Mon
Aug 27 2007
02:36 pm
By: Mark Harmon
Commissioner Tony Noman just finished making an impassioned plea for a strong Stormwater Ordinance. His amendment would enhance enforcement. Mine would align Knox County's rules more closely with Knoxville's. Commissioner Lambert's amendment would weaken the ordinance in several key areas.
The commissioners as well as the noted reporters received their subpoenas in the Open Meetings lawsuit.
--Mark Harmon
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Thanks for the report, Mark.
Thanks for the report, Mark. Keep them coming!
(I know this is not the first time, but is Mark Harmon the first County Commissioner in the U.S. to blog live from a County Commission meeting? It seems like... history being made or something!)
Getting into Plastic v. Concrete
We're now getting into the plastic v. concrete debate. I hope we don't forget that we are obliged in the Urban Growth Agreement to pass an ordinance as strict as the city's. The plastic folks seem to hang every argument on the phrase "if properly installed," and thus could shift talk of failures to installation questions.
Very good attendance today.
Mark Harmon
Getting into Plastic v. Concrete
We're now getting into the plastic v. concrete debate. I hope we don't forget that we are obliged in the Urban Growth Agreement to pass an ordinance as strict as the city's. The plastic folks seem to hang every argument on the phrase "if properly installed," and thus could shift talk of failures to installation questions.
Very good attendance today.
Mark Harmon
I've been watching this on
I've been watching this on tee vee but will have to go back to work soon.
I'm wondering - if the County doesn't go with concrete, which means they don't live up to their agreement to make their ordinance as strong as the city's - what will (can) the City do?
I think it is. It's really exciting!
I love it!
I am told that Lumpy Lambert
I am told that Lumpy Lambert has blogged live from the meetings before. Which raises a couple of questions: a) Lumpy has a blog?, anb b) does it count if nobody reads it?
No, Lumpy hasn't "blogged"--
No, Lumpy hasn't "blogged"-- I think he has monitored a messageboard, and maybe sent IMs, but I don't think He's blogged from the meeting. each commissioner was issued a MacBook, btw.
macbook
Are they the entry level white one? Or the slightly better (DVD burner and some speed) black one? I have one of the white ones. Delightful machine.
I'm impressed that it's macs and not something else.
Pam Strickland
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut
I am pretty sure you can get
I am pretty sure you can get all the same hardware in the white one. 2 gb ram, the fastest cpu and largest hard drive. I have a white one with the DVD burner. At one time you paid $100 more just because it was black.
(link...)
No, Lumpy hasn't "blogged"--
No, Lumpy hasn't "blogged"-- I think he has monitored a messageboard, and maybe sent IMs, but I don't think He's blogged from the meeting. each commissioner was issued a MacBook, btw.
As I understand it, the city
As I understand it, the city can sue the county. The EPA can also sue the county if it does not adhere to the EPA guidelines. (Here we go again!)
Comment period
John Valiant now giving the developer perspective on all matters associated with the ordinance. I'm guessing several close votes are coming on this ordinance, but not before several more speakers who signed up to comment on this matter.
Mark Harmon
Urban Growth Agreement
Well, I finally had to bring up the urban growth agreement. The way this is proceeding is leaving out the options to toughen the ordinance and only voting on those that weaken them. The developer crowd is using a misdirection about dates, law director being 'comfortable' with defending the ordinance, and Bruce W.'s 'comfort' with any material being used.
Mark Harmon
Mark, you guys now have WIFI
Mark,
you guys now have WIFI and you're liveblogging the meeting?
are any other commissioners liveblogging?
Blogging
We have wi-fi. No other commissioner blogging. Some in audience or watching on TV might also be. I know News-Sentinel is.
--Mark Harmon
Rachel, that's a good
Rachel, that's a good question re the city's recourse.
I wouldn't expect haslam to authorize legal action, but I understand that city engineering will be quite disappointed if the county doesn't abide by the terms of the Growth Policy Act.
If there is a "Mr. Big"
If there is a "Mr. Big" (besides Hutchison) where County Commission is concerned, it's lawyer John Valiant. He wrote Lumpy's amendments.
Mr. Big loves out loud
When Bruce Wuetrich said he was ok w/ Lumpy's ammendments, I saw John Valliant reach up and pat him on the arm. I had to leave - such unbridled displays of affection!
Lumping Live
Does this count for blogging live?
(link...)
Ghosts in the room
The room quickly is filling up with neighbors opposed to a zoning change in the 6th district. I do not know if they will win. We have seen a few neighborhood wins on these, but not many. In a "ghost" of dubious decisions past, we have just been handed information on Wastewater Treatment Options for the Midway Business Park. The option to abandon this bad idea (unneeded business park passed despite sinkholes and over neighborhood opposition) was not among those listed.
Mark Harmon
Which brings up a
Which brings up a question...
What is 'The Development Corporation'' of Knox County?
We have MPC (overloaded with developers and contractors), TDC (I dont know some of those names but same skewered configuration I suspect). What purpose do those two entities serve.
If the thing should even exisit, should they not have a membership
representative of the populace?
