More Questions Than Answers

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I LOVE YOU DAD":

19:51
I am not an expert at all. I am asking what the current process is and the cost... vs. what Ms Buck is suggesting.

If her plan saves money then I ould agree with it. If the current process is cheaper, then I say we stick with it. It really is a black and white argument

Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 27 May 2014 08:25


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It's not my job to present alternates to  staff recommendations .

My function is to  read, understand and agree with the recommendation before  I vote  to approve.

 Council  makes the decision .

Council is elected to act in the taxpayers' interest.

Council is accountable. Not staff.

We have been asked to increase the budget for salt and sand. It was a severe winter. Supplies were
used up.

Shortage resulted.

Prices went up.

 Nothing complicated about that.

In the course of discussion, I recalled the practice of collecting sand  and stock-piling  for re-use .

I asked if we still did that. Sand by the way is not  an expensive commodity.

The Director answered no, the sand is contaminated.

That brought me up sharp.   Wait a minte...sand is permeable.. washes clean... how clean does it need to be to be mixed with and re-used on roads.

Further explanation.... street sweeping is contracted, the contractor  takes the sand.

Next  question .... If it's contaminated, how does he dispose of it?

All the time , I'm conscious of the restrictions on  time a Councillor is allowed to speak.

How daft is that?


Also  the Mayor is bored,likely finds the discussion tedious and  any moment will call a  phoney-baloney point of order.  The Chair may uphold or dismiss it. Either way, no-one else will  indicate any interest and the moment will pass.

Answers  generally lead to more  questions. We bought a new street -sweeper fairlt recently/ It's an
expensive machine. How often is it used?

Street sweeping started  this year before the snow  and ice was gone. How much sand did the sweepers collect?

What does the contract cost. ?  A comment to the blog,  indicates we pay to have sand removed.

Is the contractor allowed to keep his equipment and supplies in the town yard.?

Are we paying for a yard big enough to accommodate contractors' equipment and supplies?

Why shouldn't  they pay for  theri  opwn yard? Does it save us money for them to use our space?

Or does it save the contractor on overheads? Do we benefit/?

Do we not have room to stock-pile used sand because of accommodating contractors equipment and supplies.

Just exactly how much are we  saving by contracting out  public works responsibilities?

Do they get to use our mechanics and parts department?

No I don't think that's a silly question.

If we are so cosy with contractors as to provide them a home why not all the comforts of home?

So, you see.  Doubting Thomas , I can't give you the answeres you want. Bbecause I can't get the answers I want.

I can't  because I'm the only one who wants them.

Staff don't need to pay attention to the lone councillor who thinks like a freak.