Forgetting your place

April 24, 2013

I wrote this back in December 2012 and forgot to publish it.  I still think it is relevant.

I read the guest column written by one of our city representatives and printed in the El Paso Times Sunday (Dec. 9, 2012).

I agree with much of what she wrote but was taken back by her closing paragraph. She wrote “These negative, personal attacks and unfounded allegations must stop.”

Firstly I wonder who she thinks she is. She works for us. We should tell her what to do, not vice/versa. Evidently she thinks that she is in charge and that of course is a large part of our problem with the current, temporary, city government.

Beyond that, I would like to suggest that the people in city government stop calling us citizens “crazies” and “amateurs” as has recently happened. Our government is founded on citizens who are “amateurs” in government affairs electing our representatives. Most of us think that our elected representatives should be “amateurs” and not professional politicians.

Lastly, it would be more appropriate for the city representative to caution the city staff and the other representatives to be more respectful of the citizens and each other. They have unfortunately been saying disparaging things about each other and the citizens. They are way out of line.

She should clean up her own house and then bite her tongue when wanting to criticize the citizenry.

We deserve better

Brutus

3 Comments | City government, El Paso Times | Permalink
Posted by jcurrey

Are you kidding?

April 23, 2013

Just in time for the May elections a task force formed by our city manager will finish four billboards designed to make El Pasoans feel better about their city according to an article on the front page of The El Paso Times.  The message is a teaser, currently it reads “so, it’s good”.

I have a few suggestions that might be more helpful in making us feel better about our city:

Fix our roads

Build more parks and make the existing ones better

Replace the children’s science museum that was recently torn down

Let the voters vote on large financial matters that are discretionary in nature

Have elected officials that are honest and responsible to the citizens

Remind government employees that they work for the public, not vice versa

See to it that we do not have the 5th highest tax rate of America’s largest 100 cities.

I trust that the readers could add many more items to the list of things that would make us feel better about our city.

Billboards?

Actions speak louder than words.  Maybe those people of influence that are on the task force should work toward improving the quality of the citizen’s lives instead of those of their power group.

The group is spending $14,000.  I do not know whose money this is but would not be surprised if it turns out to be taxpayer’s.

Front page?

The El Paso Times saw fit to print an article on their front page about this facade.  Meanwhile the important issue at county commissioner’s court (Opening government) was relegated to the end of an article that was printed on page 3b and was barely discussed at that.

Muckraker

5 Comments | City government, County Government, El Paso Times, Open Government | Permalink
Posted by Muckraker

Approved but not read

April 23, 2013

Before our current but temporary city manager came along the mayor signed all contracts where the city was a party.  The mayor could only do that with the approval of city council which meant that the document had to be placed on the public agenda.

Now we see agenda items where the council approves of the concept of a contract and allows the city manager to “execute any and all documents necessary…” without actually seeing the documents.

Why should all of the documents come before council when the city manager would only be fulfilling the instructions of city council?

Well, because things happen.  Scrivener could allow contract language mistakes through the carelessness of the city attorney’s office.  The city manager or staff could interpret their instructions incorrectly.  Someone could try to slip something through.

Some will say that bringing the documents before city council would be a waste of time.  Some would even point out that some council members probably would not read anything that the city manager wants, or that they would not understand what the read even if they did read the document because they are only there to rubber stamp the city manager’s actions.

On the other hand, when the city actually does post a document with the agenda, some alert citizen may notice something and help stop something that should not happen.

We deserve better

Brutus

3 Comments | City government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Serendipity

April 22, 2013

The El Paso Times is not pulling its punches.

Yesterday’s front page said it all.

Mr. Progressive Ortega’s continence dominated the front page, just below the Headlines, Mayoral Election.  Four other minor candidates are sitting in the background listening to his every word. Again just below the photo, Mr. Ortega is mentioned 6 times including his recent support of the Baseball stadium before any of the other candidates are named. Seven candidates were mentioned in 50 words or less before being relegated to page 9A. “Very convenient, my dear Watson“.

Seems the “Ortega for Mayor” and the El Paso Times offices are both at 500 W. Overland, all be it different suites, 250 and 150.  With all the vacancies Downtown, you would think a progressive….Stop with the Sherlock!!

Coincidence?

I’ve said enough. What do you think, Brutus?

M. T. Cicero

3 Comments | City government, El Paso Times | Permalink
Posted by M.T. Cicero

Fireworks

April 22, 2013

My good friend M. T. Cicero alerted us to  an article in El Diario the other day.  He used Google translation.  Just getting the article was an eye opener, El Diario will now become a source of news about El Paso for me.

I don’t think it would be fair to quote the article directly since Google was used to convert it to English.  It was in the April 18, 2013 edition if you want to read  it  yourself.

The reporter wrote about city council’s decision to close several streets as part of the ball park deal with the railroad.  Evidently school districts, neighbors, and other agencies were not informed by the city.  Government officials and citizens were interview and some of their concerns were discussed.

The manager of El Paso County Water Improvement District Number One spoke of the 532 water users who would evidently suffer because of these closings.

The Ysleta Independent School District (YISD)  learned of the situation from a third party, not from the city.  Students use the Cadwallader street crossing to go to and from Riverside High School.  YISD held an emergency meeting.  Also some 16-22 buses will have to be re-routed.

We don’t know how many others will be affected by the closings yet.

The article tied the closing of the crossings directly to the construction of the ball park and the parking lot east of the new city hall.  It pointed out that city council will be discussing (and probably taking action) on this next Tuesday at 8:30 AM in the downtown library.

We have been writing here about the closings.  Train wreck was our most recent article about them.

Once again the city is acting with disregard for the public.  It appears that there will be some opposition from other agencies at Tuesday’s meeting.

It’s about time.

One more thing.  According to the reporter the city did not return her calls.  Had it been a call from the city’s media outlet and real estate partner The El Paso Times I suspect the call would have been returned.

Let’s vote for a change and for change in May.

We deserve better

Brutus

Leave a Comment » | City government, County Government, El Paso Independent School District, El Paso Times | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

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