I'm Still Alive

...and I miss having the ability to blog regularly. I'll be back around someday, just wait.

Springfield City Council DOES Have Input on State and Federal Legislation

At least as long as they retain the service of state and federal lobbyist(s) and Council communicates with legislators

A lot of commentators at the News-Leader's Web site, including the editorial board of the News-Leader itself, are spending time today complaining about a discussion that took place at the City Council meeting on Monday.

The News-Leader editorial board complained that 40 minutes were spent on a topic of discussion that has little to do with Council responsibilities. Commentators chided Councilman Ibarra particularly, and the whole Council in general for wasting time. Most of the commentators are claiming the Council has no input on federal legislation.

This might be a good time to remind the public that the City Council has had paid lobbyists in the past, and may have paid lobbyists today who are tasked with lobbying state and federal governments. Every year the City Council updates and approves a list of your municipality's legislative priorities. The City Council has, and likely still is, using taxpayer funding to pay lobbyists to appeal to state and federal legislators regarding the interests of the City of Springfield, or at least its City officials.

It would be a fallacy to make the claim that our City Council doesn't have any input on state or federal legislation.

Apparently, the City's new legislative priority list for 2010 has not yet been added to the site map at the City's Web site. In 2009, the priority list was introduced, in part, with these words, "The following legislative priorities are established for the 2009 Session of the Missouri General Assembly: Environment and Quality of Life; Economic Development; Finance and Taxation; Municipal Administration and Intergovernmental Relations."

In 2009, I was present at the Finance and Administration Committee meeting when legislative priorities were first discussed. A reduction in the number of lobbyists Springfield retained, due to budget restraints, was also discussed and Springfield's City attorney Dan Wichmer, recommended Springfield not reduce them to zero. I can't remember for sure if Springfield retained one or two (and they called them both state and federal) lobbyists in 2009. I have inquired with the Springfield Public Information Office as to how many lobbyists the City of Springfield is retaining this year, if any. I will update this post when I receive the answer to that query.

In 2006 The Missouri Municipal League (MML) was listed as the client of 3 state lobbyists. In 2007, MML was listed as the client of 2 state lobbyists. The City of Springfield is a member of the Missouri Municipal League (see: National Institute on Money in State Politics). The MML is another way Missouri City Councils and/or City officials have sway over state legislators/legislation.

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Springfield City Council: Playing Politics with Resolutions?

The moment will have passed by the time I will have a chance to do the topic justice but, let me just make a couple of points regarding current City events.

On Monday night, the Mayor pulled a resolution from the City Council agenda which would have alerted the public and state legislators that the City Council was opposed to the state version of the FairTax.

It isn't unprecedented for the Springfield City Council to pass such resolutions and it isn't unprecedented for the County Commission to join the City Council in a "joint resolution" but, that isn't the point.

I'm beginning to wonder if we do not have a resolution happy Mayor on our hands.

In a newspaper article today, I have read the Mayor is "drafting" a new resolution before the Council to "scold" A T & T for recovering the costs of a settlement made to the City of Springfield.

It wouldn't seem so ridiculous to me if I didn't believe that if the City had an opportunity to cite two state statutes which allowed the City the right to recover the cost of resurfacing City streets (for instance) through some "back door" tax (sic), the City wouldn't jump all over it. I firmly believe if the City could do it and say, "According to state statute we have a right and we are doing nothing wrong," they would add such a fee in a heart beat. And, ironically, the Mayor opposes A T & T (a corporation) reimbursing its costs while losing $63,000 in taxpayer funds due to the City's Council authorized choice to place the CIP sales tax renewal election on a June ballot rather than on the April ballot that was already scheduled.

Add to the above the fact that, when all is said and done, I can clearly discern a principle of the FairTax hidden in the article I read this morning exposing all this silliness. Corporations do not pay taxes, people pay taxes. So, the City taxes A T & T and A T & T, in turn, adds a fee to its customers' bills to recover the taxes with which the City has charged it. It's a very simple lesson and O'Neal, if he had thought it through, might have realized his opposition to what A T & T is doing draws him closer to the FairTax philosophy. Irony abounds.

