COMMUNICATIONS – PUBLIC, continued
12. Sherry Dallman – “I know who owns” the retention lot to buy; there should be no building at 912 Mellwood until drainage is addressed in the area. She’s been through this before, and it gets worse. “Keep this lot open.” Benedetti chimes in, but I can’t hear her.
Price: When you see someone building something, “call us.” It “hurt to tell us,” because someone told hikm once that “unchecked development would be the ruination of New Albany.” He says: “I won’t vote for it” (development).
Coffey: “Let your council members know,” and call anyone, not just the district representative …
… because after all, we can’t butt in unless we get all the information. The grandstanding tonight is as sickening as I’ve ever seen it. These people are well-meaning, and Coffey is doing the imperial shuck and jive. He’s having “Papa Dan” dialogues with these people.
Coffey: “We depend on what people tell us, but what we’ve seen tnight and been told it totally different.”
Times Coffey has promised a new era of accountability: 4 so far that I remember.
She asks: Who is responsible for these things here:
Coffey: “Well, it’s the planning commission.”
Stan Robison: “Meaning nobody.”
Malysz dispassionately outlines the varying responsibilities of the commissions.
Coffey blames developer payola for something, and he and Carl argue. Coffey checks himself and we lurch forward.
13. Vicky Denhart – She’s “president of Citizens for Accountability” and lives on Country Club Drive. “Sewers, sewers and stormwater” the problem. $60 million spent on sewers … “we still got problems.” In December, $5 million in EDIT. $3 million left … “give it to them people” to fix their homes (she gestures to the crowd). “You have the power, you have control over the money.” She mentions the elderly. “It’s time to use it” (money in EDIT and TIF). “There’s no reason why New Albany is having the problems” with sewers that it’s having. She calls out Gahan and flashes a stack of papers: “Every department is in the red.” Says: “I’m not against the police.” Addresses the council again: “You guys hold the money — they’re just the mayor and deputy mayor.” She almost cries at this point. “This is a moral issue.”
Gloom, doom … populism … performance art — gimme a hankie.
14. Cliff Staten – back for more from last meeting (Woodfield Drive), about drainage. “You” (council) need to make the “tough decisions”, and “act.” Neighbors will be watching.
15. (missed name) – she lives near falling Run Creek, perhaps near apartments. Has photos: “Not just cleaning out the creek.” Denounces new development. Mentions Ohio, Mississippi and the ocean as being unable to hold the rainfall. Now there is current to overflow, and children could be washed away. They could be in the river. “No way to fix this with a new drain pipe.”
Coffey, Robison and the speaker argue over whether it used to flood. Coffey notes that he was always against development in the vicinity. Robison calls out Carl. This is getting borderline testy.
Why am I here again? Is there cold beer at my house? It would have helped to enforce the time limit tonight, but it would not have suited Coffey’s grandstanding notions. Note that after almost two hours, we haven’t had a serious discussion yet about the police funding.
16. Greg Burden – Woodfield Drive. Will install a check/shutoff valve and has the money to do it, but not everyone does. 90-year-old woman next door wouldn’t be able to handle it. Paid $8,000 for the last clean-up of sewage damage.
17. Officer Miller – captain and commander of second shift. Been there forever. Most demanding shift. Has only 7 of the 10 people he needs right now. “We run and chase our tails 90% of the time,” and not much time to cruise the neighborhoods. “If you haven’t been the victim of crime in the past few years, you will be soon,” because there’s too much to do to go out in the neighborhoods and cruise. Goes on a bit, describing his days.
Coming back for city official communications.
