Stay with me on this one Dear Readers, my meandering ramblings will indeed make sense -ummm, I think.
Speaking of ummms…
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“Last year, voters entrusted Dyster to a near-unprecedented third term as mayor. Now is the time to prove to them that he’s more concerned about running a quality organization with quality people than protecting staffers who may be able to tow the administration line but aren’t as capable when it comes to doing the jobs they were actually hired to do.” From the Niagara Gazette’s editorial this morning – http://www.niagara-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/editorial
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Have you ever walked into a party or a little get-together over someone’s house and taken your shoes off at the door (because everyone else’s shoes are off, you have to take yours off, too - these home homeowners have new carpeting!), when greeted at the door, you hand the hosts the dip or deviled eggs you brought (bring a dish to pass!), you hang up your coat, you can’t wait to join into the festivities going on in the other room and you’re just about to walk in and… you get a soaker. A soaker on one foot with your new Christmas socks on! Doesn’t that just suck? You’ve got your most chillingest comfy outfit on and you’ve been looking forward to this party for a while now, and you start it off by stepping in someone else’s boot slop near the front door! Now, you have to attempt to enjoy this night with a wet foot. You’re so irked about this soaker that, until it dries, you can’t unwind - ya just ain’t feelin’ it. You’re sitting at the table, half-heartedly yukking it up with the others, trying to have a good time, but this soaker continues to annoy and in the back of your head, you’re thinking, “I’m listening and I’m paying attention and nodding along, but this soaker SUCKS!” Well, this long winded analogy sums up my feelings when hearing the news that there may be “shake-ups” in the City’s cabinet entering 2016… only to then have to enter this optimism-inspiring, fresh and brand-spanking-new year of 2016 with a depressing, take-the-wind-out-my-sails, soaker. YaknowhutI’msayin?!
Improvements can always be made – and in this case, should be made. I’d love to have 100% confidence (or close to it) in NF’s current political administration (and I’m sure YOU would, too) and I am quite close now in being able to say, “Things seem to be going great! We are headed in the right direction!” – yet at this time, it’s a shame that it is just not that way. One tweak in City Hall’s “upper staffing” could really cure a lot of the ill will festering in the minds of thousands (yes, THAT MANY!) voters, residents, business owners, church goers, police and firemen, teachers, friends, neighbors, community leaders, municipal employees, optimists, pessimists, dogs, cats, and so on.
A lack of confidence, eye-rolling, shoulder shrugging and general disdain shouldn’t be the normal reaction when referring to anyone who is tasked with helping to lead a city. No one should have to ignore, put up with or work around anyone within the walls of 745 Main Street for another four years in order to accomplish tasks that would/could progress and improve our City’s future.
Many of us entered 2016 with optimism, but all we got was a friggin’ soaker.
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[Epilogue: A wet sock (the one you had on when you stepped into the slush near the front door) can easily be removed and a new fresh sock can be put on! Your night isn’t ruined, silly! You just had to make an adjustment and take the sock off instead of sitting there trying to pretend that the sock isn’t annoyingly wet! No one can blame you for taking off the wet sock and putting on a new one.]
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YOUR COMMENTS/THOUGHTS? Please add below!
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My biggest concern is the Mayor has surrounded himself with like minded people who don’t offer an opposing perspective As examples 30 Months ago he moved boldly into the Hammister project at 310 Rainbow Blvd. However in the past 24 months he has invested very little political capital to move the project forward or at the least has shared any comments publicly to put pressure on the development. The totes implementation, conceptually a good idea, implementation poor. Again with little leadership invested publicly. In the past month he had an opportunity to manage some future cost with the approval of Councilman Tompkins resolution. Against the desire of the Council applies a veto to that resolution. . Based on the last council meeting it would appear that the Mayor is moving forward with a new city web site. Yet hasn’t involved any public groups to add value to the effort. These few illustrations lead me to believe his inner circle don’t offer contrary opinion or debate.
Promises with dates attached are easy to monitor. Staff changes are to be made by end of January – oops, that’s today. We all know who we’re talking about now, don’t we? If a change is made, perhaps the entire machine can work more efficiently. But if all the parts remain in place, the machine will continue to sputter and stutter while all the other parts have to work harder to make up for the obvious flaws in design and operation. How’s that for politically correct? I’m thinking we may need to get used to wet feet.
You think he will get the message this time? Or… is he still counting his “wins” and not paying attention to the vote count. I spent the weekend in Niagara Falls, ON. It is a good douse of reality for anyone counting their good fortunes.