Saturday, August 1, 2009
State of the County Address
We were at the Business at Breakfast this past Tuesday to hear the State of the County address. Coy Harville drug out a slide presentation that needed some updating, and proceeded to speak ("and this slide says....") It was excrutiating boring, because he didn't cut it to about 15 or 20 minutes like most other speakers....he drug it out for over 45 minutes - and after he was done, I still didn't know the main question: WHAT is the state of the county. When Mayor Saunders did the same address on the State of the City, he only spoke for about 15 minutes and he told us some of the bad, some of the good, some of the expected - and many times during the speech he said "The City of Danville is doing well." He gave us a synopsis, in other words. After Coy's lengthy presentation, he still never answered the question clearly - what does he say is the state of the county....I mean we heard about all the wonderful "Coy" slanted things that are happening....water lines, My Twinn moving from the bankrupt eToys to the Pluma building in Chatham....and how they put in a water line up route 40 (nevermind it doesn't have enough pressure for anyone to be able to reasonably hook up to it)....in other words, I guess the best thing I can say is it was the same old, same old soundbites that the citizens usually get, not a realistic portrait of what is happening, has happened and what's in store for the county. All we heard was a laundry list of projects - and not anything about any concerns....Admittedly, these breakfast things are for giving the speech in a glossy light, but we do expect to hear a little reasonable truth - I mean we all know that our county, like many others in the country today, is being squeezed financially - so tell us - and tell us the truth...It was obvious that no one wrote Coy's speech - all he did was read slides....he didn't have a speech prepared and it was all too obvious he wasn't really prepared for a Breakfast Presentation. Of course, this is my opinion - and it's a mean opinion, but I go to most Biz at Breakfasts, and they are normally interesting....normally.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
"("and this slide says....") "
Hilarious...and painfully true. Great observation!!
Wonder if the county would give you a copy of the presentation to put on this blog?
Why doesn't Pittsylvania County have a local Planning Commission made up of county citizens?
Any ideas on how we can implement one? Thanks!
Now that the planning director is ass't county administrator, maybe it's a good time to suggest the commission be made up of citizens.
"Published: July 30, 2009
DANVILLE — Pittsylvania County has promoted its planning director to assistant county administrator as part of a re-organization.
Greg Sides will become Pittsylvania’s assistant county administrator for planning and development effective Saturday, said County Administrator Dan Sleeper. Sides will work with County Economic Development Director Ken Bowman.
Sides will write federal and state grant applications and attend agency meetings on behalf of Sleeper to allow the administrator to concentrate on the duties of his office, Sleeper said. Sides’ annual salary will increase from about $59,000 to $63,853. He will keep his duties as planning director.
Sides could not be reached for comment for this story.
Otis Hawker will remain as assistant county administrator of operations. "
I have lived/worked in many Virginia counties and all of the ones I know about (with the exception of Henry County, which I am not sure) have local Planning Commissions made up of everyday citizen volunteers who have an interest in local government and in improving their communities.
All Planning Commission members are appointed by the County Board of Supervisors and most are leaders in other ways as well--a school principal, a large dairy owner, a local dress shop owner, the little league coach, etc.
In other words, you don't have to be a politician a former member of Congress, or a bank owner to be on the Planning Commission.
The citizens of Pittsylvania County do not realize how local governments are supposed to work and DO work-- with lots of public input--in other places in Virginia and the United States.
I think the problem in Pittsylvania County is twofold-
1. NO WHERE that I have ever lived contains so many tough and unique people that do not realize what goes on outside of the county lines- as Pittsylvania County does.
And I have lived in many states and countries.
2. NO WHERE that I have ever lived has a local government that is so secretive and backwards. It almost seems as if the intent is to keep citizens in the dark, but then you realize that the elected officials (with a few exceptions), and a lot of county staff, have no clue either.
There are other opportunities to take part in local government other than running for Board of Supervisors.
Someone's pulling the rug over ya'lls eyes! Take Part in our county's future!!
Post a Comment