Our New City Council - What Are They Thinking?
Park City made tremendous progress in the last four years. What is the new council doing to take us back to the good old days
July 22
“It’s the economy, stupid!” At the special meeting of the Park City Council held on July 7, with very little notice, the Council was told that there was would be a shortfall in the 2010 budget of approximately $130,000. The Council very properly voted to cover the shortage from the MTBE settlement money, rather than cut services to the residents.
But at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Park City Library Board on July 9, Mayor Emil Bergquist was asked for the amount that would be realized from one mill of tax levy. The library is restricted by ordinance to a three mill levy and the directors cannot set a budget without knowing how much revenue will be generated. It’s always an estimate, but an educated one.
He replied that it was $60,000. Well, I know that the amount for one mill in 2009 was about $54,000. So we have a huge increase for 2010. So why is there a shortfall? By my calculations, at a tax rate of 37.45 mills, the City should realize close to $225,000 more than this year with revenue of $60,000 per mill. So why are we short? What’s going on?
At the July 14th meeting of the City Council, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse (five in number in this instance) finally took away the new housing incentive. They have discussed it before, but this time they actually eliminated the small incentive that has produced only three fewer building permits this year for new homes in Park City than the rest of the county altogether. If something is working, it is proven to be working, it’s working better than anything any other community is doing, let’s kill it. If a program returns back its initial investment in full – every single year in the form of tax revenue, let’s kill it. Good job, boys!
I hope each and every Park City resident remembers this vote, and pays attention to the business health of the builders and developers who are risking their livelihood and our bond indebtedness to grow Park City. If they fail, if they are unable to sell the lots and homes covered by the special assessment bonds issued by the City, we will make the payments. Your taxes will go up, my taxes will go up. Look at the 2010 budget to see how much money is actually involved. Every lot or home sold lessens the likelihood of our being stuck with the bill for the streets, water, and sewer for these new developments. I want you to remember who votes to pass every single bond issue that puts the City’s residents at risk, but won’t spend $500 to produce $500 every single year from now on to reduce that risk.
And….at the July 22 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners where a public hearing on the County budget for 2010 was held, many people spoke. They spoke in outrage at the proposal to close the entire Kansas Coliseum complex, including the Pavillions. They came from as far away as Lakin and Manhattan to speak about the economic and social benefit of the horse and dog shows and the other agricultural events held in the Pavillions.
They spoke because the closing would affect their businesses.
Do you suppose Park City would be affected by the closing? Our motels and restaurants – do they depend on the traffic generated at the Coliseum? Well, they sure couldn’t depend on the government of Park City to speak up in their behalf. Not one person from Park City, or representing Park City, spoke at that meeting. Where were we? Do we even pay attention to what’s going on around us? Try to express to the Commission what the closing would mean to Park City? Or are we too busy with personal agendas? Think about it.
June 23
Nice article in the Wichita Eagle yesterday about trash franchising in Derby. Park City's program, passed over vociferous opposition, has produced the lowest rates in the area. If their pocketbooks are the residents' main criteria, they need to recognize that only ONE of the current councilmembers supported that program - The Seer.
Many residents have come to realize that Stutzman's is a good program, reducing trash going to the landfill, reusing materials, and above all, lowering our trash rates. Remember which governing body members look backward, rather than to the future.
June 9 - The Ringleader of the City Hall Circus and the City Clerk kept silent in the Council meeting about the effects of spending a small part of the money in the MTBE settlement certificate of deposit. Councilman Tom (The Waffler) Jones wanted to spend the first six months interest, some $39,000, to finish the half-done skateboard park.
City Clerk Jones (no relation) replied that the interest had been rolled over into a new CD already, one that will mature in November. What neither she nor the Ringleader told the Council is that taking out part of that deposit only costs the City the grand amount of the interest on only that money withdrawn . The remainder of the deposit continues to draw the same puny interest until maturity. The interest rate for the first six months was 1.17% and it's gone way down since then.
Of course, several members of the Council should have known this, since it was explained to them more than once in the previous administration. Were they listening?
So after a discussion about whether to send money through the Park Board, or just let Park City Pride continue to develop the park with the City's help, they are going to put a decision off.
"since they can't spend the money until November, anyway"
If the City Council consciously decided not to spend the money until it's too cold to do any work, so be it. But, once again, the Ringleader, the Girlie Giggler who brought the Park Board into this equation, and the City Clerk controlled the supposed decision makers.
May 11 - Park City's biggest problem has always been drainage - stormwater runoff and flooding. The City stood a chance of making a plan to eliminate the problems over a period of years (hopefully less than the 30 years that this has been a problem). A board or committee for the Stormwater Utility would have had the ability to contract with a groundwqter engineer to formulate a plan. Implementation may have taken another 30 years, but it would have been done.
Listen to what Councilmembers said and you'll know that many of them simply don't understand what they're doing. This is a problem for the whole City, even the extremely brilliant councilman whose rainwater runs off onto others' property because he was smart enough to build where his water becomes his constituents' problem, not his. And we all work together, right? And just what is their plan? Another 30 years of flooding? Get your insurance updated now!
April 28 - Council almost ended the $500 incentive program for purchases of new homes or contracted new homes. The City has paid out 21 incentives with at least 3 more in the works. If the homes average about $100,000, that's $500 EACH YEAR in ad valorem property taxes. Probably the best return on investment any one in this city is getting right now. No other city is even close in new housing starts, so of course, they cancelled the program! And then came back and reversed their decision. At least they did that.
April 14 - Council members heard a presentation by a consortium of developers and builders who have a wealth of experience with independent senior housing and assisted living. They proposed bringing both to Park City by purchasing part of the land the City owns north of Leeker's.
The City needs the money from the sale.
This was the best chance we have had to get senior housing
The "experts" on the Council insulted the intelligence and intentions of the developers - who will they run off next?
Bergquist and Jones don't even know the difference between independent living, assisted living, and long term care facilities
The others probably don't either
Once again, our seniors are left out in the cold.
April 28 - They almost refused to patch the low water bridge in the park. What on earth were they thinking? How many people use that park in the summer? What about the pool? What about the Youth League? I'm sure Russ Baxter was thrilled with the prospect of holding tournaments that players and their families could hardly even get to.
Let's see, if it costs $3500 to patch the bridge and they didn't patch it, what would it cost to repave the only access road off of 69th after a summer of heavy traffic?
Great use of taxpayer dollars, boys! It's a good thing you came to your senses.