[RP TownTalk] Reflections

Sun May 8 03:03:20 UTC 2016

Please do send me the info on the "deals you spent a lot of time lining up"
for economic development in town center, including contact info, ROI calcs,
etc.

Best,

Alan

On Sat, May 7, 2016 at 1:04 AM, Jonathan Ebbeler <
jebbeler at efusionconsulting.com> wrote:

> Alan
>
>
>
> In reflection over the last week as I attended a family funeral I realized
> what a difference a year makes.  A year ago when I attended a similar
> funeral the town sent flowers, Councilmen sent condolences etc.  Two months
> ago when another funeral was had, nary a word was said, nor any niceties
> etc.  This week same story.  The 21-gun salute and the military volunteers
> that conducted the funeral showed the utmost respect for a fallen comrade
> they didn’t know but had a shared bond and experience with.  I was saddened
> how the same respect and dignity is not shown in politics.
>
>
>
> Emily Fanning’s post was right.  It is ridiculous that this has debased
> into nonsensical high school drivel.  My posts weren’t about who said what
> etc.  It was to communicate my absolute disappointment in someone I
> considered a friend and colleague who couldn’t be bothered to ask my
> opinion on one of the most important questions that has come before Council
> in my 5 years.  I expected this from Archer, not you.  My opinion is my
> opinion and no matter how events are characterized my opinion wasn’t valued
> enough to be directly engaged nor should I have had to beg to talk.  You
> can certainly state that you wanted to, or that since I wrote thousands of
> words on the subject I wasn’t worth engaging, and you were too busy to ask
> me what I thought and why, but ultimately I still get the final say on my
> own opinion on if you heard, understood, or even engaged my opinion.
>
>
>
> It is a silly conversation.  You didn’t need my vote, you didn’t ask for
> my vote, so my opinion was and is pretty meaningless.  My posts were to
> express my singular disappointment in your actions.  This was a significant
> aberration in your behavior; you have over the last five years been a good
> legislator, this time you weren’t (but again I am just one vote and this is
> just my opinion – I am not even your constituent, I am just a resident in
> town).  The Mayor is the Mayor.  I am sure most people in the public
> understand Archer and I have significant disagreements that go back to 2011
> when I had to fight continuously against his ridiculously dumbed down
> sweetheart deals he tried to cut behind Council’s back on Cafritz.  I know
> you remember those nights, I certainly do.
>
>
>
> No matter how the Mayor wants to spin this current issue, the legislative
> process was not as open and transparent as it could have been.  The public
> has taken notice – words like ‘referendum’ haven’t come up since the Field
> of Dreams.  They certainly could have during the Cafritz votes but why
> would they?  We bent over backwards to hold dedicated Public Hearings, ward
> Town Hall meetings, worksession after worksession, legislative meetings
> galore, ensured it was the first item on agendas, and ensured there were as
> many eyes as possible on it.  In short we did the exact opposite of what
> happened with the Charter Change vote.
>
>
>
> The legislation should have by our Town Code gone through the Legislative
> Committee, a committee both you and I sit on.  I will continue to question
> the lack of transparency and agendas not being revealed publically because
> I currently have significant property interests impacted by the town
> running a structural deficit.
>
>
>
> I am glad there is going to be a focus on the budget this year.  I am glad
> I don’t have to beat my head against the wall for yet another year watching
> Council approve dumb budgets.  It has been disappointing to see our budget
> woes spun over the last few weeks on specious claims that are easy to
> evaluate by looking and data; as they say – numbers don’t lie and
> structural deficits always catch up with you.  It would be helpful if the
> town had, as the auditors indicated as a financial stability weakness,
> budgeted for lawsuits the Town is party to.  Hell, we had to pay out last
> month to Greg’s Towing for a lawsuit the Town initiated, how do you think
> the racial discrimination and malicious prosecution lawsuit they filed will
> turn out (hint – budget for economic losses in FY17).  I wish you had
> answered my direct questions about this year’s budget and also addressed
> the discrepancy between your statements and the actual financial data.
>
>
>
> I hope in looking at the budget, both this year’s and next, that you and
> CM Lingua, as the remaining representatives on the Economic Development
> Committee, do not drop the ball and refuse to fund deals that bring
> significant new development into our Town Center.  I don’t care about
> credit or legacy but these are deals I spent a lot of time lining up and
> just need the town to say yes to grants requested.  Let me know if you need
> any information.  Happy to help.  As I said to the Mayor last year right
> before his shenanigans started in earnest, I am one of the best tools the
> town has yet not only am I not used to my full potential, the town
> routinely tries to work against me.  Try to remember that these deals are
> about delivering on what the town has asked for every year, viable
> businesses at Town Center and have nothing to do with me.
>
>
>
> I am definitely looking forward to a change of guard in 2017; I gave this
> a head start by resigning.  It was not a big secret that I had no intention
> of running again.  The role of any leader on day one is to identify and
> start training their replacements.
>
>
>
> JWE
>
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