Partial Liveblogging the City Council

Also in the Chatbox to the right there..

Dear Lord God, do we really need to start the City Council meetings with a badly worded prayer?

Wishneff is MIA, Harris is sounding extra jowly today.

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Harris is giving out presentations. I wonder if he writes these things himself? If so, I feel bad for those in his congregation when he starts preaching.

Anyone see a puppetmaster in the room there?

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Nice display of gratitude by Christine, although it sounded like she got stuck when she was talking about Darlene.

Hey! It's Franken-Gwen! Can the city not invest in a decent lighting system considering this is broadcast?

Uh Oh - the "Harris Glad-Hand" has made an appearance.

Oh - this is the Council session where they will vote to give the AMWV a tax-break on property, personal property...

FIRE ALARM!

This is an interesting turn...

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Cameraman is on his way back - thats a good sign.

SO reading ahead in the Council agenda - the AMWV tax-break could cost the city nearly $50k this year alone. And that's only in property taxes - the Downtown Service Fee (??) would run nearly the same - for a rough total (after deductions for what they would actually have to pay if/when the city does vote it through) $68k... Let's see if that gets brought up.

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Did he just say SERVANT? Sheesh.. what a mook.

Good show for the kid though, with any luck I am sure this will aid him in getting a high paying job someplace other than here. I'm just guessing here.

Hey- I guess that fire alarm was a good way for Wishneff to sneak in. Must have been out to lunch or stuck in traffic somewhere.

Ok - the Roanoke-Allegheny Regional Commission is making a stand here - attempting to be nice about saying NONE of the City Council has bothered to pull themselves out of the nether-regions to talk to them. AANNNDdddd Harris just shoved him off the podium.

Jerk.

I guess the City Council does not do much when it comes to the Greater Roanoke Transit Co. - otherwise known as Valley Metro - even though they are technically the Board of Directors. Otherwise they could have had some small level of a conversation with Wayne.

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Here's Rupert. Talking about the Carvin's Cove and protecting it. Just like he did at the Valley Forward press conference. Is there some mysterious developer attempting to build a waterpark there? Perhaps Donald Trump was spotted walking through the woods with a notepad? Nope, so other than the fact that Our Fair City Council has the brains of a school of guppies, why is he so harping on what should be a no-brainer, slam dunk of an easement?

Uh oh - Rupe's lost the thread for a moment there. Wait - Fees - now he has their attention. Although I don't see a reason why we should charge people to use something that has been free and clear for a long time, unless you are going to add some value to the site. Want to raise money from the people going to visit? Get a bunch of Hot Dog stands. Let the City Council staff them, and work for tips.

Oh Harris.. if only you had the conviction of what you said...

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Ok - I'm going to take a break while they bore everyone in sight. Although it does amaze me how much they bank on the average citizen not reading the agenda, and staying as uninformed as possible.

Be back in a few - but the council chambers is near empty now. Just a handful of people left.

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Oh wait, open mic afternoon.

Helen is talking about trees, and she's not wrong. A few weeks late - but not wrong. We do take down too many trees - but we don't have a comprehensive program for allowing development without losing trees. Oh sure, they can plant new ones - but the attrition rate for new trees is higher than the life of existing ones. But that's just tree talk.

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I'm gone for 2 minutes and Darlene is suddenly on? Sheesh - what did I miss?

Oh - accreditation. Right. This matters why? Is the LAPD accredited? NYPD?

Oh no - Darlene is being funny. Crap. EVERYONE RUN!!!

I want the text of this.. this is hysterical. Someone please, stop her. Can anyone on the Council read and speak at the same time?

Oh please, someone else wrote this because Darlene wanted something to read quickly - and this is what they whipped up (under the whip I'm sure).

Oh well - I guess I have to watch the 7pm meeting - if possible.

I just wish something interesting had happened, as it would show some signs of life from this city council. Well - I'll be in and out of the chatbox today - so drop a message and I might be there to get back to you immediately.

Happy Holidays folks. Ask Santa for a better group of Council members next year.