Posted: February 22, 2012 |
The Liberty Park project is going to be great for Clarksville. Having a marina will be awesome, and I don’t care if you have a boat or not. I don’t have an airplane but we’ve got an airport. What sense does that argument make? Progress is progress. Get out of the way, we’re going to the top.
“But I don’t own a boat.”
Good for you. Go have a cup of coffee and complain about something else.
The news surrounding the marina development has been littered with controversy. From the “git-go” people have whined and complained about it. Just like they did over annexing St. Bethlehem, and renaming Guthrie Highway after the great Wilma Rudolph.
What else is new.
How’d that work out for ya?
News: Recently I reported that a bankruptcy court handed down a judgement of 4.8 million dollars against the contractor the city hired to build the marina, for “wrongful termination” of a sub-contractor. TMS Contracting and it’s insurance company have appealed.
This could take a while.
“But I don’t own a boat.”
Whatever!
News: A local architectural firm has sued the project consultant.
News: The first marina operator “bailed” on the contract after not getting his financing. The new marina operator walked into a sweet deal, and a local group of businessmen who wanted to operate the marina are keeping a close eye on the arrangement they get.
Fact: There are going to be lawsuits over this thing for a long time. There is going to be some finger pointing and accusations like you’ve never heard.
“But I don’t own a boat.”
Bite me!
Welcome to Clarksville. Now, how about a convention center?
Posted: February 10, 2012 |
I’ve been covering the news in Clarksville for nearly forty years, and not once have I heard anyone claim satisfaction in the “good old boy” network. Which leads me to wonder, just what is this “good old boy” network?
Is it the Moose Club? Kiwanis Club? Country Club card room? Please, explain.
Since the beginning of time, there’s been a “good old boy” network. It’s how things get done, like it or not. And make no mistake, there’s “good old girls” clubs too, just ask James Chavez.
Now, Mayor Kim McMillan has appointed a new Charter Revision Commission. Let’s review the participants and connect the dots:
Former mayor Ted Crozier
Ted Crozier Jr, son of former mayor, appointed Clerk and Master by Judge Larry McMillan, husband to Kim
Wendell Gilbert (brigadier general retired) father-in-law to Ted Crozier Jr
Mark Rassas (attorney) brother-in-law to Ted Crozier Jr
Tim Hall (apsu president) hired Kim McMillan after leaving state government
Jeannie Beauchamp (dentist) best friend of Kim McMillan
Bill Powers (businessman) neighbors to Kim and Larry McMillan, travel together on vacations, good friends.
These are just a few of the people who have volunteered to help revise our city charter, and I hold them ALL in very high regard.
I don’t have a problem with our leaders choosing people they know and trust to help them do a very difficult job. Who else can you turn to when you need someone the most.
Your friends.
Every single mayor since I can remember has turned to the people he knows to do the right thing for their community. Oh I know, there’s been some “bad apples” along the way, but for the most part, this city has done quite well.
There’s nothing wrong with asking your friends to help you out.
I think this is an amazing group of people who have proven their love for our community. I wouldn’t ask a stranger to help me grow my business, or make vital decisions related to my future. I go to the people I know and trust.
Don’t worry. The city council will make sure there’s no “shenanigans.” Lol.
Posted: February 7, 2012 |
Remember the NFL lockout?
Apparently none of you did either.
From all the griping and moaning about the NFL lockout that preceded this season, you sure couldn’t tell it at the Super Bowl. Once again, the big game was viewed by more people than can be counted. The game itself was a dandy, with the Giants winning late in the fourth quarter, the commercials were cool, especially Clint Eastwood, and of course there was a half-time show “malfunction”.
The game is over hyped as it is, but that’s ok, because I’m a football fan. I want every possible angle I can get on the game. Besides, how can all those so called “experts” justify their existence? (note to Aaron Rodgers, don’t quit your day job)
You had a lot of story lines working here:
Eli/Payton. Who’s better?
Tom Brady/Bill Belichick, can they produce the magic again?
Will Madonna lip synch?
Is Tim Tebow in the house?
I missed the now famous “nip slip” of Janet Jackson, so what were the odds that something would happen at this years game?
Well, it did.
Now, I don’t even know who M.I.A is , but apparently she should have been. (get it? missing in…oh whatever)
What the hell is wrong with these people? Where along the way did we decide this was ok? This behavior? Is it cute? Trendy? Cool? Part of the choreography? “We’re number one? What?
I’m disappointed that this young lady doesn’t have the common courtesy, or class, to realize what a joke she is. I hate it that she not only has NO respect for herself, but no respect for every single young person watching that performance, who went right out the next day and did an imitation of her performance at school.
Touch of class M.I.A. Hope you sell a bunch of CD”s. I won’t buy one
Oh, and Eli/Payton?
Eli, by a finger.
Posted: February 3, 2012 |
Facebook is going public. Anybody else see the irony here?
By going public, I don’t mean they’ve changed their security settings, I mean, they’re selling stock in the company. You could own you a piece of the action, then you would be entitled to “bitch” about all the changes they make, while you aren’t looking.
I’m always curious why a company goes public. Most of the time it’s to raise capital, and most of the time, the company was doing really good before, then after the stock sale, the company starts to struggle. I’m not sure if this is the case here, but just how much money does Mark Zuckerberg need? How much money does Facebook need?
Estimates are in the billions, but make no mistake, what happens next is bothersome.
Now the company will be “accountable” to it’s shareholders. They will have to maintain a certain level of profitability to keep the stock moving forward. This could mean a lot of things. This could definitely mean we will have to pay for Facebook, but the “perks” could be too good to turn down, so don’t decide against that just yet.
If it’s one thing we know, capitalism is GOOD. This is a country built on it. But, if history bears out, NO GOOD will come from that much money. It will cause problems. Look around.
I’m growing weary of Facebook anyway.
Posted: January 26, 2012 |
The issue of conflict of interest has been dominating the news long enough. It’s time to get it fixed.
First, the county decided they had a problem with a member of the Airport Authority. He resigned. Others followed.
Then the city lost a number of great citizens who were contributing their time and talents to the progress of this city, but the issue remains unsolved.
The city council had a chance to address the problem with the charter revision. It failed, and is now on the “back burner” until they get a document that our state legislative delegation approves.
The latest twist in this ridiculous drama has mayor Kim McMillan bringing the amendment back before the council to try again. She has encouraged the citizens to call their city councilman and tell them to “quit playing politics” with this issue.
Well played Kim.
The city council needs to approve this amendment to the charter, so we can continue to have good people on our boards and commissions.
This is not the issue to squabble over any more. The charter failed, and the conflict of interest problem still exists. I think we should quit messing around, get some direction, get these people back involved with our community, then when the time is right, we’ll change the charter. McMillan has formed another charter task force, so let’s see where that goes.
In the meantime, lets quit “playing politics” on this one.
Just my two cents.
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