WELL WHADAYA KNOW!

     I had to look around and make sure I was in the correct place as I heard the word "process" used at a Bids committee meeting yesterday. I have been shouting for that word since before I ran for office, since I first became upset at the lack of process and procedure in UCO, in anything having to do with the administration of the Village. That lack of process led to so many of the financial debacles and sneaky money trails because the perpetrators knew they would get away with it. So now, David Forness, Chair of Bids has been pushing for a process - how to write RFPs, the timing and the whole procedure - all that Jack Adams on that same committee had been urging for lo these many years. And look who suddenly wants process - David Israel, sitting there telling them all that 'we must adapt a process and if not we go down a slippery slope." Ahh, there's that slope again!
     So once again, what we in the opposition have been pushing for is now being adopted, at least they are mouthing the words anyway, and that is good for the Village. It was interesting to note that there was a vote for something that was out of process but the reason was given as an emergency situation. What, you ask? The perimeter walkways. Oh yes, those same walkways that have been in bad condition since a few weeks after they were first done as part of the unfortunate paving job. So what is the emergency that we had to drop process? It could have waited another couple of weeks and Toni Salometo and Barbara Cornish understood that and voted No on the motion to accept a bid for it.
     These two were strong in their urging to follow a process, to be sure of what we want and/or need and then make sure that it is correct, give the vendors all the info they need to make a proper RFP and then work the whole procedure. Good for them! Perhaps there is hope here and good for us that we see that they are being pushed to the wall and our demands for good governance are being heard.
     What was even more amazing was seeing David Israel sit there in that same damned creased jacket and pair of pants, and spout off that we need outside consultants and why, because we have no in house expertise! Yes, this same man who NEVER wanted outside information or supervision because he and Ed Black just knew it all, suddenly had caved to our demands and urges for experts. However, calling in experts and paying them and then ignoring them as they did with the Wi Fi scenario, and disastrously with the paving, is not a good idea either! So now we are going to consult with Simmons & White - AGAIN - on the roads? Are we going to take them up on their advice or will Ed Black just run and ruin the day again?
     And I beg to differ as to expertise. Yes, on such huge projects we absolutely must have outside consultants. But we do have experts living here in the Village whose life pre Village was in those fields such as construction or whatever it is that needs supervision. The problem is that David Israel does not like anyone outside his little circle and would rather die than admit that one or more of the 'malcontents" has it all over him with their knowledge in specific areas that the Village is working in. Never will he admit to that for that negates all he has been saying and shouting for five years.
     The "funniest" thing though that stood out at the meeting was hearing the constant reassurance that oh, the pro vote was not an acceptance as it had to go to Operations and down the line as part of the "process". And here is where this process is a joke, a misnomer. Who votes in all these committees? The same damn people! It is the same names that we see all the time with the token new guy here or there. For example, DonHoHo on the finance committee is not new. He is at the Rag, firing people. Double jeopardy in a sense? The same officers vote again and again so never mind three bites of the same apple; it is much more than that. What is the purpose of this farce? All it does is keep the corrupt and inefficient status quo and that is one thing we wish to change and for sure, term limits will help alleviate this situation.
     David Forness seems to be a calm and collected guy who understands the importance of process. Would that he remains insistent on this and would that it remains a true process and not a farce or corrupt as has often been the case in UCO.
     People, we have made progress, but the strength of an electorate is its participants. Apathy will allow corruption and ineptness to continue. It will allow the wasting of our funds, the pipe dreams that will take precedence over the necessities, the wasteful spending that will oppose the need for an austerity budget as much as we can in order to pay what we must and save where we must as for the roads and infrastructure and the post Millennium legal work. Take the time away from an hour at the pool or on the court and come and participate in YOUR Village Administration. Read the CV Messenger. Read the truthful blogs, not the fake one purporting to be the Village blog even as it is limited to the same shills and liars. Fine tune your time so as to help make our home the best place it can be. If not, the blame will be upon your shoulders when you look around and wonder how we ever got here. Proof - just look at how we finally moved them off the dime when we all stood up and roared about the Sheffield O situation. Together - we can rule. Together - we can make a difference - a big one.