In the meantime, how seriously should we take Springfield City Council resolutions in the future? Are the resolutions the Mayor is proposing representative of mere political preference or are they resolutions meant to champion a principle which is representative of the view of the constituents Council members are meant to represent? I hope Council resolutions don't end up meaning less because they are based on politics rather than principles and on personal preference rather than right and wrong. Perhaps we should call for a resolution to cease frivolous resolutions.

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Municipal Government and Greene County Commission Combined Meeting Calendar: March 8 - March 12, 2010

Notes: Greene County Commission meetings are color coded blue, City meetings are color coded red. In the case of County meetings, all meetings are held at 933 N. Robberson unless otherwise noted.

Monday, 3/8/2010

7:30 AM - County - Reclaiming Futures - Location: Fountain Plaza Room, Cox, 1423 N. Jefferson, Springfield

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - County - Administrative Meeting – Commissioners, Highway Administrator, et al - Location: 2065 N. Clifton, Springfield - Agenda: Driving tour of county roads and bridges

8:30 AM - City- Library Board Programs/Services/Technology Committee Library Center , 4653 South Campbell Contact: Debbie Eckert, (417) 883-5366

9:00 AM - County - Senior Citizens Services Fund Board

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

1:30 PM - County - Officeholders Meeting - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 212, 940 Boonville, Springfield

4:30 PM - County - Greene County Historic Sites Board

6:30 PM - City - City Council Meeting Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Brenda Cirtin, (417) 864-1650 (agenda)

Tuesday, 3/9/2010

8:00 AM - City - Library Board Buildings & Grounds Committee Kirkpatrick, Phillips, & Miller, CPA's , 2003 E. Sunshine Contact: Debbie Eckert, (417) 883-5366

8:00 AM - City - Workforce Council of Local Elected Officials Missouri Career Center , 1514 South Glenstone Contact: Karen Dowdy, (417) 887-4343

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

9:00 AM - County - Board of Equalization - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 113, 940 Boonville, Springfield

9:00 AM - City - Board of Equalization Greene County, Room 113, 940 North Boonville Contact: Richard Struckhoff, (417) 868-4055

9:30 AM- County - Board of Zoning Adjustment - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 212, 940 Boonville, Springfield

12:00 PM - City - Cancelled - Council Lunch Contact: Brenda Cirtin, (417) 864-1650

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

1:30 PM - County - State-wide Storm Siren Drill

2:00 PM - City - Administrative Review Busch Municipal Building, Room 285, 840 Boonville Contact: Daniel Neal, (417) 864-1036

5:00 PM - City - Watershed Committee Watershed Offices , 320 North Main Contact: Loring Bullard, (417) 866-1127

5:30 PM - City - Sherman Avenue Project Area Committee Busch Municipal Building, 2nd Floor West Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Marti Fewell, (417) 864-1039

6:00 PM - City - Mayor's Commission on Human Rights Busch Municipal Building, 1st Floor Conf. Rm, 840 Boonville Contact: Bob Hosmer, (417) 864-1834

Wednesday, 3/10/2010

8:00 AM - City - Downtown Springfield Community Improvement District Board of Directors Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Barb Baker, (417) 831-6200

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

6:00 PM - City - Police Fire Pension Fund Citizens Task Force Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Sharon Smith, (417) 864-1004

6:00 PM - City - Springfield Police Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Board of Trustees Fire Station No.1 , 720 E. Grand Contact: Nikki White, (417) 569-6282

Thursday, 3/11/2010

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - City - Springfield Police Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Board of Trustees Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Nikki White, (417) 569-6282

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

6:00 PM - City - Art Museum Board of Directors Art Museum , 1111 East Brookside Contact: Jerry Berger, (417) 837-5700

Friday, 3/12/2010

12:00 PM - City - Public Health Planning Committee - Healthy Lifestyles Subcommittee Doling Family Center , 1423 W. Atlantic Contact: Carmen Parker-Bradshaw, (417) 864-1573

12:15 PM - City - Public Health Planning Committee - Access to Health Subcommittee Doling Family Center , 1423 W. Atlantic Contact: Carmen Parker-Bradshaw, (417) 864-1573

Sources: City of Springfield and Greene County Public Information Offices (With reformatting)

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Springfield, We Have a Problem

Internal Auditor Position Should be Filled As Soon as Possible and Practical

If City Manager Greg Burris or City Clerk Brenda Cirtin announced today they would be retiring next week, how much time do you believe would pass before the City Council was discussing how they would go about filling the vacant positions?

