October 26, 2008

FEDERAL

It is about time a news reporter asked tough questions about Obama and now his campaign is mad and having a crying like a baby.  What is going to happen if he wins and is asked tough questions again from other media?  Maybe he will get is telaprompter out and give speeches instead of interviews. Here is the paper article.

 

Her is one a bit more fun about The Day After Obama Wins.

October 25, 2008

LOCAL

Saturday was an eventful day.  I started the day off at the Boo Run if downtown Flowery Branch where I ran the 5K in 43 minutes, but I was pushing my son in his stroller.  Then off to the Spout Springs Elementary Fall Festival followed by the Sterling on the Lake Life is Good Pumpkin Festival where all proceeds went to charity. Oh did I mention I was in the dunking booth from 1:00 – 1:30 and the weather was perfect for a penguin to be in water.  Well it was for charity. 

October 22, 2008

FEDERAL

Please excuse the cuss words, this link is from Howard Stern, but the responses from the Barack Obama supporters are priceless.

October 20, 2008

FEDERAL

What do they say?  A picture is worth a thousand words! 

October 16, 2008

LOCAL

Yesterdays council meeting was a bit more exciting than most.  If you read the articles, here and here, they do not express all that was said – especially what I had to say about the city’s largest water and sewer user coming before the council to ask for a decrease in their rates.

 

As reported in the news, Tree Top Apartments was requesting a lower rate on their water and sewer rates because they had not expected an increase as high as they received.  There are several points I brought up that you all need to know.

 

First.  The increase to the water and sewer was increased by 20% and that was per the bond agreement between the financial institution and the city.

 

Second. What does it cost the city, in total costs, variable and fixed, per thousand gallons to provide water and sewer to each customer?

 

Here are some numbers:

·        Flowery Branch’s fixed and variable costs to provide 1000 gallons of water to a customer are $7.36.

·        Flowery Branch’s fixed and variable costs to treat 1000 gallons of sewer for a customer is $9.11.

·        Flowery Branch receives $5.53 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside commercial, outside commercial, new outside residential, and new inside residential customers, and receives $4.42 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside residential customers because they have lived inside the city limits prior to June of 2000.

·        Flowery Branch receives $6.64 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside commercial, $8.85 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s outside commercial, $6.64 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s new inside residential customers, and receives $4.98 for every 1000 gallons of water used from it’s inside residential customers because they have lived inside the city limits prior to June of 2000.

• Once you get into the tier rates, it gets even more complicated.

 

Third.  Was there not a time Tree Park apartment’s water meter was broken and their bill was significantly lower than it should have been? The answer is yes and I have the figures.  The amount the city lost is quit significant.

 

Forth. What is in this new resolution to prevent another master meter user or any user from coming before this council and asking for a change to fit their needs?  I was told no one could, but anyone can ask or do anything they want if they also feel the rates are discriminatory or unfair.

 

Fifth.  Why are there different rates, even for mater meters, because of a June 2000 time?  That means neighbors, based on the purchase date of their properties, pay different water and sewer rates.  Here are Gainesville’s water and sewer rates.  They seem much fairer.

 

As I stated in the June 18, 2008 minutes, I feel that it is unfair to have inconsistent rates and that residents are being discriminated against depending on their length of residency in the city, and I stand behind that statement.

 

I asked why are we here today lowering the rates of one customer when we should be evening out the rates of all the customers who are equivalent to each other based on their location either inside or outside the city limits based on geography – not the time when they bought their property.  Could that fix the problem and allow the city to put money into a contingency fund to repair our aging pipes in the ground?

 

I am not upset at Tree Park Apartments.  They made a business decision for their business.  I am disappointed in the members of the council who voted to approve the lower rates for Tree Park Apartments.  We should have set the rate even for all who work and live inside the city limits and that would have brought the rates for Tree Park Apartments down.

October 12, 2008

LOCAL

Saturday I attended the conservative forum at Ryans located at 2415 Browns Bridge Road in Gainesville.  There is a forum held there the second Saturday every month.

 

There were a number of elected officials there including our US Congressman Nathan Deal, State Senator Lee Hawkins, State Representative James Mills, Hall County Commissioner Billy Powell, and a number of judges and other Hall County Republican Party officials.

 

I would like to thank the Chairman of the Hall County Republican Party Paul Stanley for another great event.

 

Please come and join us at the next forum the Saturday after the national election to celebrate the election of John McCain and Sarah Palin.

October 10, 2008

LOCAL

Last night we had a public hearing about the rezoning and annexation of three properties into Flowery Branch.  One of the properties could become another hotel and a restaurant and the other two an office area and an inside storage facility.  All of these would help to grow our city and at this point I am in full support.  Please read here and here.

 

STATE

Here is an article about the state’s tax collection is not all doom and gloom.

 

FEDERAL

I would also like to tell everyone to relax about the stock market.  I have not stopped putting money into my 401K.  I have viewed this as an opportunity to buy great companies at lower prices.  In the long run, this will make investors more money.  The only ones who need to move their money to bons and safer investments are thoae who need their money with in five years.

 

Please remember the main stream media loves to pump up the news.  They are also in business to make money and the better viewer ratings – the more they can charge for advertisements.

October 2, 2008

Please do not tell me it is actually October.  I guess my parents were right when they told me the older you get the faster time flies bye.

 

LOCAL

Yesterday’s council meeting was a great step forward for Flowery Branch.

 

First, I would like to congratulate Harold Kerkhoff, Jim Herold, Mark Zupsic, Chad Hammock, and Thomas Collins who were either appointed or reappointed to the Flowery Branch Development Authority.  This is a volenteer appointment which will have an impact on the future development of Flowery Branch.

 

The council approved a TAD agreement with Hall County which will help us improve infrastructure for certain development projects in the TAD district to also help develop Flowery Branch.

 

We also approved a new engineer firm who will redesign the intersection near Stonebridge Village and Holland Dam Road near the new Hapton Inn to add sidewalks and allow better a turning radius.

 

This was a positve meeting for Flowery Branch which you can read here and here.

 

FEDERAL

A new book is scheduled to debute January 20, 2009, the day the next Preident of the United States is inauguated, “The Breaktrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama”.  Guess who the author is?  Gwen Ifill!  Who is she?  The moderator of tonight’s Vice Presidential debate.  I guess she is impartial as a moderator – right!!!!!