While walking today, I noticed Shelbrack's Jewelry store is gone with a sign on the window that says they relocated to Brookfield.
Then I noticed that Roche Dieticians has office space available (someone moved out of there: was it Roche?)
Then I noticed Scott Zimmer tearing the wood off the front of the Bakery, exposing the brick and Prism glass.
What the heck is going on?
Change.
The most activity in Riverside this date was at tonight's Board meeting, where a single Trustee went berserk and spent the better part of an hour castigating and excortiating the residents who spoke critically of the Board's B1 zoning and fiscal maneuvering. I hope the village President sees fit to admonish such provocative and improper conduct, in writing, when it comes from a Trustee, as he does when he thinks a resident is impolite. Quite honestly, this was the worst performance of the many I have witnessed by this trustee in several years of attending these meetings. I know it will be a hit when it makes the highlight reel being prepared from the Channel 6 tapes. Be sure to reserve your copy early. Oh, and a Happy New Year to all.
I gotta get cable :)
Get the DVD of the meeting at the Library. It was grotesque. And the Pres just let's it happen. Bad as that was, tonite turned out to be even worse - and no TV.
Was this the trustee who normally goes berserk, or a different one?
I see the Landmark editorializes about this meeting. Apparently they regard this behavior of certain trustees as an isolated incident brought on only by extreme provocation.
It goes on further to say no one can criticize elected officials, apparently, unless they are prepare to run for office to replace them. Imagine if we all had to run for president or senator in order the have the right, in some people's minds, to hold elected officials accountable as we see fit? Perhaps a handsome stipend to each trustee, taken out of the mad spending spree described so well in Mark Shevitz's Letter to Editor, would remove this strange idea from people's heads altogether.
Same one. I seriously worry about his health, he gets so red and worked up, it can't be good for him. Outside of these meetings he can be very interesting to talk with, and has a good sense of humor. But in that room, he just seems to lose it.
Last night the joint Preservation/LAC meeting made good progress toward a resolution of sharing responsibility for "Hardscape" in the public lands and CBD, which should prevent one commish approving something the other said no to as with that awful library circle. Then LAC had a meeting to work on the CBD planting project and was (seemingly) making progress toward that vital goal until questions arose about when to bring in a professional plant guru and how to pay his fee. The Village remains adamant that they won't advance the paltry $2-5K it would take to get started despite what they squander on other consultants for dubious projects. LAC member Gail Sellers volunteered to do the CAD work but wanted a commitment that the plant expert (ex LAC Landscape Architect Mauro C) be brought in before she does that or at least simultaneously, but there are no funds for that. FLOS is considering funding it but wants a commitment that if they do, the Village will go ahead and proceed with the planting. Finally I offered to advance pay Mauro for his time before funding becomes available, and get reimbursed if/when the project acquires donations or goes ahead with Village funds, and they wouldn't take it. So Gail quit, or at least took a sabbatical until such time as the decision to bring in the professional is resolved. The meeting broke up in discord and now the whole project is up in the air. Stay tuned.
Quite honestly, since the first phase of the project is just the strip of small planters from Grumpy's to the cleaners and around the corner, and the central small triangle, for which $25K has been earmarked, it seems that we could spend $2K for professional Guidance - (12-15 hours of it) and another $8K for plants, soil work and augmentation, etc., and have $15K left for maintenance for the first year. Surely we could get that covered for $400-500 a week for the 7-8 months a year we would need it, until the funding, plan and work takes place on the rest of Burlington and the other few odd planters. So why can't we just do it? The plant species need to be selected to be correct for the space, but they also need to be grown from seed, and so this needs to happen quickly. Anybody have any ice-breaking suggestions? Want to help by contributing? There is a fund account set up for this. Let's all get together and just do it. Quite honestly this whole thing could have been installed in far less time than has been spent arguing about "process." Good looking, easily maintained planters along Longcommon that echo in part the look of the plants approved for the VC would make a huge difference in the town's appearance. I think we could do this with volunteer labor from concerned citizens, the Garden Club, FLOS, etc. on a single weekend if the Village would authorize it as an experiment or test to see what residents might contribute. Sure, some DPW time and some materials for borders and/or soil augmentation would be required, but they could do that with a inimum of overtime.
WE are not building the Great Pyramid here. Why can't we just stop arguing, agree to proceed, knock this out and get it done? I'm retired and will volunteer to work as many days and/or evenings as it takes. C'mon gang, sign up and let's just do it. We could install this as one planter an evening in two weeks or less. Let's select the plants, order them, and let DPW set the schedule for whatever needs to be done. No more excuses or equivacating from anyone. The $25K is already in the DPW budget. LET'S DO IT.... NOW! Write the Board and /or the Village Manager and urge them to act decisively RIGHT NOW.
Yes, I have an idea. Wouldn't this be a good place for the Chamber of Commerce to make a donation, asked of them by their member and LAC member Eric Sundstrom? (Eric, when are you fixing your sign by the way?)
Do we not have multiple plans on file, 3 I have heard of, at least one done by Mauro?
It is ridiculous for everything to screech to a halt over a sum our TIF consultant would use for kleenex.
The process has not come to a halt. We are proceeding as planned, unfortunately without Gail Sellers input it would seem. That was her choice and I hope she comes back, but if not the LAC will continue with the CBD plans. Re my sign. We dropped our C21 franchise and were required to immediately remove the sign per C21 Corporate policy. A new one is being made to replace the old one but we are at the mercy of the fabricators time line.
Thanks for the info Eric. So, what is the CBD plan that LAC is going with?
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