Why does it seem the City Council's Internal Auditor position is and has been treated as though it is an unimportant, backburner issue? Because, I propose it has been.

I am fully aware that Ms. Lathrom's passing only occurred one week ago this evening, and I do not mean to sound callous but, I am aware that Ms. Lathrom had been on medical leave for many months prior to her passing, and the internal auditor position, although apparently not as *sexy* as the City Manager position, is an extremely important municipal government position.

I first started writing about the internal auditor position when I was still the City Council/City Government "beat writer" for the "Community Free Press." It's been obvious from the outset that the position simply is not valued in the same way the positions of City Manager and City Clerk are valued and yet, the internal auditor position is one of only three positions whose inhabitor answers directly to the City Council and who the City Council is tasked to hire and fire.

While today's Mayor and City Council look with ingenuity (sic) to a future appointment of a Citizens' Sales Tax Oversight Committee, I wonder when they will fill what I have advocated (in my own way) as a vitally important position within City government that has, in it's very short history, been consistently given only minimal thought and value. Such a position, if utilized properly would make a Citizens Sales Tax Oversight Committee a silly and unnecessary prospect.

Before Lathrom was hired, back in January, 2008, there didn't appear to be much consensus among City Council members as to the potential value of an internal auditor. Councilman Doug Burlison said, "This proposed position (internal auditor) is, in fact, the key to any reforms that City Council may enact in response to the audit." But, then Mayor Tom Carlson, in his State of the City Report, said about the position, "(State Auditors) talked about an internal auditor, and we're going to have one of those, and so, I hope everybody's happy, but it's not that big a deal." (Community Free Press Archive edition June 18, 2008, page 1 article, "City Manager vs. Internal Auditor")

Why is it important?

A March 4, "Springfield News-Leader" "Our Voice" editorial column pointed out the City will lose $63,000 in taxpayer money by holding the CIP tax renewal election in June rather than including it in a legally mandated, already existing, April election. The editorial also pointed out that by skipping over the mandated April, 2010 election and opting to put the measure on a June ballot, it will cost OTC an extra (estimated) $32,000 because they are on the ballot alone.

City leaders gave the "News-Leader" a few reasons for holding the election in June rather than April but, admitted they could have prepared for it and put it on the April ballot if they had chosen to do so. In other words, they could have saved the taxpayer and Ozarks Technical Community College about $95,000 in combined funds.

Apparently, Mayor O'Neal didn't know putting the CIP sales tax question on a June ballot was going to cost the City taxpayers $63,000 more than if they had scheduled it for the April ballot. That alone is, to borrow a phrase from KSGF's old radio talk show host Vincent David Jericho, asinine stupidy...how could the Mayor not know that!? Why wasn't he told!? Would an internal auditor have made a difference? I'd like to think so, IF that internal auditor was valued, with his or her services properly utilized.

I hate to keep repeating the same information but, people! In Section 2.15 of the City Charter it describes the "Investigator," or Council's internal auditor:

"The council may appoint an investigator who shall serve for such term as the council may prescribe. He shall be a certified public accountant or a person specially trained and experienced in governmental or business investigation or administration. His duty shall be to keep the council informed as to the work performed, methods, and financial affairs of the city. He shall not be responsible for the keeping of accounts. He shall make such investigations of the work of all departments of the city and such reports to the council as it shall require. He shall make such other investigations as the council may direct. He shall have access to all books and records of all departments of the city. If the council desires, he shall certify to the correctness of any or all financial reports before the same shall be regarded as official."

After April Lathrom was hired, she wrote her own Policies and Procedures. They were adopted by the City Council on November 10, 2008, (see Council Bill 2008-322/Special Ordinance number 25510) but, even as late as March of last year (2009), then Council candidate Nick Ibarra questioned the efficacy and transparency of the internal auditor's position, and also in March, 2009, Councilman Burlison said, "...we do not interact with April enough, however, that is an issue I'd rather attack with 4 or 5 fresh faces. I'm not suggesting that there is any kind of communication problem, I just feel like we are not doing enough of it. If I was April, I think I would want more contact with my bosses, as well."

