I need to blow off some steam...

Local town council elections today.
As you know, we have a new music venue that opened end of April here. Two of the old geezers on the town council are opposed to it, 100%. Opposed to anything tourism related, anything worthwhile for economic development.
The venue has been built using many different grants and funding (non tax payer money) tobacco indemnity funds, etc. That is a miracle it and of itself!
There was an "Open House" invitation only event with food and music and the town welcoming everyone (business wise and backers) to the new venue. It was amazing, nothing like anything else - here. The Mayor was there, the council members, all but TWO. (You know the two). This is a town venue, should they have been there? You betchya.
Today at the polls I was prepared to speak to them about this. They want to keep this town depressed and in the dark. At my poll (there were two polling places) the mayor and new up and coming business owner council member runner were there and the other two incumbents also running to keep their seats were not there.
Dang.
I spoke to an old gal who wore a tshirt with the one name on it. I asked if he had been to the open house for the venue as I didn't see him. She said "I don't know I was out of town" and then she said to me "Who are YOU?" She then said my brother in law stays with you. She has a ladies wear shop downtown, and said her daughter always sends discount cards to our B&B for our guests (she did this one time). (Like she is doing me a huge favor) and that they spent a lot of money. (the reverse of thank you for sending YOUR B&B guests to spend alot of money, I am suppose to be thanking her). I said yes she did once. She said "oh no no more than once" listen lady I am the one who does everything, if I get them I GET THEM, no one else at the B&B I have owned for over 11 years.
I then said "Oh you must be..." since she never gave me her name and shook her hand.
I told her I was hoping TOWN COUNCIL MAN would be here as I wanted to ask him why he is against the venue, and she went on about money and debt and how careful and wonderful he is. I said "Well as a business owner you know you have to spend money to make money and I am one of the backers of the new music venue"
She also said and I forgot to add "You can go and talk to him at the other polling place" (Oh really? I am supposed to drive over there to talk to him? What the!)
And so...I voted, not for him. I then mentally stewed about it all day
How the old guard do not appreciate anything we do, and that WE ARE BRINGING the business into the town, not the reverse. We had a full house this weekend and NOT ONE ROOM was here to visit anyone locally or for anything local, at all. It was all due to this B&B's marketing!
The brother in law came to go to a show two weekends, yes at the music venue, he is from here, I know as we walked down together AND sat together. He was not here to visit them. Sorry old gal.
done blowing off steam. made me so mad.

I know how you feel. We have a bunch of do nothing old geezers on our town council and a town manager ....well let's just leave it at that....too strange.
They talk tourism, but they don't have a clue and when it comes to putting the money out for it....same thing...nada!!! It's like pulling teeth around here.
We "newcomers" seem to be the only ones to care and invest our time and money into the efforts. I thought we had come so far as a town, but now I am seriously questioning it. We do have some great things..but could be soooooo much better if they would wake up and smell the coffee so to speak.

Go out and get yourself a Prius, you'll feel better! Hugs!

Joey Bloggs said:

Two of the old geezers on the town council are opposed to it, 100%. Opposed to anything tourism related, anything worthwhile for economic development.

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Our six member council has 6 of those geezers on it.
Our town has a wonderful wetland (some may call it a swamp) inside the city limits, right across the highway from Walmart. It's made up of cypress trees and other plants that grow in the water and I've always dreamed of a raised boardwalk to let people take their daily walk among the huge old cypress trees and clear/black water, and enjoy that area. It would make a great and unique tourist attraction.
A couple of years ago we got a 100% grant from the state to build the boardwalk, and the guy who owns the property offered to GIVE it to the city as a unique park.
The city council turned it down! They said if people threw litter into the water, it would cost them money to clean it out, so they didn't want it! Drives me crazy. There's plenty of money to mow ball fields, heat and cool a city gymnasium, and maintain swimming pools, but not a penny for something older people would like to have.
Let us know how the election goes.

Maddening, completely maddening. Don't confuse them with the facts, their minds are made up....will only make you crazier. I recommend ripping up some weeds....or do you have a wall that needs to come out? I find that therapeutic.

