Feb 2 Council Meeting

Didn't have a chance to go. Was watching wife all evening after coming home from work.

Questions:

Library Levy-Tabled for now. Article in the Journal on this. Why do we have Doug Bean who is the Director and also have a fiscal officer with an organization that has less than 50 people? Do these people draw a salary? If so, where does their salary money come from? How much do they each make and couldn't we combine the two jobs and downsize one of them? A little top heavy for such a small organization isn't it?

Police negotiations- Unanimous vote. Is the collective bargaining method the only method the city is allowed to use to negotiate raises with the police and fire folks? Is it possible to change this to a merit raise method or do these unions have the city by the throat on this? IMO, giving a raise to someone who has proven they deserve it through their efforts over the year has more credibility than to automatically award the raises across a table, years in advance, without them having to demonstrate improvement. With the current method, we are telling them that they have earned a raise, years from now, sight unseen as to their performance. Illogical.


Buses from Middletown to Oxford. Unanimous vote with one abstention. Were there any questions asked last night on this? Questions such as- how much is the projected cost for fuel, labor and maintainance for the buses? What is the projected ridership in a given month between the two cities? How far out is the funding for this project? Cost for insurance? Criteria for judging the worth of this program after it is started/ criteria for pulling the plug if it doesn't meet expectations? A discussion weighing the total cost against the projected benefit to and use by the student? Any discussion on this at all before the vote? If not, why not?

In most cases, when any proposal is presented to Council, I see very little inquiry, question asking or interest into delving into the specifics before funding/approval is voted on. Why not? Do they all understand these items that well to not ask questions? Where are the hard, to-the-point questions?

There is nothing "free" about the library if tax payers are paying into a levy.

NON-ESSENTIAL LEVYS

acclaro wrote: As for the increase, I think MUM is a wonderful alternative, and can assuredly pick up the "added load" Mr. Bean makes reference. They are open 8-9 PM, Saturdays for at least 4 hrs, and I believe closed on Sunday. They have an excellent computer lab and finding a computer is never a problem. For technology purposes, there is no comparision between MUM and MPL...none, MUM vastly superior. Therefore, the solution is there are two valuable resources to make utilization, and as Middletown is now going to Oxford, others can make use of King Library which closes at mignight or beyond, and is open 7 days weekly.   There are other resources to be utilized that more than adequately compensate for the request for funding, which includes MUM and King Library (and others). But, rationale tought and optimizing assets rarely is a consideration when a tax levy comes about is it?

I agree that MUM offers resources to the community, but I'm not sure about access. Can you take out a book from the MUM library if you're not a faculty or staff member at MUM?   Do they offer community lender cards?

Also, can you use the computers unless you have a Miami account with which to log in? I know that some computers have "guest" access, but I'm not sure that's how the library computers are set up.

I support our library to the fullest extent of the law,but what I and many others have issue with and this is not just limited to the library is :

 

1. Why did the library wait until the last minute to spring a levy idea ?

 

2. Why does council also always wait and spring ideas then have to declare an emergency because they waited ?

 

I smell a lot of bull in these wait and declare emergencies on legislation in this town. Either that or there is a lot of mismanagement which needs to be dealt with and with a firm hand. If the library needed a levy so bad how come they didn't see it months ago ? And no one has ever said what the levy money would be used for,is it for upkeep ? What percentage if any would be used for salary and what is that salary ? If these people worked for my company and came in every week springing surprises on me I'd fire every one of them.

Someone explain the need for this Library Levy at this time in a downturn of the economy.

Acclaro you are right on the money with number one.  Wasteful is also right on the money with this levy is not needed the Library should just operate at its reduce level for now.