Today, I heard from Chair of the Finance and Administration Committee Dan Chiles. The Finance and Administration Committee is the Council Committee that was tasked with oversight of the internal auditor. Chiles seems to still have a bit of appreciation for the position that no one, to date, other than the occupant of the position, has taken very seriously at all, that is if we judge by actions instead of words.

"We haven't talked about a replacement for April. There is a hiring freeze, but I will make the case to hire an internal auditor," Chiles wrote in an email response to my query. "We promised the voters we would create and fill that position, so that is what we should do."

I would suggest to the Springfield City Council that you consider the position not as merely something you promised the voters but, rather as an invaluable and essential asset that you cannot function well without. You wouldn't try to do your job without a City Manager. You wouldn't try to do your job without a City Clerk. Why do you undervalue the essential job of the internal auditor?

The internal auditor in Kansas City, Missouri is known as the "City Auditor." His name is Gary White and he has his own Web page.

"Our goal is to conduct audits that answer questions that matter to people outside of City Hall; that enable the city to reduce, avoid or recover costs; and to alert city officials to potential problems that could undermine the public’s trust in City government," the Web page boasts, among other things.

Just including and since November of 2009, KC's City Auditor has filed two audit reports and two survey memos on his Web site. The documents are available to the public and include: Resolution Tracking, This audit was conducted in order to determine whether city staff are implementing resolutions adopted by the City Council; E-Service Systems Security, This audit was conducted in order to determine the security of the City's e-service systems; Fiscal Year 2010 Second Quarter Citizen Satisfaction Survey Results, This memo reports the second quarter results of the Fiscal Year 2010 Citizen Satisfaction Survey and; Fiscal Year 2010 Third Quarter Citizen Satisfaction Survey Results, This memo reports the third quarter results of the Fiscal Year 2010 Citizen Satisfaction Survey.

The Springfield City Council, if it ever decides to take the "investigator" or internal auditor position seriously, will have an invaluable oversight tool for assessing the operations of Springfield City government but, on this account, I'm afraid their eyes will continue to be wide shut.

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Vincent David Jericho Back on the Air

Well, sorta. Jericho to be live on the net

If you'd like to hear/see Vincent David Jericho, click on this Web site and scroll down the page until you see the "Watch/Listen Online" button. It's pretty self explanatory. He'll be "on" from 7 AM - 11 AM beginning Monday March 1.

Good luck and blessings to him and on him.

Note: "Jericho Only" has been added to my list of links in the right hand column.

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Municipal Government and Greene County Commission Combined Meeting Calendar: March 1 - March 5, 2010

Revised:

Notes: Greene County Commission meetings are color coded blue, City meetings are color coded red. In the case of County meetings, all meetings are held at 933 N. Robberson unless otherwise noted.

Monday, 3/1/2010

No - City - Meetings Scheduled

7:30 AM - County - Meeting – Commissioners, Republic Mayor, and Mayor Pro-Tem -Location: Hemingway’s, 2011 S. Campbell, Springfield - Agenda: Partnership Review

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

9:30 AM - County - Commission Session* - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 212, 940 Boonville, Springfield

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

Tuesday, 3/2/2010

8:00 AM - City - Mayor's Commission for Children Executive Committee Community Foundation , 425 E. Trafficway Contact: Denise Bredfeldt, (417) 864-1656

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

10:00 AM - County - City and County Management Meeting - Agenda: Issues of Mutual Concern

12:00 PM - City - Council Lunch Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Anita Climer, (417) 864-1654

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

1:30 PM - City - Board of Adjustment Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Matt Schaefer, (417) 864-1100

2:00 PM - City - Administrative Review Busch Municipal Building, Room 285, 840 Boonville Contact: Daniel Neal, (417) 864-1036

6:00 PM - City - Citizens Advisory Committee for Community Development Midtown Carnegie Branch Library , 397 East Central Contact: Vern Morgan, (417) 864-1844

