Happy Tuesday all,
Summer is finally here (Thank god), and so is the July issue of the Sherwood gazette. Click Here
After reading through 24 pages of fluff and propaganda, I read the crown jewell on the front page concerning the City Council approving the 11.4 million dollar budget. WOW!! If you read further through the article, The Sheriff of Nottingham states "City Manager Jim Patterson said the new budget includes no reductions in staff or city services.
However, Patterson has said a staff reduction could be possible if the city’s revenue and expense projections prove inadequate six months from now". Now I am sure that will not include him giving back the 17k in raise he got this year!
Next paragraph you get this: "Still, the approved budget does allow some leeway for hiring if the proposed red light cameras planned for Highway 99W prove to generate an increased workload for city staff. Patterson said if the statistical data provided by RedFlex Traffic Systems, the company expected to provide the cameras, is correct, additional staff could be hired". SO this reads if we generate enough from someone barely making it through a red light we can hire 2 more folks and pay our judge more for the added tickets! Maybe it would be better to have our Police sit by one of those magical stop signs they used to show in the movies.
the last paragraph breaks down the money we give away, "Meanwhile, groups that will receive grant funding and their respective amounts include: Robin Hood Festival, $16,000 (along with $7,500 in in-kind contributions); Sherwood Senior Citizens Inc., $8,000; Raindrops to Refuge, $7,000; Sherwood Cultural Arts Committee, $5,000; Sherwood Foundation for the Arts, $2,500 (with $5,000 in in-kind contributions); Sherwood Historical Society, $4,500 (which goes to the public works facilities budget for repairing the porch of the Morback house, home of the Sherwood Historical Society; Community Action, $2,000; and Faith in Action, $1,000". There are only 2 that I agree with, 1. Sherwood Senior Citizens Inc., $8,000; and 2. Sherwood Historical Society, $4,500 (which goes to the public works facilities budget for repairing the porch of the Morback house. No Clyde not because of you. Just kidding!
The raindrops for refuge is a PAC, Sherwood Cultural arts is nice but not needed right now, Community Action PAC, and Faith in Action religious group. Sorry that whole church and state thing. pesky little part of the constitution.
Now maybe these aren't big in their own right, but when we need to replace Police cars and hire more teachers we should be more fiscally conscience of what we spend our money on.
more to come Ta Ta
Robin
Here now, what have you got against the Robin Hood Festival (whether or not it's actually named in your honor)? Seems it's about the only thing on the list that a very large proportion of the city takes some part in.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against the Robin Hood fest, I left it out by mistake. Yes it is true they take a large part in that and also lending money to business's without checking them out and then they are surprised when the same business defaults on that loan. 40k to be exact. and yet no one was held accountable. hmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteRobin
Thanks for the information Robin about the City Budget. Its very interesting how they spin the facts in this article. For the folks that did not actually attend the Budget Meetings, it looks so rosey and peachy thanks to our fearless and brilliant leader Sheriff Nottingham. Yeah right.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when they talk about what is new this year for the Contingency Fund being at 10%...what they fail to mention is that is NOT a good thing for Sherwood's Bond Rating and our ability to borrow. The problem here is that the City has spent so much of our taxes irresponsibily that the Contingecy Fund has been allowed to be depleated due to poor fiscal and monetary management. After all, we do have someone with little to no formal training supervising the Accounting Dept!
But it would be in the best interests of the City to get our Contingecy Fund back up to the recommeded 20% so that we are not putting the City in jeopardy.
How about reducing the spending and not giving the Staff raises...just a thought.
What is needed for the Contingency Fund as echoed by one of the City Councilors is policy and guidelines on how the Contingency Fund is handled. Currently this do not exist! There is nothing in place to alert the Staff if the Fund drops below an established level. Can you imagine this situation in the real world of private business? No checks and balances? What planet are these people on?! Truly unbelievable what passes for leadership here.
Best to just take the Sherwood Fish Wrapper and use it to wrap fish or line the bird cage!
OK Robin, I really have to defend the Cultural Arts Commission - this money funds a session of Missoula Children's Theater and Music on the Green and Movies in the Park - activities that have a long history and are WELL attended. They help make Sherwood what it is.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Sherwood Foundation for the Arts - again, this is money well spent - and I don't say that just because I'm a board member. Are you aware that last year "Music Man" in Stella Olsen brought in an audience of 1200 people over 3 days and this year The Secret Garden is expected to do even better. And you would be amazed at how many of those people come from out of town!
Currently we are running a summer art camp with and at Wildlife Refuge - that money helped us do that for $25 per kid for 20 hours of professional instruction. And we fund a second session of Missoula - 120 kids between the 2 sessions. In addition, we host a free artist's guild get-together every month. That money is well spent in our community! Please visit our website at www.sherwoodarts.org.
There is a huge demand in Sherwood for increased arts. Now if the city would stop being an obstruction, work could start on the Arts Center (now the machine shop across from the library). That building would make an excellent topic for you - call me. Lori
There are a lot of places that funds could be WELL SPENT! the issue is do we have the funds to spend and what takes priority.Sheriff needs a cost of living wage to enjoy the arts...
ReplyDeleteLori,
ReplyDeleteI am going to address this in a blog entry as it will need a lot of explanation to make everyone understand my position on this project
In the above comments, one person worries about what money is (a kind of technology that makes things easier) and another person worries about what money does (distributes goods and services effectively so that we don't all have to sit out there in the rain). Both persons want to be friends and are trying awfully hard not to bump into one another. But getting along together is difficult here in the pitch black darkness of "Life in Sherwood." Why don't you tell your webmeister to turn the background a blinding green? That might help.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know what the $1000 was for Faith in Action - I prefer a separation of church and state.
ReplyDeleteThe organization's motives are pure, but your question is quite valid. Such things need to be brought up.
ReplyDeleteAccording to their website: "Sherwood Faith in Action is a non-profit organization that assists senior citizens in the Sherwood, King City and Tualatin area. Volunteers assist seniors with a variety of services, helping them continue an independent lifestyle. Part of a national program, Sherwood Faith in Action alone helps more than 100 people annually."
BTW, do you know where the Doctrine of the Separation between Church and State comes from?
ReplyDeleteFrom the Puritans? The Quakers? The Methodists? The Jews or the Muslims!? No way! Forget it! Don't make me laugh!
The answer is great fun. It's too bad we don't teach civics in school anymore or we'd all know the answer without hesitation.
See:
http://www.ratical.org/many_worlds/6Nations/FF.html