30 MAY 07: LONG DIVISION
It appeared Tuesday's Columbus Council meeting would settle the months of debate about land around the central library. In a way it did -- but in a way it didn't. And in its own way, that fact sums up much of the debate over the library in this decade....
Columbus Council voted 5-4 in favor of the Library Board's budget plan, for "greenspace" around the main library. That's a simple majority of the members who attended - but not a majority of the entire council. Doesn't it figure? City government often turns something "simple" into something complicated.
The Library Board budget plan needed six votes to pass or fail. It didn't happen because Councilor Red McDaniel missed the meeting -- so yes, something "Red" stands in the way of something green.
WRBL broke down the vote on the Library Board budget by Council members. The NO side against greenspace included Gary Allen and Glenn Davis -- because if Columbus Park Crossing stores have to look like they're in a park, the central library should as well.
But Gary Allen and Glenn Davis were joined on the no side by Councilor Mimi Woodson - making an interesting mix of the north and south side. And Jerry Barnes, whose district seems to include the library, is against greenspace. I say "seems to" because those city annual reports with district maps never include landmarks to figure them out.
The people who want a park to surround the central library have one extra week to persuade the pro-greenspace councilors. But they have a big problem - because the supporters now include Mayor Jim Wetherington. If Red McDaniel comes back next week and votes no, the mayor would break a 5-5 council tie in favor of greenspace. And he also knows how to call police, if lobbyists make harassing phone calls.
Mayor Jim Wetherington admitted Tuesday he's in favor of the Library Board budget for greenspace, if only because he wants the long debate settled. He's apparently grown tired of seeing the issue come up over and over on council agendas - which makes you wonder how the mayor can stand all those city budget hearings.
In other Columbus Council news Tuesday, City Manager Isaiah Hugley announced two million dollars in uncollected landfill fees will be written off. I can't say they're being "dumped," because I think the price would increase to $2.1 million.
And WRBL reported Columbus Council approved a raise for city paramedics. Their pay will skyrocket upward from $8.84 an hour to nine dollars - and you know what that means. Chili nights at the station now can include chips AND crackers.
Before you dismiss that 16-cent raise for Columbus paramedics, keep something in mind: over a 40-hour work week, that comes to an extra $6.40. Why, that's almost enough to buy a complete dinner at Zaxby's.
A concerned Columbus Council observer called me Tuesday, to ask where Paul Olson's been. He's apparently missed the last two meetings - but then again, perhaps he's preparing a lawsuit claiming Mayor Wetherington's budget proposal violates 35 different Georgia state laws.
BLOG UPDATE: The Tuesday evening news followed up on our Blog Exclusive from last Friday, about "Tropical 88.5." One organizer of the new Spanish FM radio station revealed it won't go on the air until December. Well, I suppose we're more likely to want something warm and tropical then....
WTMQ-FM plans to broadcast from a building on South Lumpkin Road, putting it in the heart of the "Hispanic zone" in Columbus. By comparison, WHAL "Viva 1460" is in the Clear Channel building on 13th Avenue - where you're most likely to find Hispanic people doing landscaping work at the nearby Country Club of Columbus.
WTMQ developer Carlos Huertas said Tropical 88.5 will have more than salsa music. He explained it will have educational aspects, so the Hispanic community can learn about the U.S. and the overall Columbus community can learn about Hispanic life. This sounds like a good idea - teach Columbus State University's beginning Spanish course.
E-MAIL UPDATE: What was that old Linda Ronstadt song....
Please stop already with the "news" from Hurtsboro! Your blog is advertised as being about Columbus. I can take an occasional reference to Hurtsboro, but not every week!
Oh yeah - that song was "Hurts-So-Bad."
A plea like this begs for THE BIG BLOG QUESTION, so it's now set up for you to vote. Should our "Hurtsboro Mondays" end, after some four months? Should they continue? Or do you prefer our third option, to have even more Hurtsboro items here - so maybe we'll get a nice deal on a house from a Hurtsboro real estate agent?
The poll is open until next.... well, you know, next Hurtsboro Monday. Now let's check other headlines from your basic back-to-work Tuesday:
+ Congressman Sanford Bishop declared he does NOT plan to challenge Senator Saxby Chambliss in the 2008 election. For one thing, it's been so long since Bishop debated anyone that he'd probably have to start practicing right now.
+ The Georgia Water Council held a town hall meeting at Columbus State University, on how to share the state's water supply. OK, here's my idea -- next time I cook pasta, I'll pour the cooking water in the apartment complex courtyard. The lawn will get an extra bonus, from traces of iron and thiamine.
+ A truck full of fresh produce flipped over on Interstate 85 in Lee County during morning rush hour. Traffic was backed up for a couple of hours - as some drivers were simply too picky in choosing which green beans they wanted.
+ Instant Message to Cable TV of East Alabama: There's an easy way to resolve this fight, you know. Keep WTVM and drop Bravo. The people most likely to watch Bravo are also the people least likely to admit it publicly in Phenix City.
COMING SOON: An experiment in doing things the "right" way....
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