Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (COH August 26, 2013)


Another short and productive City Council meeting.   

Public Hearing – Rezoning Property

The property owner, Ms. Frances Finamore said she wanted to work from home three days a week assisting military veterans coping with medical issues; that alone is an admirable reason to have a home based business.  Mr. Griffin explained the zoning change is needed to rectify an incongruity of zoning for the property.  Ms. Dunston explained that the planning board had approved the zoning change after reviewing the request and examining potential traffic congestion at the location.  Mr. Zollicoffer warned the council that changing the zoning would allow other home based businesses in the area not just the one Ms. Finamore is planning.  After the vote to approve the change, those favoring and opposing the rezoning exited the meeting.  I overheard opposition voices grumbling about the unfairness of the Council’s decision.  Maybe those voices are concerned that other property owners might convert rental property to a new purpose. 

Amendments to City Administrative Policy

This was just fun to watch especially when Mr. Griffin explained that prior to the start of his tenure the Council approved changes to city policies, which were not transcribed into the city’s personnel manual.  Should one wonder about the effectiveness of the check and balance within city government?  Mr. Griffin explained further that other changes in administrative policies were necessary to clarify or better define employer – employee expectations such as payment of comp time.  The Council approved Mr. Griffin’s administrative policy changes without including a means to verify how future personnel manuals and city policies would be remain synchronized.  

Public Comments non-agenda items

Gary Morgan, a Warren County resident with a Henderson PO Box business address, spoke to the Council.  The topic of his presentation was #1 Local Concern Poverty.  Mr. Morgan’s presentation started with a reference to an undated FBI report that purports Henderson ranks #2 in poverty crime for municipalities of similar demographics.  Mr. Morgan asked this question in his presentation:  “if this scenario was YOU, what would you do?  Would you steal for you and your family to survive? …”  The answer he provides for his questions is this: “YES, survival and the pursuit of happiness are basic instincts and you will do whatever it takes to survive.”  Survival is a basic instinct where pursuit of happiness is much higher up on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.  Mr. Morgan seemed to skip an obvious answer to the question how would you survive.  Here is one alternative answer, ‘Would you work for you and your family to survive?’ 

Work Session

I missed most of the discussion regarding the EJT.  The executive summary clearly outlines the issue.  I did return to the meeting in time to her Ms. Peace-Jenkins ask a question about collecting past due property taxes on property in the EJT.  For those of you attuned to the topic of city council members who owe past due property taxes on their personal and business properties you might be wondering why she asked that question.  

The issue of storm water regulations and responsibilities is a quagmire the city, the general public, landowners, and developers will have an opportunity to wade through in the near future.  Mr. Griffin did not give date(s) and time(s) for the public information sessions nor did he indicate if there would be only a single meeting or multiple.  I wonder if the County has considered the issue of storm water drainage from the proposed farmer’s market.

Among the last six items Mr. Griffin presented two caught my attention.  Converting street lights from traditional sodium vapor bulbs to LEDs is of interest to me.  The new technology of LEDs is supposed to save on electrical usage, while the cost of sodium vapor bulbs is better on the wallet.  Mr. Griffin did not explain nor was he asked if the purported saving of $78,000 includes the cost of the LEDs or only the theoretical decrease in electrical wattage. I understand that bean counters at some local companies were unable to show a hard dollar rate of return an investment of LEDs.  The last item of the meeting was an answer to Ms. Dorothy Hunt, Lifeline Outreach Inc, question she asked at the previous Council meeting.  Mr. Griffin said there appears to have been a miscommunication between the city and the parade sponsors.  Suddenly two Council members along with the mayor all recalled attending the parade that was the focus of Ms. Hunt’s complaint.  You’ve got to love how our local government works.

Not part of the meeting at all

Two weeks ago a letter to the editor in the Henderson Daily Dispatch announced a contest for ideas to improve the city and or county.  The premise of the contest is this: Assume you have total authority to make one change to improve the county or city regardless of cost, politics, or personalities what is that change.  After the council meeting, I asked four council members, and the one candidate for city council attending the meeting if they had submitted their idea for publication.  Sadly, four of the five had not read about the contest.  There are eight individuals vying for four city council seats.  Each should have one idea that they are willing to submit for public scrutiny.  To the readers of HiH submit your one idea to the paper of publication on the editorial page.