Minutes for Meetings at Madison City Council for 2008

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by skinem

Hyperbole about unlikely happenings aren't helpful...

...and I second the part about you not ever knowing who's reading, or posting, on these forums! Madison County isn't THAT big...

Let see...

Dept of Homeland Security
FBI counter-terrorist unit
Army Intelligence
.... plus the bad guys?

[ionlife]

I actually do see a minor potential for a terror event in any small town/big town having lived in an area where we actively had "shelter in place" drills. Basically they were the same as the tornado drills except the kids had to have clothing in the school they could change into should a nutball blow up a truck while on I50 on the way to the airport. We always felt it would be a pretty stupid person who made a mistake and took a wrong turn should it happen in our area. We did have a scientist, a nuclear physicist with inside connections, do a mock up of the way the cloud of poison would dissipate over the territory/area and basically learned that if the kids were outside in their "learning cottages" no amount of "shelter in place" would matter as they'd be dead in a few minutes.

Would that happen if a gas station/convenience store came into the area? Probably not. And I certainly wouldn't make that argument IN PERSON. I have a pretty solid idea as to who reads these posts and forums (in fact I believe one of you got my vote based on this forum -- hmmmm), but my point isn't to reach people who live here. It is to reach people who are planning to move here from out of state. If I can let the newbie, wants to move here, or HAS to move in here person know that all is not as FORBES paints it in the magazine, I've accomplished my goal.

I read these posts to get a feel for way the people "I may never know who reads" this forum really think. And quite frankly, I see the writing on the wall. Saw it at the meeting as well. There probably isn't much we can do to sway a council or board who is already counting $$$ on that corner for their upcoming expansions of roads. I get it. The council needs money. We're on a corner that has a potential for making money. Deals have already been made. I know. But there's the rub. Why even ask for a hearing if our objections won't be heard because they cannot overrule the mighty dollar?

Whatever. The game's not over yet. And I have other ways of making an impact.

[Charles]

Madison City Council sets hearings on property tax, two controversial rezonings | Breaking News from The Huntsville Times - al.com

[skinem]

Ionlife, have you been handing out fliers?

Looks like the noise is paying off...sounds like the GOBs may be listening...or feeling a little pressure.

Glad the see The Times mentioning it.

[friday13]

Originally Posted by ionlife

There probably isn't much we can do to sway a council or board who is already counting $$$ on that corner for their upcoming expansions of roads. I get it. The council needs money. We're on a corner that has a potential for making money.
Whatever. The game's not over yet. And I have other ways of making an impact.

Ponying up $50k every year to the City to make up for the loss of the projected $30-$40k tax revenue? If tax money were all they cared about, this move should do it: "here's $50k, don't grant the rezoning. See you next year". But maybe the City coffers stand to lose more than that.

Originally Posted by ionlife

Deals have already been made. I know. But there's the rub. Why even ask for a hearing if our objections won't be heard because they cannot overrule the mighty dollar?

Why do companies advertise a job that has already been filled (promised)?

[HB2HSV]

Originally Posted by skinem

Ionlife, have you been handing out fliers?

.

Looks like couple members here participated in the link

Spencer told the council that someone has been distributing anonymous fliers spreading wrong information about the residential zoning request. The residential zoning would be for single-family homes, not for apartments as the fliers say, he said.

Posted by ucsb1996
December 29, 2009, 7:31AM
This a really hot topic on the Huntsville/Madison City-Data forum.

Posted by aquayumm
December 29, 2009, 8:26AM
Did Obama put the council up to just making property owners pay. Why not give my kids the authority to set the referendum, and if anyone thinks it's just going to cost 65 million dollars to build a high school...well they're probably a member of the council...and is there anything in the rezoning requist to stop apartments from being built ??...I don't think so...it will happen.

[uahacct]

I believe you are doing those "newbies" a big disservice by portraying this very ordinary piece of city business as shady and underhanded. I'm not sure what else they can do to let your voice be heard (other than a planning and zoning meeting, a city council meeting, a public forum, and yet another P&Z meeting and city council meeting).

I'm very pleased with the way our city leaders are handling the public funds. The Engineering Department by itself is enough to win me over.

Edit: Then again, maybe we don't need all those new folks in, then we might need even more gas stations!

Originally Posted by ionlife

I actually do see a minor potential for a terror event in any small town/big town having lived in an area where we actively had "shelter in place" drills. Basically they were the same as the tornado drills except the kids had to have clothing in the school they could change into should a nutball blow up a truck while on I50 on the way to the airport. We always felt it would be a pretty stupid person who made a mistake and took a wrong turn should it happen in our area. We did have a scientist, a nuclear physicist with inside connections, do a mock up of the way the cloud of poison would dissipate over the territory/area and basically learned that if the kids were outside in their "learning cottages" no amount of "shelter in place" would matter as they'd be dead in a few minutes.

Would that happen if a gas station/convenience store came into the area? Probably not. And I certainly wouldn't make that argument IN PERSON. I have a pretty solid idea as to who reads these posts and forums (in fact I believe one of you got my vote based on this forum -- hmmmm), but my point isn't to reach people who live here. It is to reach people who are planning to move here from out of state. If I can let the newbie, wants to move here, or HAS to move in here person know that all is not as FORBES paints it in the magazine, I've accomplished my goal.

I read these posts to get a feel for way the people "I may never know who reads" this forum really think. And quite frankly, I see the writing on the wall. Saw it at the meeting as well. There probably isn't much we can do to sway a council or board who is already counting $$$ on that corner for their upcoming expansions of roads. I get it. The council needs money. We're on a corner that has a potential for making money. Deals have already been made. I know. But there's the rub. Why even ask for a hearing if our objections won't be heard because they cannot overrule the mighty dollar?

Whatever. The game's not over yet. And I have other ways of making an impact.