Don’t let the memory fade
Phil Dillon, Emporia
Thursday, February 24, 2011
The “rocks” are no longer on hold.
A lot of us were hoping this idea would die a noble death, but that was hoping against hope.
It was a clever political trick. The Commissioners got their rocks and kept their dreams of a legacy alive. All that remains to be seen is whether or not last night’s decision will placate Emporia’s “average Joe.”
I’m still hoping for something better.
If the Commissioners were hoping their decision would make the memory of the original decision fade, I think they were mistaken. If they thought the outcry was nothing more than a mob of cranky “bloggers” undermining a great idea by subterfuge, they were wrong. I think the anger is far more widespread than they imagine and it’s palpable enough to get folks into the voting booths. I hope this energy will reverberate over the next two election cycles. Emporians are at a point where they’re looking for fresh ideas and sound leadership judgment. They’re tired of the stale bread they’ve been fed for far too long. As the old Dylan song goes, “There’s revolution in the air.”
I listened to KVOE’s “On Air Blog” a couple of weeks ago. The bulk of the time was spent defending the original idea and the way it weaved its way to the decision the Commissioners made. But, the explanation never did get to the heart of the matter. I’m not against ideas. I think brainstorming is great. The crux of the matter, for me, is the lack of judgment shown by our Commissioners. People in positions of responsibility see ideas come across their desks all the time. Good managers, wise managers know there are times when “go ahead” is the right answer and times when “try again” is the right answer or times when the right answer is “NO.” In this case, when close to 90% of Emporians who expressed opinions on the “rocks” said “NO,” it seems pretty clear to me that the right answer in this case was “NO.” How the Commissioners could have missed this is beyond me.
Now, I’m not unsympathetic. I have no doubt that the Building Futures subcommittee worked hard on this idea. I’ve been in situations like that before. I once submitted a plan that would pass internal costs to customers that had previously been borne by the corporation I worked for. The idea seemed brilliant to me. It would have saved millions. The idea went up the chain to the executive committee. They sent a memo to me and my manager thanking me for the idea and then told me that it wasn’t such a good idea after all. They encouraged me to keep thinking, to find a way to save the millions without passing the costs on to our customers. I didn’t get angry. I didn’t blame the executive committee for their lack of vision. I figured out how to do what they wanted and did it.
One thing I have no sympathy for is seeing this failure laid at the feet of the Gazette’s “bloggers.” This fiasco wasn’t their fault! The fault lies squarely with the Commissioners.
I understand that the Gazette’s forums can sometimes be more than a bit irritating. Those who post there have sunk their teeth into me a time or two. I’ll bet Chris Walker and the Gazette staff could make a documentary about the wounds they’ve incurred at their hands. But, I admire what Chris is doing in providing a public forum. I don’t think he’s doing it to pad advertising revenues. In fact, I’d be willing to wager that the Gazette forum is a loss-leader. I also admire those who post for their willingness to say what’s on their mind. To tell you the truth, I wish more of Emporia’s leaders would read them without their blinders of social prejudice on. If they did, I think they’d see there are a lot of Emporians struggling to make ends meet, sweating out whether or not their minimum wage check will be enough to make the mortgage payment or the rent. They might see that far too many Emporians have to live at the mercy of slum lords or payday loan shops. I think if they did they’d think less about rocks and more about people.
I can’t say how much credibility anonymous posters should get, but I can say this. A lot of them have to summon up the daily courage to put food on the table at minimum wage. I think that gives them the right to speak, anonymously or otherwise.
In a month or so we’ll have an election and Emporians will turn to the ballot box. I hope they turn out in droves to express their views…anonymously. It’s the American way!
http://www.anothermansmeat.blogspot.com/
lena (Lena Bass) says...
This is well thought of, and hope that we the voters do the right thing and make our needs, and wants known.
February 24, 2011 at 12:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
giggles (anonymous) says...
Bravo, Phil.
You explain the arguement with great diplomacy.
After reading articles about failing towns across America, and the chasam between the have's and have not's growing by leaps and bounds, it should not be that hard for our city leaders to have a better understanding of how people feel about this. Our city and county are among the poorest of the state and it speaks volumes about us. Rocks won't change our story...
February 24, 2011 at 12:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Well done, Phil. Your essay expresses so very exactly what the majority of the people feel. The city commission made a tragic mistake by not taking into consideration the needs of the people. It was so easy for all of us to see their "let them eat cake" attitudes. The voting booth will be the new guillotine.
February 24, 2011 at 5:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
REWBA (anonymous) says...
Why can't we just have a real guillotine? That would bring tourists from across the nation and around the globe. Just imagine the concession sales that a good public beheading would bring.
February 24, 2011 at 6:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
ROFL
Can I have the beer booth closest to the platform?
February 24, 2011 at 6:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Higher property taxes is the guilotine that will descend on the neck of Emporia prosperity.
February 24, 2011 at 9:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mslater (Matt Slater) says...