Wednesday, 3/3/2010

7:30 AM - County - Future of Water - Location: Panera, 500 S. National, Springfield

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:00 AM - City - Workforce Investment Board Missouri Career Center , 1514 South Glenstone Contact: Karen Dowdy, (417) 887-4343

9:00 AM - City - Ozark Region Leadership Team Missouri Career Center , 1514 South Glenstone Contact: Karen Dowdy, (417) 887-4343

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

12:00 PM - City - Environmental Advisory Board Health Department, Basement Conference Room, 227 E. Chestnut Expressway Contact: Karen McKinnis, (417) 864-1623

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

5:30 PM - City - Landmarks Board Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Daniel Neal, (417) 864-1036

6:00 PM - City - Police Fire Pension Fund Citizens Task Force Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Sharon Smith, (417) 864-1004

Thursday, 3/4/2010

7:30 AM - County - Good Morning Springfield - Location: 425 Downtown, 425 W. Walnut, Springfield

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

9:00 AM - County - Board of Zoning Adjustment Study Session

9:30 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

12:00 PM - City - City Council Public Involvement Committee Busch Municipal Building, 5th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Brenda Lewellen, (417) 864-1442

1:00 PM Revised - County - Instead of: Administrative and Department Functions a revision was made. The 1:00 PM meeting will be: Meeting – Commissioners, Danette Proctor - Agenda: 9-1-1 Update

5:15 PM - City - City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Brenda Cirtin, (417) 864-1650

5:30 PM - City - Building Trades Certification and Examination Board Busch Municipal Building, 1st Floor Conf. Rm, 840 Boonville Contact: Merleene Knapton, (417) 864-1059

6:30 PM - City - Planning and Zoning Commission Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Mike MacPherson, (417) 864-1831

Friday, 3/5/2010

7:30 AM - City - Economic Development Planning Committee Chamber of Commerce , 202 John Q. Hammons Parkway Contact: Kasey Gillham, (417) 887-8826

7:30 AM - City- Watershed Committee Midtown Carnegie Branch Library , 397 East Central Contact: Loring Bullard, (417) 866-1127

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

10:00 AM - County - Watershed Committee of the Ozarks Sponsors Meeting -Location: Midtown Carnegie Library, 397 Central, Springfield

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

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*March 1, Greene County Commission Session Agenda (9:30 AM)

1. Prayer - Jeff Reinold

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Missouri Bicycle Federation Award - Bruce Adib-yazdi, Terry Whaley

4. Resolution Supporting Passenger Rail Service

5. Appoint Mr. David Hall to the 9-1-1 Advisory Board

6. Public Hearing on Setting Speed Limits for Public School Zones (1 of 3) - Joel Keller
> FR 135, from FR 170 (Republic Road) to Ellison Street
> FR 151, from Springfield City Limits to approximately 900’ north of FR 96 (Lyons Road)
> FR 193, from Missouri Route YY south to FR 132

7. County Administrator Report - Tim Smith

8. Budget Officer’s Report - Jeff Reinold

9. Information Office Report - Jenny Edwards

10. Highway Department Report - Dan Smith

11. Emergency Management Report - Ryan Nicholls

12. Resource Management Report - Chris Coulter
> Building Regulations Office Report - Dave O’Dell
> Planning and Zoning Office Report - Kent Morris

Sources: Springfield and Greene County Public Information Offices (Calendar and agenda re-formatted for ease of use)

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Last Chance to Fill out Springfield's Online "Listening Tour" Survey

Many of you know the City Manager and/or other Springfield City staff members have been on, what they call, a "Listening Tour." Well, I don't know how attentively they listen but, if you don't take the survey at all (or haven't attended one of their presentations) then, you can rest assured, they will NOT be listening to you.

The online survey ends tomorrow so this is your final call to click on this link and take the Springfield "Listening Tour" Survey.

If you take the survey, later, when some smart aleck jerk asks you if you have contributed to the process, as though you have no right to an opinion about it if you haven't, you can say, "HEY, you smart aleck jerk! I took the online listening tour survey, did you????" and you will be righteously justified to complain, or praise, the direction in which the City of Springfield is heading.

