THE GOSSIP PAGES FOR JANUARY 2000
January 29, 2000
This morning I got out about 6 am. While everyone else was sleeping (including the Mayor) the City streets were being bladed. Why was this being done so early? Then I saw one reason, Sam Green had the big truck doing his job. WOW!, then I saw the City Street Commissioners truck. And then I saw why it was out cindering the streets. IT HAD A CITY COUNCILMAN in it. Now there is a novel way to get the streets clean as they should be. Now, if we could get each Councilman to take turns getting the Street Commissioner out, these streets would be as good as Cantons.
January 24, 2000
Rumor has it that the firemen threw themselves a party last weekend. Thank you taxpayers. Seems at least one fireman got a plaque, maybe now they will let him drive the truck or at least let him blow the siren and turn on the red lights. This is great, first the Chamber of Commerce officials give each other plaques for their dedicated work. Then the C-1 school board recognizes each other for their dedication and now the firemen do the same. I guess they were nice to Fred (no prayer here) Wiewel and they didn't have a prayer before the dinner as customary. I guess maybe now Fred (no prayer here) Wiewel and Ralph (pave my drive free) Martin will vote as councilmen at the next meeting to give themselves (well, and the other firemen too) raises.
Wow, all of these recognizing meetings and dinners and awards and plaques, it makes you all gushy feeling. What ever happened to waiting for someone else to pat you on your back when you deserve it? I guess times are changing, if no one else wants to pat you on your back, you do it yourself, have a dinner, recognize yourself, and give yourself a plaque.
Councilman Ayers asked at the last council meeting about a base radio for the fire department. My question is, if all the firemen go to the fire as they should, who would man the base radio and for what? What the heck, spend the money, the City has lots of it. When your expenditures out weighs your income two to one, there's no end to it.
Six months ago or so a councilman was going to quit, he couldn't deal with such idiocy, but he voted right along with them and now wants to keep on doing it. Strange isn't it.
January 22, 2000
Well, we all woke up this morning to some snow. The streets were white and slick all morning. Well, that is until the Street Commissioner got out of bed and spread "a few" cinders around. No snow was pushed to the side, only "a few" cinders were spread. This makes what? about twice this winter he had to do something. Lets see, about $10.00 an hour plus. He is getting paid "EVERY" week for 44 hours, supposed to put in 40 , and does less than 20 hours of work. 4 hours times $10.00 plus comes to over $40.00 extra money each week, counting benefits. That adds up to over $2,000 extra money each year. The idea of this was that the Street Commissioner was "supposed" to get up earlier than anyone else and clean the snow before the public was to drive on the streets to make it safe. Big joke on the public. Plus. the bigger joke is that he usually takes time off for the hours he is prepaid to work.
But, what the heck, they pay the Police Chief the same way and works the same way. Who cares, it's not your money they are spending.
Let's see now, in October, fines equaled to the amount of money for three police officers pay. For November, the fines were $1000 short of payroll. December was even worse. And now it looks like January is no better. How is the City going to stand a $4,000 plus hit each month? Either arrests are going to have to pick up or somebody will have to go.
Question. Is it more important to get the fire department to your home for a fire or a police officer to work a burglary? If you say the fire department then why is the fire department dispatched by call forwarding to Monticello and the police department has a local dispatcher? Why can't we call forward the police calls and do away with paying a dispatcher? Because it is Ralph's "pave my drive free" Martins AUNT. No nepotism here is there Ralphie.
January 20, 2000
Well, it looks like my email informants fed me some wrong info on the reason why the City "Fathers" went to Jeff City. But, an interesting note is the statement that Mr. Phillips is NOT going to be the one to finance the boat. The reason no one spoke against the boat was the fact, no one was told that there was this meeting. It all makes one wonder where are the "hurdles" the gambling boat people keep coming up with. it seems that every three or four months, there is another "hurdle" to overcome.
Did you get the Labelle Star? Just change the words "Lewis County C-1 School Board members" to La Grange Chamber of Commerce, then you will see the same type of people. Well! Since no one else is proud of them, they have to "Recognize" themselves and tell about all the hard work and "dedication" they have put in to being a dedicated member. Now, where is that plaque?
Did you notice that Fred "no prayer here" and Ralph "pave my drive free and the mobile home skirting law is not enforceable on MY relatives" came in late at the Council Meeting.
I have a question? If the City spends thousands of dollars on tornado sirens and the people can't hear them because of their air conditioner and tv going, what happens then?
Anyone can buy a weather alert radio that has a built in tornado warning siren that can be heard anywhere in the home. Why not provide these at cost to all the people in town? I have one and it works excellent.