Create, if they're doing more than one, I'll make sure not to order a red beer!
February 24, 2011 at 9:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
I know the gazette poll is closed and I am wondering. Besides how many people voted more than once for their favorite?
As mad as the people were about the rocks, I thought Bob Agler (the incumbent) would be in the bottom three, but he is not.
what's everyone think?
February 25, 2011 at 10:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jackslap (anonymous) says...
I guess they must like those rocks. Still hunting for a Red Dog Beer sign to place in my front yard. Maybe ol Dog himself will do a you tube campaign speech.
February 25, 2011 at 10:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
Well, Steve, Bobbi Aglar is still in my bottom three, at the bottom !
His little speech about cutting spending, I believe was just one of political convenience !
Why would he change his tune and way of doing business as usual as a City Commissioner, NOW !
And why would he favor the Rocks purchase, if he was really serious about " CUTTING SPENDING " , just doesn' t make sense to me !!
February 25, 2011 at noon ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Phil,
Once again a great piece.
I would like to give you some food for thought though, and I think it is also something all the voters should think about. You spoke of the Building Futures subcommittee, and I would like to address that.
As near as I can tell, this committee was formed just a couple of years ago as part of the CVB. At about the same time, the city commission allotted $25,000.00 per year for the operation of this program, on top of the approximately $375,000.00 per year allotted to the CVB for it's operations. Both amounts are by law to be used to promote tourism for the area.
So this begs the question, (at least in my mind), what was the $25,000.00 being spent on?
Was it advertising?
I have nothing against lauding our local "champions". But unless the advertising in the Gazette, on Kvoe and CableOne were free public service ads, was this 25K per year used? And if so, what good do these local ads do to promote tourism to the area?
Was any of this money spent on advertising outside of our trade area to actually bring people into the area? Or did it just go to local media outlets to help their bottom line?
We just don't know, because the CVB does not have to show the public their bookkeeping, do they? On the other hand the city commissioners don't have to give the CVB any transient guest tax dollars either, do they?
NOW THAT"S SOMETHING for EVERYONE to think about.
It's also perhaps, something to ask our city commission candidates about.
February 26, 2011 at 8:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
THIS PIECE SHOULD BE READ AGAIN BEFORE GOING TO THE POLLS TODAY !
March 1, 2011 at 6:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
And read again.
March 1, 2011 at 6:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I agree, Steve.
Anytime an organization is given public funds for its operation, it's budget should be published online for the public's scrutiny. PERIOD. There should be no two ways about it, and we need to demand that from the new commission, no matter who gets in. Either the budget goes public or no funding. If they're going to eat at the public trough, they'd better damn well do it gratefully and let us take their picture too.
Look at that shameful waste of ten thousand dollars spent on a one-time ad in O magazine. For crying out loud, that was one of the most ridiculous uses of dollars I've ever heard of. The only people who made out there was the magazine itself, the post office, and whoever prints their brochures that were mailed. TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!! These are the kinds of things we need to remember.
And before we fancy ourselves a tourist destination, we'd better start cleaning the place and fixing up the broken stuff. Rocks indeed!
I've said this before, and I'll say it again. And no, I don't own stock there. The Prairie Pieces Quilt Shop is just a little shop on Commercial Street that brings a ton of people to town. Go in there on a Saturday and it's packed with people from out of town. When there's a Shop Hop involving several shops in Kansas, it gets even more crowded. All those people are shopping for fabric yes, but then before they leave, they ask where a good place to eat might be. She even keeps menus from several places at the register. What a quiet little thing to do to promote Emporia. AND IT DIDN'T COST TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO IT EITHER.
March 1, 2011 at 7:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
That's what I want to see. A fired up voter !
Was up early today re-reading the candidate answers in the paper. Read them over several times.
Based on responses from the candidates I actually changed my mind on one of the 3 candidates I had picked out earlier.
It may not make a difference, my new choice may not win the primary, but to not vote for who I think would be the best choice for Emporia would be a dereliction of my duty as a citizen. i urge all to vote their choice of who would be best for us. Forget name recognition, forget voting for who you think will win. VOTE FOR WHO YOU WANT TO WIN ! see you at the polls.
March 1, 2011 at 10:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Hey Steve, read the comment section on Dillon's article, "Jack." It seems that Steve Sauder took offense to it this morning on his Wednesday Words. He is still defending the rocks.
Instead of having something thoughtful to say about the low voter turnout on Tuesday, he chose to pick on Phil Dillon's article. What???
See, it's not only voter apathy, but the apathy of those movers and shakers in town who don't really care about low voter turnout, poverty, low wages or slums. About those topics, Sauder squeaked, "Are we unique?"
Yeah, I said "squeaked."
March 2, 2011 at 8:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
create,
I missed it and it's not posted yet on the website.
it is after all, just his opinion, I guess because he signs his name, it must be gospel.
Just think like most usually do about Sauder's words.
nothing to see here folks, just move along. :>)
March 2, 2011 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )