Robinson lawsuit

This is the second federal lawsuit for unfair workplace treatment filed against the city and essentially, against former public services director Gary Baugher, filed this year.

About the only thing the two sides seem to agree on here is that it should have never gotten to the point of a lawsuit and should have been resolved in the workplace. They just disagree on how it should have been resolved - hence the lawsuit.

It's down in the story but perhaps the most serious charge is made by the both sides that each one essentially lied, or fabricated, a document to prove their position.

Building bruhaha

Seems like McDonald, Kuhn and Smith are being the most reasonable here about this building along Madison being torn down. Doesn't seem like a big deal that commissioners were not informed in advance that a private property owner was demolishing an already half-rubble building.

If what Steve Archer said is true, this happens regularly and commissioners have not asked to be informed before hand.

Seems like a final dig as Archer gets pushed out the door. Sort of a "I told you he's not a good city manager" message.

Commissioners I'm sure are hearing from defenders of Steve and likely feeling some pressure for all the turmoil inside City Hall that they have initiated, for good or bad, depending on your take.

Historic

Obama at his best ....


President Obama predicts that years from now, people will wonder "why was there ever a source of controversy in the first place."

Gay troops fought at Gettysburg and at Iwo Jima, Obama says. "Their names are etched into the walls of our memorials. Their headstones dot the grounds at Arlington," he says. "So as the first generation serving openly in our armed forces, you will stand for all those who came before you. You will serve as role models for all who come in. I know you will fulfill this responsibility with integrity and honor, just as you have every other mission." (9:32 a.m.)

Obama also delivers this message: "Your country needs you. Your country wants you. And we will be honored to welcome you into the ranks of the finest military the world has ever known."

When he visited Afghanistan a few weeks ago, Obama recalls, a woman grabbed him in a rope line and whispered to him, "Get 'don't ask, don't tell' done." He says he told her, "I promise you, I will."

"For we are not a nation that says, 'don't ask, don't tell,' " he says. "We are a nation that says, 'Out of many, we are one.' We are a nation that welcomes the service of every patriot. ... It is my honor to sign this bill into law." (9:35 a.m.)

Finally

Don't ask don't tell will be tossed into the trash bin of history, where it will rot in memory like Jim Crow laws.

The arch of history bends toward justice. The vote in the Senate to repeal Don't Ask was 65-31, which is a pretty strong majority.

Like other civil rights advances, eventually the fears of change will be proven to be false, and the voices against repeal will fade into memory and this will become accepted policy by both political parties.

15th street promise

Not sure how the city commission can veer from the plan it promised voters for the half cent sales tax on street repair. They city ran large ads in 2008 stating specific projects the tax would fund, including the 15th Street repairs in year 2.

I suppose priorities can change in two years, but it would be like breaking a promise to voters because it was very clear.

Greta Goodwin

RIP Greta.

She had a tough time the last two years, losing the election, then her husband, Jim, passing away.

Reviewing her legislative record is a reminder that she was a real fighter for local causes and institutions. At least that's how people are remembering her and that evidence seems to support it. She had a big hand in the veterans home and cemetery, the winfield prison, community homes for the developmentally disabled, the bypass here in Ark City. She fought hard, and successfully, against that lake project idea that upset so many rural residents in the Dexter area.

Toward the end of her political career she became a little embittered and seemed to find enemies where there were none. Not for sure whether this was a real, health-related condition. But one of her memorials is for Alzheimer's research.

Interim manager

Two candidates, neither local, are in the mix to replace Steve Archer on a temporary basis. Wonder if the commission will embark on a comprehensive, citizen-involved effort that was used to hire Doug Russell, or go a more traditional route?

Done deed

Ark City Commission and City Manager Steve Archer negotiated a deal for him to resign, as they desired, without having to fire him.

I should say as most of them desired. It was pretty clear that Mayor McDonald supported Archer and didn't want this. But the other four, or at least three of them, apparently did. This makes two managers "resigned" in three years.


There are two theories at work:
1) That Steve just didn't cut the mustard and could not manage department heads to carry out the commission's will/goals.

2) That Steve was overpowered and undermined by commissioners who micro manage and stir the pot inside City Hall, making him the fall guy.

I suppose a third would be some truth in both. We know Mell Kuhn has tried to micro manage the police and water/sewer departments and that Dottie is strong willed. They came in as outsiders and certainly don't follow the establishment. Snell is a former schools superintendent who is used to running the show. Steve certainly isn't a forceful person and perhaps he was better suited to his previous job as administrative director rather than CEO.

What to do next? They aren't too high on Lane Massey, the second in command, either. Does the commission have the humility to find a professional, experienced city manager and let them run the city under their goals/objectives?

Will other top level resignations follow?

Duplexes tax abatement

Curious what people think of forgiving property taxes to get new duplexes built on Kansas Avenue.

This is a pretty common thing, especially if the units are income restricted to create affordable housing, which I don't think these are going to be. Ark City did a housing survey and we pretty much need upgraded housing for all income levels as I recall.

The one thing about tax abatements that kind of sticks in your crawl, is where does the city get the money to keep up with the services needed to serve the property and the people living there?

Tragedy sparks change

Sounds like 322nd Road is going to get some safety measures. We don't really know how the accident happened, but especially after it, this seems like a no brainer.

Hospital tax

Bit of a surprise that the city/hospital has not had to use the sales tax money we've been paying to pay off the new hospital debt yet. I think this illustrates that the hospital is doing fairly well financially to make profits enough to pay off the bonds itself so far, although it looks like that's changing.

As a nonprofit, publicly-run hospital, it really isn't in the business of fattening its bottom line. But of course the more money it has to re-invest, the better, as long as services stay strong.

Survey says ...

Cowley First took the pulse of residents again to update the Vision 2020 strategic plan. Not much change form the 2005 results. Drugs and jobs still top the list of concerns. And of course people support expanded services and growth incentives, but don't really want to pay for them.

The attitudes of residents, though, seems upbeat and we take a pretty positive outlook on where we live and our quality of life, the exception being good job opportunities. You'd expect that in a recession. I was a bit surprised that education didn't get higher marks, I'm not so sure how "welcoming" Cowley County is to new residents, if you throw in the immigrant population. Accepting, maybe, but not really welcoming.

Archer contract

I think there's little doubt that Steve Archer's job as city manager as been in question, but Mayor McDonald is very high on him. And in fact he makes some logical points. For all the problems - passing and repealing ordinances, water billing, computer problems, the city itself is on a very progressive tract.

The fact that the other commissioners would not comment usually means they don't have complimentary things on their minds. We'll see what this "addendum" to Steve's contract means.

Drop off

I'm kind of surprised there's not more outcry to put up a railing or something where the car went into the River.

We don't like over regulation in Kansas and rely on common sense, but when a road just ends and an open path continues to the edge of a river, it seems to present a dangerous situation.

Wikileaks and all that ....

I find it hard to get upset about media outlets reporting on "secret" government documents that reveal communication and true relationships between the U.S. government and other countries.

I suppose much of this stuff that was leaked to the Web site Wikileaks and then given to the New York Times and other media across the globe is more gossipy and truly newsworthy.

But some of it is very newsworthy - the fact that a Saudi Arabia officials suggested U.S. bomb Iran and the Saudi's would take responsibility for it. You mean the public shouldn't know this is the kind of people we are dealing with?

Govt. officials and those who think secrecy and security always go hand in hand are foaming over this, but that's what happens when government officials who don't want the public to know what's going on get outted and embarrassed.

In my view we need MORE of this kind of thing, not less. I haven't heard of anything that really will put our security at risk or harm individuals. (perhaps there is and I've missed it) Sounds to me like the news outlets involved have been fairly responsible in what they are reporting.

And whoever "stole" or leaked these documents should be protected by whistleblower laws. There is a real courage necessary to bring to light what you think the public should know about wrong doings or truths your government is hiding.

Certainly sometimes privacy and secrecy by govt. trumps disclosure, esp. in times of war. But sometimes it certainly does not. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

Here's a great defense, really, of the leaks and the media's use of them on FOX News, even, and by the New York Times Editor, Bill Keller.

Toodles Tiahrt

Congressmen Todd Tiahrt says goodbye to Washington after 16 years in the House.

Tiahrt made use generous use of the earmark to bring money to this district, which is railed against on a national level but very appreciated back home (he secured funding for the levee here in Ark City).

It seemed that his ability to look after his district created support from those who would not otherwise like him because of his hard right social and fiscal views. But he kind of rejected that image and became a Tea Partier during the last election and trash talk earmarks and so-called "pork" spending. His continued fight tooth and nail for the Boeing airtanker contract falls under the general headline of pork, does it not?

Tiahrt seems to me to have been a reliable vote for social conservatism and he became a small player in the GOP leadership back in the 90s that brought Gingrich, DeLay, etc. to power. He also seemed a reliable vote for George W. Bush last decade and, for the most part, has a record as a principled conservative.

His hard right image, though, which he worked on, caught up to him a bit in going up against Jerry Moran for U.S. Senate, who had a more moderate image.

Trash Don't Ask

Can we please just get this over with? Obama should stand up and say that if Congress refuses to pass repeal of this discriminatory policy then he will, by executive order, abolish it.

The report linked to above shows most military don't have a problem with getting rid of it, and we already know that a large majority of the public supports it.

This will be less controversial than racial integration of the troops during Eisenhower's time.

The arch of history bends toward justice.