Your candidates or anyone wearing political buttons or any material at all can be at the polls????? I am dumbfounded! No one politically connected (as in promoting in any way, shape or form) can be within 300 feet of a polling place here. We put out signs stating that. Media is not permitted IN a polling place - but they can be within the 300 ft as long as they are not politicking.
We had those pieces of constipation here when we moved here. Then when they FINALLY quit running, the "new Turks" took over - BUT they have grown into their roles and although most of them have remained (the big jerks moved out of the City or died) they learned. Now we are "movin' on up to the big time".
With luck, they will lose the election. Otherwise, the cemeteries take care of a lot of pieces of constipation in City Government.
Oh, and last night at a Development Authority meeting, someone actually said "perhaps we need a Marketing Director to bring people in to town". Yes, my eyes bulged and I almost choked - WTF do they think I have been doing for the last 18 years??? That person had no clue of what I have done with my marketing efforts (which pale to what you do JB but more than was done) and how much has been done already that brought Shinnston to doing a web site (or my role in getting that to happen), rack cards (ditto), publicity, etc. I do not want nor need the pat on the head or Atta Boy, but it sure hurt to hear all the effort I have done flicked off as if it never happened. What the heck do they think got us this far in the first place?

I live in a city where I pay a bed tax that goes to a tourism department that isn't run by the city but by an independent group, who don't even have a single representative from the B&Bs, doesn't advertise for me at all and wants me to pay them to get listed on your website. Some people just don't gucking fet it.

I hear you! In our town the old geezers actually DISCOURAGE tourists and businesses from coming here! Our taxes are through the roof and our roads are deplorable, but they just want to keep things the way they are. Maddening!

Ice said:

Go out and get yourself a Prius, you'll feel better! Hugs!.

Click to expand...

Ice said:

Go out and get yourself a Prius, you'll feel better! Hugs!

Click to expand...

You are very funny, I will rev my V-8 Hemi instead.
But I do feel better if you feel better.

Arks said:

Joey Bloggs said:

Two of the old geezers on the town council are opposed to it, 100%. Opposed to anything tourism related, anything worthwhile for economic development.

Click to expand...

Our six member council has 6 of those geezers on it.
Our town has a wonderful wetland (some may call it a swamp) inside the city limits, right across the highway from Walmart. It's made up of cypress trees and other plants that grow in the water and I've always dreamed of a raised boardwalk to let people take their daily walk among the huge old cypress trees and clear/black water, and enjoy that area. It would make a great and unique tourist attraction.
A couple of years ago we got a 100% grant from the state to build the boardwalk, and the guy who owns the property offered to GIVE it to the city as a unique park.
The city council turned it down! They said if people threw litter into the water, it would cost them money to clean it out, so they didn't want it! Drives me crazy. There's plenty of money to mow ball fields, heat and cool a city gymnasium, and maintain swimming pools, but not a penny for something older people would like to have.
Let us know how the election goes..

Click to expand...

Arks said:

Joey Bloggs said:

Two of the old geezers on the town council are opposed to it, 100%. Opposed to anything tourism related, anything worthwhile for economic development.

Click to expand...

Our six member council has 6 of those geezers on it.

Click to expand...

to clarify, the others are bench warmers. but they can stay, they are ne'er here nor there. They really do nothing. SO for THIS election we are focused on moving those diametrically opposed to anything worthwhile OUT!
Our asst town manager and mayor are the ones making the progress and dragging the dead weight along with them right now.

white pine said:

Maddening, completely maddening. Don't confuse them with the facts, their minds are made up....will only make you crazier. I recommend ripping up some weeds....or do you have a wall that needs to come out? I find that therapeutic..

Click to expand...

white pine said:

Maddening, completely maddening. Don't confuse them with the facts, their minds are made up....will only make you crazier. I recommend ripping up some weeds....or do you have a wall that needs to come out? I find that therapeutic.

Click to expand...

I am currently wearing my tank-top:

Country Girl said:

I hear you! In our town the old geezers actually DISCOURAGE tourists and businesses from coming here! Our taxes are through the roof and our roads are deplorable, but they just want to keep things the way they are. Maddening!.

