In 1940, a major problem facing the nation was finding a replacement for rubber. War clouds were gathering, and the supply of natural rubber from Asia was threatened. On this date 73 years ago, the first synthetic rubber tire was displayed in Akron, Ohio. It was made by the B.F. Goodrich Company from readily available ingredients — soap, gas, petroleum, and air, greatly helping the looming war effort. Now, natural rubber is used once again to make a huge variety of tires, annually replacing millions worn out by motor vehicles, aircraft and other wheeled vehicles. The U.S. makes nearly $17 billion worth of tires annually, and imports an additional $10.7 billion worth. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.
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The County’s budget work continues on again tonight. I encourage you to come and watch our strongly opinioned county commissioners’ schlep through the budget for a third three hour session. May are asking for additional money to be spent without offering, a decrease in another’s sacred cow, an increase in tax revenue, or putting pressure on some of the top 25 who owe almost a quarter million dollars in overdue property taxes. The Chairman wants a new position called assistant county manager saying when the county wide water starts to flow someone needs to manage that. A commissioner pointed out that the funds for that job must come from the water budget and not the general budget. But there is not sufficient revenue in the water budget to pay the salary for the new position until the project it complete. Maybe you will get to see one commissioner make a motion only to be told this is a work session not a Board meeting.
Last night’s session ended with Animal Control Budget. During the discussion a commissioner asked this very loaded question: is their one part of the county with more abandoned dogs and cats than any other part? Do you know the answer? I’ll give you a moment to think of the answer. Tick, tick, tick. Ready? Frankie Nobles, animal control department head, said (ready for this) the problem is the same all over the county adding no one part has more or less than another part.
I encourage you to attend tonight’s work session. You will learn a lot more about how the county operates. And you can sharpen your observation skills of non-verbal communications and group dynamics. Is commissioner X open or closed to the others? Is commissioner Y annoyed or just disgusted with the another commissioner’s ideas? Is commissioner Z in deep contemplative thought or sound asleep?