Question, what is the difference? The City put up bids for mowing last year and took a local persons bid over a person out of town which the local person put in a higher bid. The City put up bids to haul rock and took the out of town bid over a local persons bid for only 50 cents difference.
I had an email from a distraught mother. She wanted to know what she is to tell her children that get on the net and see their fathers name being put in a bad light? I replied, just tell them the same as she would about what her husband did to Jerry Brandt. But, most of all, how do you explain to your child about the illegal, immoral and improper things their father does. How do these people go to church on Sunday? Do they tell the child that, well your daddy committed these acts because he was doing this in the best interest of the town or daddy?
Example: How does daddy explain to the child that he took bids on a building from a company and then used that companies bid to get a lower bid from a friend by changing the specifications?
Last on the list. The City Council saved the people money again. Instead of offering the building located on the new property for sale, which would have made the City 2 or 3 hundred dollars, YOU the taxpayer and paying to have the City tear it down and BURN it up. Those 187 people just keep on being proud of themselves voting for THEIR Mayor.
January 18, 2000
The rumor today is Robert Farr is out of the loop now. Seems he will not be needed in the building of the new sewer dump at the new city property. I guess visiting with the Mayor at the bowling alley every Thursday night doesn't help.
Speaking of the new sewer dump at the new city property. Doesn't it seem kind of dumb to put the pump station at the top of the hill that will only serve one place? I mean, if they are going to spend thousands of dollars on a massive sewage pumping station, wouldn't it be better at the bottom of the hill between Lester Vaughn and Mrs. Musholt? At least there, sometime in the future a sewer line could be run out route C and serve a lot of other property.
But, this Mayor and Council cannot see any farther than the gambling boat for jenny. Those 187 people just keep on having things to be proud of with their Mayor. Maybe we can vote in a couple of NEW councilmen that can think for themselves and be yes men as we have now.
January 15, 2000
Rock and a hard place:
Rumor has it that Mayor (please eat more ice cream) Ludwig, Fred (no prayer here) Wiewel, Ralph (hire my relative and pave my drive free) Martin, Mike (yessa Master Martin, Yessa Master Wiewel) Lowe, Jim (its my firewater truck) Ellison, and the City (FreeCell Highest score) Clerk and no telling who else all went to Jefferson City ( at your expense) regarding the gambling boats wanting to do away with the $2.00 boarding fee. The problem is this. First off, these people have done everything that they can do get Jenny her boat, both legal and illegal, moral and immoral. Now, they have to make a choice, help Jenny by telling the commission they want the give up the $2.00 boarding fee which could cost the City 1/2 million per year, or fight for the City and the people of La Grange. For most people it would be a no brainer, but with these people, it will be just like our school. Sorry people of La Grange. But those 187 people are still proud.
How much does it cost to hook up to the City sewer System? If the City is doing it for themselves, it costs THOUSANDS of dollars. And those 187 people are still proud.
For a mere $300 or so the City Council sold down the river another local tax paying city business for another out of town business. And those 187 people are so proud.
And three Councilman still has no idea what is going on.
It is still hard to believe a police officer would use another's property to park their car and the police car.
It looks like Roger Sherwood has signed up again to be Ralph and Freds no nothing yes man. Duh, what was the question again?
January 13, 2000
Two things. One is that this morning a 7:30 am the police officer was chasing down a woman going to work. She chase the car "which was going slowly down the street" for several blocks with the red lights on before the driver stopped. She had no idea she was being chased down by the police. Just what La Grange needs, a police officer on duty early in the morning arresting people going to work. I keep telling you all, the only way to support a multi-man police FORCE is by arrests, arrests, arrests. The 187 people are still proud.
The other thing is. Why does a police officer need to take their dog for a ride in the police car? Everyone knows the dog is not a trained police dog. Are the taxpayers required to pay for the upkeep of this dog along with the other dog? How many dogs are going to be on the public dole? Who will pay for the mistakes and damage done by this dog?
With the minutes of the last council meeting not being published, even partly, it must mean we are in for another big surprise. Whenever the City doesn't want you to know what they are doing to you, the leave it out of the minutes or just don't give it to the paper. Watch out now folks.
January 11, 2000
Well, I guess the rumor I heard the other day was a fizzle. I had heard that someone was going to appear at the Council meeting and lay on a whole lot of allegations of wrong doing by the police chief. Supposedly there was a lot of evidence saved up for the occasion. Maybe the person will get their nerve up by the next meeting.
Those 187 people have another reason to be proud of their Mayor they elected. Let's see now. He puts the new City building construction up for bid. He sees the bid he received. Then he contacts a local contractor to build the building at a cost cheaper than the bid. Such a deal. Those upstanding Councilmen voted to do the right thing. "Wrong" Even when they do bids as required by law they invariably end up screwing it up. The big question is, why does the City crew need to get hammers and other building tools? Who is going to do the work?
