Apparently we are all out of extra money, go figure. The money is needed to fill all the ‘holes’ in the building. It’s too late, the money has already gone down the tubes 🙂
The administration waited until tonight at 10:40 PM to give the information. Erickson suggested they defer it to digest it more and she said it was unacceptable to not get the information last week, saying they knew the numbers then.
Councilor Stehly railed on them about ramrodding this project and asked for an audit of the parking department. She also asked for a deferral.
Councilor Brekke also raised concerns about last minute information and is concerned about the continuing trend of inadequate information given to the city council. She also wanted a deferral.
Councilor Soehl suggests they just approve it and it doesn’t matter if they are ‘pissed’ at the administration about the information. (yes it does).
Neitzert agrees with him, and admits he got information in advance this afternoon. He also says the councilors are being ridiculous by acting like engineers. He is right, they are not engineers, but they are in charge of the purse, and should be watching how money is being spent.
The deferral passes 5-3 (Neitzert, Selberg and Soehl voted against it).
Brekke said it best, “We have this false sense of urgency all the time, and it needs to end.”
They’re not engineers? So a jury should just defer to a expert witness?
Last I checked, we were a democracy. Hell, even Fox News says: “We Report. You Decide.”
( – “Your Honor, I move to dismiss the jurors and bring in the expert witnesses for a face-off….Hear…Hear….”)
What would it cost to demolish it? There will be ongoing maintenance and expense. It’s another useless always in the red Pavilion and Orpheum. There’s no more money to waste on developer nightmares. Take it to the ground. This can be surface parking. Save Canary Stadium for Am Legion Baseball.
Neitzert, Selberg & Soehl are the quintessential “go along, get along” gang. Neitzert may offer all the analysis he goes through, but he – like his pals – ultimately just throw up their hands and say “It is what it is, and we just have to accept the situation. Vote to approve.” The only civil servants they make any attempt to hold ‘accountable’ (however misplaced & inappropriate) are other councilors whose opinions differ from their own.
Scalding rebuke by some of the councilors.
And PTH wants to hire a Director of Culture … because this is the kind of organizational culture of which we need more. /sarc
I voted for Soehl. I did so – in large part, because I was an acquaintance of his grandfather, Ralph Morris. I expected to see some of Ralph’s determination and grit, and his enthusiasm for fact checking public officials. To say Soehl is a go-along-to-get-along gives him more credit than he deserves. I’ve never regretted a vote more.
Southwest and Northwest Council Districts
Your opportunity to make sure Selberg and Neitzert no longer represent you is coming soon!
April 2020
I, unfortunately, will have to wait until 2022 to vote ‘NO’ to Soehl representing me in the Central District.