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Springfield City Council's Internal Auditor Loses Battle with Cancer

The Springfield Public Information Office released the news today that the City Council's Internal Auditor April Lathrom passed away on Thursday evening, after a battle with an aggressive form of cancer.

Lathrom was hired after the State Auditor's office completed an audit of the City of Springfield, and one of the key recommendations was that the City Council hire an internal auditor as described in Section 2.15 of the City Charter.

From the City's News-Release:

“April wanted to thank all the employees of the City of Springfield that provided support and prayers,” Grant Lathrom said. “The availability of the City’s Care Leave Program allowed her to maintain her benefits eligibility during her fight and she was very grateful for their generosity. April believed the City’s support, which allowed her to participate in clinical trials in the last six months, provided her additional quality time with her family.”

Lathrom was 36 years old.

"JackeHammer" wishes to express our condolences to all those who loved and were touched by the life of Ms. Lathrom.

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Springfield Mayor's Pattern of Inappropriate Emails is Troubling

He says he'll stop. Read his previously unpublished apology to a Springfield resident.

Springfield, Missouri -- Apparently, Mayor Jim O'Neal knows an elected official's public image is one of importance. When I interviewed him by email during his run for Mayor in March 2009, in one of his answers, then, candidate Jim O'Neal wrote, "Here's something I learned from my work with the trucking industries efforts to enhance its image. It explains the role of image and why we should, w(he)ther we're truck drivers or politicians, be concerned about it. "Public image shapes public opinion which shapes public policy.""

Even during his campaign for Mayor, O'Neal appears to have had the perception that he was a victim of public or private attack. He wrote in answer to another question, "I have been recently and frequently the victim of attacks designed to incorrectly describe or attribute my allegiance or affiliation." He did not elaborate from where these frequent attacks sprang.

When O'Neal was campaigning for Mayor he emailed his supporters to ask them to write letters to the editor of the Springfield News-Leader in support of his election as Mayor. Again, O'Neal had perceived attacks from others, including frequent columnist for the News-Leader Ryan Cooper.

"It seems I am running against Mr. Cooper not Mr. Donegan, as he seemingly can’t speak for himself. I couldn’t find much in this article as to why Mr. Donegan would lead our city or his qualifications to be mayor; he simply attacks me in ways that are designed to stir up discontent," O'Neal told supporters in the email. Later in the email, he wrote, "Please mention in your letter about your support of the capital improvements tax and our support for citizens input and citizen task forces to develop solutions to community issues such as the pension problem. This organized, overexposed, vocal but small group wants to take away your right to vote on issues regarding the CIP, (Capital Improvement Program) parks and other issues designed to keep Springfield moving forward. The only way taxes can be changed are by a vote of you the citizens. These people don’t like that because the vast majority of people are voting for the CIP program, a program they want to kill....The last thing they want is for a broad based diverse group of citizens to have a voice in solving the problem. They‘ve already made up their mind and the public be damned."

While, in the above excerpt, O'Neal did not mention the Save Our Springfield Citizen Coalition (SOS) by name, SOS had proposed the City Council simply allow the CIP tax to sunset rather than approve its placement on the ballot for voters' potential extention in 2010. The current CIP tax is scheduled to sunset if the voters do not renew the tax. SOS favored letting the CIP tax expire as a part of their underfunded police and fire pension solution option.

On February 22, at a City Council meeting, Tom Martz read, as far as I know, the most recent inappropriate O'Neal email. Martz said the reading would be "uncomfortable." Martz was correct. It was certainly uncomfortable, especially when one considers it will air over and over again on the City of Springfield's dedicated cable television station and be archived online for a very long time at "CityView."

But, that said, it would not be appropriate to call the Martz address undeserved. As mentioned at the meeting, the inappropriate email Mayor O'Neal sent to Jim Hornaday was not the first inappropriate email the Mayor had sent to individuals who, much like the City Council, volunteer their time and energy for no fee (and no free lunch) to, as a result, reap the same sort of criticism the public, at large, has been known to hurl at the Council for all its well-intentioned effort. To be sure, when one enters the public forum, one is fair game for both criticism and praise. It is not without its advantages and disadvantages.