Instead of running a normal water line to service the new buildings "see above", the rumor is the fire chief wants a 4 inch MAIN line run so the firemen can have a large hookup to train with. All well and good, except, what about those poor people out route C whose water pressure is barely above legal now? They won't have any water at all when our PAID "VOLUNTEER" firemen fire up the big hose to "train" with.
Now, how is the City going to get to city sewer? They can't, they will have to build a lagoon. Sorry, Jimmy Cottrell.
La Grange Foundry boys: Listen up, today you should have seen the police with the radar gun at the old Imperial gas station. I keep telling you that the City CAN NOT afford three police officers. The only way they can be paid is WITH ARRESTS and they are already in the red now. You guys are now on the most wanted list, so drive carefully. And especially you Siether & Cherry guys, you are easy pickings and from out of town.
January 10, 2000
Tonight is Council meeting night. Do you think they will stop and rethink about the rock hauling. I mean, here they have a street commissioner who all he wants to do is ride around town, Canton, Quincy, wherever he wants daily, and the City Council put up for bids for someone to haul rock for the City. Talk about stupidity at its highest point. 187 people have just got to love this. Paying the street commissioner hundreds of dollars a week. paying him for a 44 hour work week extra money, and all he wants to do is ride around and then the Mayor wants to HIRE someone else to haul rock for the City. This has to make a total idiot stop and wonder. What else does he have to do all winter?
And since the police chief likes to ride around with the commissioner, he can go along and patrol the highway too. Maybe he will see another person relieving himself along the road and take chase with the dump truck. AND, since a fireman loves to ride around daily in the firewater truck, maybe he can drive one of the trucks too and pretend it is the firewater truck.
Now, stop and think about all the people here in town that Ralph (pave my drive free) forced (even by arrest) to put skirting under their mobile home. But, when it comes to a relative who has a tanning salon, well, they do not need to comply with the law that everyone else does. He'll just waive that law for a relative.
The big wedding is coming up soon, I wonder if all the gambling boat supporters were invited to the big bash. Let's see, that includes all of the City Council and City hall and Mayor. Officers of the Chamber of Commerce and of course the main ones of the La Grange Revitalization Organization. Plus all the firemen. Maybe they should include all those displaced people that had to sell out for the gambling boat.
January 6, 2000
Why is their such a difference between the La Grange City Council Minutes printed in the Canton Paper and the Minutes printed in the La Belle Star?
If the gambling boat's lawsuit to stop the boarding fees comes to pass, that will mean the $1,000,000.00 the gambling boat group says the "City" will get will be cut in half. Then the gambling boat will get to keep the money and the people of La Grange will get to keep the liabilities. You see, this City Council and Mayor approved the contract that says the City CANNOT pass any other fees on the Gambling boat FOREVER. Just makes those 187 people SOOOO PROUD.
January 5, 2000
As you drive around town in the evenings from today on, you must drive by City Hall and take note of all the meetings. Seems a visitor from the State Ethics Investigation is in town asking questions. Questions about windows and property sold without bids. Questions to the Mayor might be like, Why did you sell and install the windows in City Hall without bids. Answer:: Well sir, I didn't charge to do the install, so the Council and City Attorney said that was ok. Anther question might be, Why did the City Council and Mayor sell City property to the gambling boat without bids. Answer: Well sir, we got a whole lot of money for the property, see how good we did? And the Council and City Attorney said it was ok. Gollee, gee, we didn't know it was illegal, we don't read the gossip page.
Meanwhile, a fireman named Jim just seems to love that new firewater truck. He just goes down to the fire station and gets in and rides and rides. He probably puts as many miles on that firewater truck as the street commissioner does his truck. Maybe some day he will get a real job. Or maybe this pays very well? At least the street commissioner chauffeurs the police chief around so it helps a little on the gas bill.
I guess it beats having the City clerk sit around all day playing solitaire, oops, FreeCell all day. To bad the Mayor doesn't know how to make a computer work. He could play with her.
Now that the mail isn't up until 1 o'clock every day, it is tough to get your mail in between phone calls and the lady in the gray car and the guy in the white truck. So, I guess visiting hours at the post office are from 1 till closing.
Does anyone know if David (yes master Ralph, yes master Fred) Burbridge has signed up for another term as being a yes man? What about the other yes master Ralph and yes master Fred, Sherwood?
Rumor is that they all have to sign up again to keep someone else from getting in there and finding out all their screwups.
JANUARY 3, 2000
Well, we all made it into the New Year. Maybe we should thank the Lord as all the police and firemen were out in force New Years eve to protect us from the perils of Y2K.