The City Council and other boards have a full agenda this week;
• The Audit Committee has finally released some audits, been awhile. On Spectra (the people who provide concessions to several city owned entertainment facilities) they found a ton of non-compliance especially with insurance requirements. On the Midco Aquatic Center they have seen an over 50% drop in attendance since 2019 and around a 40% drop in revenue. They were also non-compliant on several fronts and like the Spectra Audit it seems our own Finance Department is not doing regular checks of compliance. For Travel expenses there was several instances of non-compliance. $137,000 travel reimbursements paid directly to travelers (city employees). Many of these results don’t surprise me. I have said the City Manager (The Mayor) is running a rudderless ship and when you have a poor city manager, it results in poor management under that person.
• The Planning Commission has decided to go full rogue by putting every single item on the consent agenda this month. Now items can be pulled for discussion by the Commission or Individuals from the public but I find this startling considering that all items are recommended for approval by the Planning Department and I am sure several Commission Members will recuse due to conflicts. Folks, this is what true cruise control government looks like. I am still puzzled why we even have a Planning Commission.
• The Charter Revision Commission will continue to review the Charter.
• City Council Informational will review building code changes.
• City Council Regular Meeting;
On the contracts and agreements (Item 6) in sub items 17-18 they are paying this consulting firm out of Florida to do this?
And of course sub item #38 where we are reviewing the Human Relations Commission.
The Aquatics center is failing. Huether built it and taxpayers are taking a bath. Give it to the VA hospital for veterans therapy. It’s already on their property.
I am glad I did NOT vote on the Midco Aquatic Center the year it was on the ballot. I drew a “X” thru the ballot box, cause the people in the neighorhood did not like it, nor support it, but I felt they had the greatest level of concern and voting power. This is the one city project I did not fully support, and glad I crossed it off my ballot. Basically, I was a ‘neutral voice’ on this issue. I had concerns on this project from day one.
I am starting to wonder, if the real problem with City Agenda is not so much the Mayors, as it may be more the “general agenda” of City Staff – Officials Officers, Managers, Employees and what their vision is for the city.
If I am correct, the CITY STAFF basically waits until they get a Mayor in place that agrees with them. They got their man in Mike Huether.
I give Paul Ten Haken tons of credit in breaking away from the tax and spend policies of the Huether Adminstration, Mayor Huether basically gave the city a blank check, yet alone the City Council between 2012-2014 basically gave the Mayor anything he asked for, which was allowing City Staff to get their special projects.
Mayor Paul TenHaken has been a very good leader, I compare him more to Dave Munson on his fiscal, prudent approach to spending. I would vote for Mayor Paul for 2nd Term …
what about the millions and millions of dollars the pool has pumped into the economy?!?
We should revisit the pool. It is performing like all other pools. It loses money. They always will. We should have done something like the tennis place and kick a private entity a large chunk of money and let them deal with it.
Who knows how much better it would have been at Drake Springs and it would have served an undeserved community area, but some councilor had to have a hissy fit, so we got an expensive out door and an indoor pool but in a worse location. Thanks TS.
First off, the voters passed the outdoor pool at Drake Springs, not Stehly and ironically, unlike the MAC which was decided by the city council based on a public vote that said they didn’t want an outdoor pool at Spellerberg. If I would look at both civic engagements Drake Springs certainly has much more integrity. I will tell you why the MAC continues to languish. Bad location, as you bring up. Should have been built at the Sports Complex.
I am sure covid has ruin aquatic revenues, but covid has also made us fat and less likely to show up in our bikinis and Speedos. AND, crying and bellyflops are no longer in vogue even if you are a mayor. #KeepTheTShirtOn