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Country Girl said:

I hear you! In our town the old geezers actually DISCOURAGE tourists and businesses from coming here! Our taxes are through the roof and our roads are deplorable, but they just want to keep things the way they are. Maddening!

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Yes this is them.
not just on the fence, but opposed to tourism or any economic development. bone heads.

Joey Bloggs said:

white pine said:

Maddening, completely maddening. Don't confuse them with the facts, their minds are made up....will only make you crazier. I recommend ripping up some weeds....or do you have a wall that needs to come out? I find that therapeutic..

Click to expand...

white pine said:

Maddening, completely maddening. Don't confuse them with the facts, their minds are made up....will only make you crazier. I recommend ripping up some weeds....or do you have a wall that needs to come out? I find that therapeutic.

Click to expand...

I am currently wearing my tank-top:

.

Click to expand...

YES!

It's everywhere. Our Town is small, has the highest rate of taxes in the area and many abandoned properties the Town is getting by tax liens. The few locals who run everything are against any further development if it will be any competition to any of their or their friends tiny businesses. So they pass stupid zoning ordinances that our Town lawyer said are illegal and fight businesses who want to come in. Yes, even a chain retailer that said they'd make the store look like an old fashioned general store on the outside. Their argument is that no one will shop in the overpriced little food store anymore. Well I guess that guy would have to reinvent himself (stop selling nothing by fried chicken fingers and pizza and get a damn chicken rotisserie which everyone drives to the next town to buy) -- we need the tax revenue to survive and prosper.
We also have a town golf course that has never made a dime - in fact, it constantly loses money. And the crony selectmen all golf there and some of my friends do as well for cheap so they all vote to not sell or lease out the property and get some tax or lease revenue in. Yet as I tried to take over and make the defunct chamber into something, I couldn't get any help even from other B&B properties. I ran a huge event all by myself yet they all benefited. When I said I wouldn't do it again without help, they pretty much folded the chamber, only the website will survive with listings. No marketing, no events, nothing. Good thing I bring all those people into this little town who want to eat at the three restaurants and shop in the little store, and grab an ice cream after a show at the theatre. I'm totally convinced that stupid cannot be fixed and is taking over more and more as phones are smarter yet people are dumber. Can't wait until I don't live here in stupidville and relocate to a more prosperous location where they have intelligent people promoting the area, development plans for proper growth and are forward thinking, not backwoods who "love the little town atmosphere" that has my guests often asking what's with all the abandoned properties? The backwards non-forward thinking individuals can't see how they are self-killing their Towns.

Joey Bloggs said:

Ice said:

Go out and get yourself a Prius, you'll feel better! Hugs!.

Click to expand...

Ice said:

Go out and get yourself a Prius, you'll feel better! Hugs!

Click to expand...

You are very funny, I will rev my V-8 Hemi instead.

But I do feel better if you feel better.

.

Click to expand...

Joey Bloggs said:

Ice said:

Go out and get yourself a Prius, you'll feel better! Hugs!

Click to expand...

You are very funny, I will rev my V-8 Hemi instead.

But I do feel better if you feel better.

Click to expand...

Are you kidding me? I feel great!

MtnKeeper said:

It's everywhere. Our Town is small, has the highest rate of taxes in the area and many abandoned properties the Town is getting by tax liens. The few locals who run everything are against any further development if it will be any competition to any of their or their friends tiny businesses. So they pass stupid zoning ordinances that our Town lawyer said are illegal and fight businesses who want to come in. Yes, even a chain retailer that said they'd make the store look like an old fashioned general store on the outside. Their argument is that no one will shop in the overpriced little food store anymore. Well I guess that guy would have to reinvent himself (stop selling nothing by fried chicken fingers and pizza and get a damn chicken rotisserie which everyone drives to the next town to buy) -- we need the tax revenue to survive and prosper.
We also have a town golf course that has never made a dime - in fact, it constantly loses money. And the crony selectmen all golf there and some of my friends do as well for cheap so they all vote to not sell or lease out the property and get some tax or lease revenue in. Yet as I tried to take over and make the defunct chamber into something, I couldn't get any help even from other B&B properties. I ran a huge event all by myself yet they all benefited. When I said I wouldn't do it again without help, they pretty much folded the chamber, only the website will survive with listings. No marketing, no events, nothing. Good thing I bring all those people into this little town who want to eat at the three restaurants and shop in the little store, and grab an ice cream after a show at the theatre. I'm totally convinced that stupid cannot be fixed and is taking over more and more as phones are smarter yet people are dumber. Can't wait until I don't live here in stupidville and relocate to a more prosperous location where they have intelligent people promoting the area, development plans for proper growth and are forward thinking, not backwoods who "love the little town atmosphere" that has my guests often asking what's with all the abandoned properties? The backwards non-forward thinking individuals can't see how they are self-killing their Towns..