MPC and TDC have COMPLETELY
MPC and TDC have COMPLETELY different missions. MPC makes long and short term plans, and reviews and approves subdivisions, rezoning, etc for Knoxville and unincorporated Knox County (not Farragut). It is not a County or a City body, although they fund it. Its mission, makeup, etc. is determined by state law.
MPC may be overloaded with developers, etc. but its staff is made up of professional planners. The commissioners don't always follow staff recommendations, tho.
I've never been exactly sure what TDC is, but basically it's the development arm of Knox County.
Here come the preachers --
Here come the preachers -- taking up for Cynthia Finch.
The gang's all there
Everyone but the dancing bear.... -- s.
Ragsdale
RE: Ragsdale "campaign re-electionesque" mea culpa before the Commission -- Yawn. Glad he thinks so highly of himself. Am still waiting for definitive answers for $$ issues, though.
OT: I'd be curious to see monthly budget of expenses and revenue for Senior Centers that have been apportioned $100K+/yr.
Well, geez, tell us how the
Well, geez, tell us how the stormwater thing turned out!! I had to go back to work and missed it.
What kind of live bloggers are you guys?
The developers won what they
The developers won what they wanted, as always with the fools that have control over this commission.
"our " amendment
It struck me when Mr. Valiant kept referring to "our amendment". Well I guess we keep asking for transparency in government, so there you have it.
I've always had the image of Lumpy Lambert as as independant thinker. So it really surprised me to see he had the role of designated lapdog for the developers. How did that happen?
Another question, why did Josh Jordan change his vote from yes to no on the ordinance after he found out it wouldn't make a difference?
___________________________________
Less is the new More - Karrie Jacobs
Mr. 'Take Back Your
Mr. 'Take Back Your Government' has been a shill for developers since Day One.
Someone asked me this
Someone asked me this question:
"I understand that the Beaver Creek Watershed Association who has been a model for EPA watershed management was called a "bunch of radical environmentalists" at today's Commission Meeting. Is that true?"
This was my response:
Your source must be referring to the heart-rending defense of the poor, underappreciated developers given by Lumpy. I don’t recall the BCWA being mentioned, but he did use the word “environmentalists” as if it were a profanity. That’s why I told him after the meeting that I was going to skewer him. I asked him if there was any conceivable situation in which he might vote against developers’ interests, and he said maybe if they planned to put a nuclear waste dumpsite next to a daycare center. (That’s what he said – I’m not putting words in his mouth.)
Here’s how I feel: every commissioner who supported Lambert’s amendments abdicated his or her responsibility to act in a manner consistent with the best interests of the citizens of Knox County. Tony Norman’s plea (at the podium) was compelling enough, and Sam Parnell’s personal experiences with corrugated metal pipe, as well as his expertise, should have sealed the deal. Jack Huddleston spoke to me in the hallway outside the men’s room during a break, and he was beside himself at Lumpy’s complete lack of a social conscience, although he used much plainer language to say so. I haven’t been around this body very long, but it was perhaps the most disgraceful performance I’ve seen yet. And it was clear evidence that a majority of the commission doesn’t give a damn about their constituency, just as long as they can fill their campaign chests come election time.
Larry Van Guilder
You go, Larry. I was
You go, Larry. I was watching on tee vee and the combination of Lumpy whining that the development industry wouldn't survive this ordinance with his gratuitous swipe at "environmental extremists" just about made me put my fist through the set.
How about his wanting to put
How about his wanting to put the rest of the meeting off "until tomorrow" so he could go to the movie theater opening?
talk about whining--
You go, Larry!
I don't understand. What's the problem with a little nuclear waste? It's not hazardous or anything, is it Lump? If it is, then maybe there could be other environmental problems, and then where would we draw the line? And who better than a used car salesman should decide for us?
Tell us it ain't so, Dumpy!
Ok, I missed the Commission
Ok, I missed the Commission meeting. Did they pass the developer's version or did they actually do something to improve it and maybe keep the City from suing them?
"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes
stormwater
Rachel - I don't think you missed it - they took a recess for the Sheriff's press conference, but are now back to the discussion.
Yeah, I just walked past the
Yeah, I just walked past the tee vee and saw them. Am sitting down to watch as much as I can take now.
"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes
well, they stuck with
well, they stuck with Lumpy's amendments even tho quite a few of them seemed pretty convinced the City will sue. Guess they like courtrooms.
The vote was 8-10 against the concrete pipe. Three of the "nos" were Bolus, Cate, & Tramel. I couldn't help thinking that if Harmon & Tindell and Schmid & Guthe had gotten their acts together before the infamous 1/31 meeting, those 3 votes might have gone differently.
"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes
Homebuilder amendments
That's really sad. Even in the face of public outcry the arrogant fat cats push on without a care in the world. Now the county will ask the taxpayers to fund a stormwater utility so they can pay for all the shortcuts. Despicable.
I'm pissed and a little
I'm pissed and a little depressed. Throw the fucking bums out. Lumpy-ass first. He should go to jail too. Guess it needs to be in court, though. Voters don't function in these parts.
I'm gonna go cheer up by watching the Hillary video a few more times.
and what about the health insurance issue?
Even in the spotlight, they disregard the recommendation of the 9-month study group! How arrogant!