At any rate, it's all a matter of opinion whether Mayor O'Neal is or should feel warranted in accusing others of attack, my interest, as usual, was in preserving the information necessary for readers to form an opinion on the matter, not some spiteful attempt at exposing O'Neal. O'Neal has already been exposed and has already admitted the emails were inappropriate and apologized for sending, at least, the email to Mr. Hornaday.

So, without further ado, entered here, below, is the email from Mr. Hornaday to Mayor O'Neal, the email response from the Mayor to Mr. Hornaday, Mr. Hornaday's follow-up response after hearing back from the Mayor, and additionally, there is an apology from Mayor O'Neal which was not included in the documents made available at the News-Leader as a part of journalist Kary Booher's coverage of the issue, and has not, to my knowledge been published elsewhere.

Mr. Hornaday received the apology from Mayor O'Neal on Monday, February 22, 2010, about 25 minutes prior to Monday night's Council meeting, at which Tom Martz spoke.

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From: James Hornaday Jr. [mailto:railmet@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 12:17 PM
To: Council
Cc: Burris, Greg
Subject: Something I wrote as a comment in the SNL's web news response - - that I'd like to send you directly

I suppose it is a positive thing that our mayor and council are concerned about Mr. McGowan's latest setback in his search for financing any rebuilding of the Heers building. It is natural that the city council and administration have to DO something. The citizens are not as close to the details, and are largely in the dark. We sit in that dark, and sort of wonder just what's happening. So, I put the following in the SNL's reader responsesection. In case you don't peruse the SNL's web, I wanted you to know first-hand what I entered.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"In our prior City administrations, whenever the mayor's good buddies came into a financial trap, they'd work out a quiet little deal where the CITY would ease the burden and take another bite of the dead apple.
OK, we have a new mayor. He's huddled with McGowan. He's got a 'plan' he says just might work. All it needs for support is support from the rest of Council.

Hmmmmmm? Maybe our new Mayor would care to tell the citizens of Springfield how he plans to steam out the wrinkles in McGowan's latest version of "The federal government won't give me any money to rebuild the Heers building? ? ? ?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You collectively have the power to do something right, but you also have the capability for wasting MORE taxpayer money. We taxpayers are waiting to see what you intend to do with this problem.
Jim HornadaySpringfield MO

--------------end---------------

Subject: your vicious attack
From: Jim O'NealTo: 'railmet@sbcglobal.net'
Cc: Council; Burris, Greg; Cirtin, Brenda; Cotter, Anita Murphy
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 4:27 PM

Mr. Hornaday:
Why do you attack me so viciously? For a senior citizen, you’re woefully immature. Why don’t you grow up while you still have time? You’ve evidenced again today that you haven’t the slightest idea of what you are talking about. Everything you wrote was inaccurate, snide, and just plain ignorant. I have only met Mr. McGowan on three occasions: Once last summer on the square at a press conference for his announcement of HUD financing. I met his family, talked to him for a total of 5 minutes and we went our separate ways.
The second time was on Jan 21st in a meeting of his and city staff as they updated us on progress of his financing; a meeting that I simply listened to for less than 30 minutes without comment, and then again in a casual, informal, impromptu encounter last Thursday for a total of about 10 minutes. He simply said he had made progress in obtaining additional financing since he updated staff on the 21st, that he was confident in getting the project moving ahead and thought he might break ground by June. That is a great thing for our community even though you either can’t or won’t admit it. This is an issue this council inherited and we will do our best to see it succeed, if at all possible, and in a manner that benefits this city and its citizens. There are no guarantees, but we will do the best we can. I believe Mr. McGowan will get this done, but he may not. But you don’t have a blessed clue about the how, why and what it takes. Where do you get your facts? There are none at all in your web diatribe. Since the first time I met you, most every thing I’ve ever heard you say is biased, prejudiced, and grossly inaccurate, not to mention mean spirited, hateful, and vile. I have done nothing to deserve your scorn, yet you feel you have the right to slander me and others with wonton disregard for fact or civility. I do not know how you got to be such a bitter old man, but God forbid I live long enough to suffer your fate.
And you want me to appoint YOU to a committee of citizens who will require a modicum of intelligence, cooperation, analysis, and even the slightest decorum? Don’t hold your breath. If you can’t communicate without venomous spew, don’t expect me to listen without rebuttal. I’ll gladly debate you in any public forum any day of the week and expose your misconceptions, falsehoods, and lack of knowledge about city finance and you will be further revealed as a self centered, close minded miscreant with total disregard for truth or any thing that doesn’t line up with your warped philosophies. “Better to remain silent and appear a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.” Abraham Lincoln

My very best personal regards,

Jim O'Neal
President
O & S Trucking, Inc.
3769 E. Evergreen
Springfield, MO 65803
417-829-xxxxx-766-2xx8 cell

Please consider the Environment before printing this email.

