems they have the money, power, and pull to get things done with no issues. They could use the dogs to improve the morale of the residents. I’ve heard of that.
I’m a bit saddened that the park is nowhere on the horizon. I wish the family donating the land had conditioned the gift on some action within a specific time frame.
I don’t see the bonuses happening based on the need for yes votes from all three of the people listed. I wonder how the retirees would feel about a 4-4 vote. Will that lead to resentment about Gilstrap being on the council?
Regarding the Bond Issue. Council was fully aware of the Bond Item that appeared on under “old business” under the Agenda; however, the “new business” item was not discussed in any work session that I attended, and quite honestly, I smelled some fish, because I have some mistrust, and wanted to know what was going on. I am surprised that others weren’t concerned or of need of answers. To be fair, I missed one work session in July, due to family vacation; however, according to the executive summary, this item was not discussed then…similar to the bond issue included in the final budget ordinance in 2013, that was brought to Council, AND, only after I raised questions, was removed from the budget…go figure…so, be it acknowledge or not, the question needed to be asked, and the issue needed to be addressed. It is always good, to receive an answer from someone to can trust.
Jeez. I was only making a remark! 😀
Only ‘splaining what some may perceive as stupidity
I’ve never called you stupid.
(Not in a SouthsideCentral article. HAHAHAHAHA!)
No, not at all. But one could construe, from your words, that Council didn’t understand the bond issue, which we did…until the Manager added the new item, never explained in a work session and requested approval. Again, I contend 7 of 9 likely had no clue what was going on. I have real concerns when that kinda of crap comes up. The Manager is like a pupeteer, three steps in front of Council…pulling the strings that makes the limbs move…there needs to be a check and hope for balance.
This is probably the most disturbing comment I’ve read about Council. I have no faith in City Council to do the right thing mainly because they are all afraid to anger someone and in many cases miss their “feel good moment” but when
Council is 3 steps behind the city manager and can’t rein him in there’s an even bigger issue.
The city council meets twice a month. The city manager has to do things much more often than that. City Council is an oversight board at best on most things.
I guess I just got all in a dither about the word puppeteer, which says to me that he moves the strings which moves the lips which cast the votes regardless of how often and on what matter.
I don’t see it that way from what I’ve observed. You’re going to get the “Staff recommends that Council pass the attached ordinance” on pretty much every executive summary on the agenda, but council occasionally goes in the other direction with another school of thought. Two recent examples I can think of would be the no-skateboarding and the “Don’t Feed The Geese” ordinances.
I don’t know a lot, however I suspect being a member of Council is never a win-win in trying to please the masses. Those who sit on the sidelines and critique every agenda item might want to get out of the closet, appear at a meeting to speak sometimes. Every voice has a right to be heard, but it somehow seems shady when the voice can never be seen. Better yet, pick a platform and run for a seat, and show me how to face the scrutiny you will certainly get no matter what you do. Personally, even I disagree with some of Council decisions, but the alternative is not having a voice at all. So, this being an opinion page, that is my humble opinion.
There is one “regular” at all of the Danville City Council meetings. I have forgotten her name now, but she always sits behind the media table. She hasn’t spoken on any issue but I salute her just for her constant attendance.
Bruce, her name is Delores Reynolds. Great lady.
I go to Lee Vogler for my name identification!
I am not the one SSC is talking about in his reply, however, I intend to be at Council meetings in the future and I will stay for the entire meeting. I also attended the “work session” after the last meeting. It was worth not getting to bed on time! I invite any citizen of Danville that would like to join me. Not running for City Council, just interested in presenting a different view in open session.
If you wore women’s clothing, it COULD have been you. Just saying. 😀
I haven’t checked, but I am thinking the expenditure for the bonus issue, may require six “ayes.”
If Danville follows Roberts Rules of Order and a legal quorum is present, a majority is sufficient to pass routine matters. It requires two-thirds of a legal quorum to pass other certain measures, i.e, expelling a member, limit or extending time limits to debate, amend or suspend a standing rule or any part of it’s constitution, etc. Mr.Whitfield does a superb job keeping everything in it’s proper order.
City Code requires certain budget expenditures to have 6 votes to pass. I am thinking this will fall in that category, but I have not verified.