Friday, August 15, 2008

Lobbying For Countryside Golf Club

Lobbyist - let's kick the lobbyists out of Washington - but not out of Roanoke City. It takes a heck of an amount of lobbying to "get through" to City Council and City Administration. They keep dancing "a little side step" a song I heard from the movie something about Texas and a whorehouse. Just ask the dog park advocates what it takes to get what you want or what you don't want. In both Council's and the Administration's defense they have a lot on their plate. Council is part-time and Administrators .... well have you ever read the FULL Council Agenda with attachments. It boggles the mind just putting that "tree killer" together. OK, you say, what is my point. My point is something our current Mayor then former Mayor told me/us back in 2005 when Countryside first came on the chopping block. He said, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" and that "they [city admin] will wear you down and wear you out as that is their full-time job". Well we know how it is to run around trying to figure out what the strategy is for the next round of Countryside (pun intended). I told someone last night that if I were a betting person, I'd say we are looking at a 5 year operating agreement out for a Request For Proposal. They will extend the lease with Meadowbrook for a few months. Of course, Meadowbrook may or may not bid on it but probably will - renewal with the Airport Commission for 5 years ... effectively Council will see this as a win and try to make us feel like WE have won. Hold your horses. Look at it politically - they get to pass the buck to probably a new or practically new future Council. No permanency in direction - will we be back at square one in five years. Will we still be here (alive and kicking)? Maybe we'll just be too old and tired to fight anymore.

4 comments:

Newt said...

Sie sind korrekt, über die Zukunft betroffen zu werden. Manchmal haben Leute verschiedene Bezugspunkte, verschiedene Beweggründe, verschiedene Ideen, verschiedene Methoden und eine andere Wahrheit. Mit so vielen Unterschieden kann es sehr schwierig sein, eine Richtung zu dechiffrieren. Wir müssen auf Schutz bleiben und fortfahren, Tätigkeiten und Motive vorwegzunehmen.

Unknown said...

OK, Newt, are you insinuating "the third reich" here?

Newt said...

Just writing in code. Check your email for the translation. :)

Anonymous said...

Via Google translater:
You are correct about the future to be affected. Sometimes people have different points of reference, different motivations, different ideas, different methods and a different truth. With so many differences it can be very difficult to decipher one direction. We have to stay and continue protection, activities and motives anticipate.