VILLAGE FRIVOLITY

WITH AN IMPENDING ELECTION FOR ONE SEAT ON THE VILLAGE BOARD, AN OLD COOPER TRICK COMES INTO PLAY. TWO SIGN UP FOR ONE SEAT, ONE BACKS OUT, AND THE OTHER WINS AUTOMATICALLY. SO SAYS THE CHARTER. HELLO MR. COOPER, DEVELOPER OF THE VILLAGE. A HANDY WAY TO KEEP CONTROL. WHY BOTHER WITH EXTENDING THE DEADLINE, OR WRITE-IN CANDIDATES. ANOTHER SHINING EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRACY AT WORK IN THE VILLAGE.

THE NEW PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SOLD AS REVOLUTIONARY. SEEMS LIKE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPENING ALL ALONG. THE BOARD PASSES A PROPOSAL, AND THEY TELL US. WE SHOULD BE GETTING INFORMATION BEFORE THE PROPOSAL IS PASSED, NOT AFTER. JUST ANOTHER PERSONAL PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE BOARD.

SPEAKING OF GOLF. HOW MUCH DID WE MAKE LAST YEAR? (THAT’S AFTER THE TROON PAYMENT). SIMPLE QUESTION. AND BY-THE-WAY, WHAT DID WE PAY TROON? IT’S A SECRET? I FORGET,  WE ARE IN THE AGE OF SECRECY. ONE WOULD THINK THE BILL PAYERS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW. I SUPPOSE I’M MORE NAIVE THAN I THOUGHT.

AND FINALLY, A PLEA. BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE MONEY YOU ARE SPENDING ON MARKETING. I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE THE EXACT SAME RESULTS DOING NOTHING.  I FIRMLY BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE MOVE HERE BECAUSE THEY KNOW SOMEONE ALREADY HERE. AND WHAT IS “HIDDEN POTENTIAL MARKETING?” I MUST HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP. NEW REAL ESTATE OFFICE. NEW MARKETING OFFICE. SEEMS THEY ARE WORKING ON SPENDING OUR NEW $65 ASSESSMENT. ALL I ASK FOR AS A RESIDENT IS THAT YOU GIVE ME SOME KIND OF IDEA WHAT THESE NEW VENTURES HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH, HOW YOU ARE GONG TO MEASURE THAT, AND WHEN MIGHT WE REVIEW THESE EXPENDITURES? THAT WOULD BE CALLED BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, SOMETHING INCREDIBLY LACKING OVER THE SIX YEARS WE HAVE BEEN HERE.