The City of Troy, New York, "Where Henry Hudson Turned Around."

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

CHARTER COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING

A public hearing on proposed changes to the Troy City Charter was held last night....Christ, we can't even fake interest. If you can't sleep, here's the latest proposed draft. The Times Union also has a summary of the proposed changes.

The biggest change, or lack thereof, is the power of the City Council to remove the Bingo Inspector from office. What ever happened to separation of powers? Furthermore, shouldn't the Bingo Inspector be elected? We have no idea what the current, appointed, inspector does but my bingo hasn't been inspected in three years.

Oh, right...reducing the number of council seats from nine to seven. There would be one at-large seat and the unfortunate that wins that race would be the Council President, entitled to two phone books for his/her chair. By 2019, the Council President's term would be four years.

Thoughts anyone? The four year term seems clumsy otherwise, does anyone care?

The Commission members are a pretty good, diverse group and we don't see anyone grinding any axes.

What the mainstream media won't report are the proposed changes ultimately rejected by the commission. Some of the proposal are controversial. Others shocking.

1. Reduce the number of council seat from 9 to seven but not the number of council members thereby forcing at least two members to stand through the entire meeting.

2. Surgically reduce the council members by 2-3 inches.

3. Increase public comment period to ten minutes but allow audience to throw sharpened projectiles at anyone who speaks for more than three minutes.

4. Each meeting to open with Lita Ford's Kiss Me Deadly.

5. Passed legislation does not become effective until Council President bangs gavel and says, 'Fuck Yeah.'

6. Council President to be chosen by line dancing competition.

7. Tequila Tuesday.

8. Appointed Officials to wear Swiss Guard uniforms.

If you have an opinion one way or the other, let us know. Admit it though, number 5 would be cool.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like 1 and 3.

Anonymous said...

Was anyone at the meeting? What was said?

Anonymous said...

Wiltshire and his wifey work matching cowboy boots. Guess it's a line dancing throwdown.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, meant wore, not work.

Anonymous said...

post much more interesting than meeting was.

Anonymous said...

The meeting was blah. A big nothing, in my opinion, Thank god your back. Aside from Cooper, there's really no one out there whose taken seriously.

Vito said...

If Peggy Kownack is elected, is she still subject to the five minute limit for comments? This really needs to be addressed ASAP.

Anonymous said...

Marty Reid goes down. You're next Gary!. Time to lock up all the crooks. Ripping off the same taxpayers they took an oath to look out for. Both are do-nothing wannabe's. Lock em both up.