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This was the leadership of my small city in the 60s and 70s. By the 90s they were either died or sold out. The town was slowly dying. When we moved to town, there were still stores but they were closing one by one. By 1998 it was getting grim. I was able to bring a lot of people in with the rail-trail. About 2005 the "young Turks" had started seeing the light (the crap guys among them were gone) and they made my trail walking buddy City Manager. All the things we had talked about on the rail-trail started happening. And this town has been kicking butt ever since.
We are currently working with a couple grants - one will be done the end of June - a Healthy Communities - and our grant title is Shin nston Thr ives. We have a community garden almost ready for planting - 10 4x4 boxes plus there will be a few rows with all produce going to our food bank this year. Boy scouts, girl scouts, 4-H, etc are each taking one box to plant and tend. We have another grant for tech assistance to identify dilapidated buildings and help identifying the owners (some are faceless corporations who bought the properties at tax sales) to get them torn down at their expense, not the city's. And business is back.
You just need to find THE person who has the vision and hope the cemetery hurries things along. We still have one or two but they are now on banana peels. We lost a couple of the good ones too soon.

our trouble is - my town is where a lot of people retire to a good chunk of our population is over 65 and they like everything just like it is - trouble is if there is no money it won't be as there won't be money for maintaining it as it is if the 1 in 3 jobs which are tourism related pack up!
this is a perfect example - The Tour De France cycle race is coming not once but twice to Harrogate, we will get world wide coverage on a massive scale and as we are the finish line of stage 2 will get tons of coverage - will bring 1.5 million tourists to Harrogate for the 2 days - and this is what we get!
http://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/letters/letter-tour-de-france-2014-not-welcome-in-harrogate-1-6588996
and it has taken us 3 years to get to this with the xmas market! http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2014/04/10/harrogate-christmas-market-set-return-third-year-2014/
really pushing the fact it is all done by volunteers and not the council! drives me mad!

Joey Camb said:

our trouble is - my town is where a lot of people retire to a good chunk of our population is over 65 and they like everything just like it is - trouble is if there is no money it won't be as there won't be money for maintaining it as it is if the 1 in 3 jobs which are tourism related pack up!
this is a perfect example - The Tour De France cycle race is coming not once but twice to Harrogate, we will get world wide coverage on a massive scale and as we are the finish line of stage 2 will get tons of coverage - will bring 1.5 million tourists to Harrogate for the 2 days - and this is what we get!
http://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/letters/letter-tour-de-france-2014-not-welcome-in-harrogate-1-6588996
and it has taken us 3 years to get to this with the xmas market! http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2014/04/10/harrogate-christmas-market-set-return-third-year-2014/
really pushing the fact it is all done by volunteers and not the council! drives me mad!.

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Probably not just your town.
Etape cycle race came to Loc hne ss last Sunday, which meant rolling road closures right round the loch. It was 1000 cyclists this year (1st year) but has the potential to be huge and bring a great deal of tourism to the whole area. Pitlochry's race is now 3,000 cyclists.
Monday morning, articles in the paper with people complaining about the road closures. It's 1 sunday morning a year people.

Update: He kept his seat. The old fuddy duddies voted him back in. But we do have new blood on council, a younger entrepreneur who offset one of the long time bench warmers. So that is better than nothing!

Yes, change takes time, but at least you have a choice. I've seen a few cases, though, where young new blood becomes one of the old gang as soon as they get in office and the others start to talk to them. Hope that doesn't happen with your new one!