-------------------end------------------

Subject: Resolution of concerns
Thu, February 18, 2010 8:35:43 AM
From: James Hornaday Jr. railmet@sbcglobal.net
To: Jim O'Neal citycouncil@springfieldmo.gov
Cc: Council council@springfieldmo.gov; Greg Burris gburris@springfieldmo.gov

Mayor O’Neal:

I am sorry I seem to have generated this attack response from you. You seem to be easily irritated. Your stated desire to avoid achieving my aged ‘warped philosophies’ fate may be not reached if you pop off with a stroke or a heart attack.

It is interesting that you believe “most every thing I’ve ever heard you say is biased, prejudiced, and grossly inaccurate, not to mention mean spirited, hateful, and vile.” That is a quite all-encompassing statement. I wonder if you have forgotten the email I sent to the city on December 31st.

Dear Mr. Mayor O'Neal, Mr. Burris, and Council people:

You are all handling a most difficult job in managing the city. There are many aspects to understanding what has happened to the city in the recent past, and many of you could be fairly new in handling these responsibilities. As an interested citizen and a taxpayer, I share your concern that the city be run in as efficient a manner as possible.

If you know me at all, you will remember that I have been concerned about the city's financial matters, and that I have voluntarily dug into the city's published CAFR reports to at least partially understand how the city developed its current debt load.

After extracting debt data from the City's 2000 through 2009 CAFR's, I have generated a simple EXCEL file that at least partially explains (to me) the history of Springfield's debt history. I would like to share this with you. It may assist you in your future deliberations.

I recognize there were two major time periods when the long term debt and the city's total liabilities went up drastically. The first period was when bonds were sold to finance a number of park projects and downtown development. The second period was when additional bonds were sold were sold for construction of the Midfield Airport. Both those activities have essentially been completed. The two series of sales of bonds piled on the debt.

I believe the combined Council and Administration's efforts to economize during this recession have been effective. I think most people in Springfield recognize how operating expenditures have been properly adjusted to meet declining revenue, without causing undue strain on general operations. The fact that Springfield's debt load has been simultaneously reduced has not been equally recognized.

A third thing that has not been universally recognized is that the principal and interest payments the city makes every year on its existing debt is a heavy load on the City's operating budget. Most homeowners recognize the fact that their monthly mortgage payments must be paid out of current income. It doesn't make much long-term sense when money is tight to buy a bunch of 'stuff' with a near maxed-out credit card, or to use a cash advance from the same card to pay the mortgage.

Your financial actions in managing the past year's money crunch have been quite credible. I hope you (collectively) can continue running the City within your income, and that you don't initiate any big new expensive capital improvement programs that would add more debt.

Sincerely, Jim Hornaday
4470 S. Pxxx Ave.
Springfield MO 65810

I really intended that message to be a compliment to the way you and the city had handled the CIP budget in recent tight times. Possibly you didn’t think the message was sufficiently complimentary. Maybe you consider every public comment from any individual about your civic activities must be completely and totally complimentary. I really can’t read your mind on how you might view this situation. At best, I would venture the opinion that you could be just a wee bit inconsistent in your judgments.

Now, let’s look at the presumed lack of facts that you ascribe to my February 14th’s email’s “total disregard for truth”:

> Is it an urban myth or a fact that prior (not current) city administrations made commitments with the various owners of the Heers building that have cost the city more than anyone expected? You tell me whether that is a fact or not.

> Is it factual or not that Mr. McGowan announced he was unable to arrange any HUD financing for renovation of the Heers building?

> Did or did not the Springfield News-Leader properly report that you met with Mr. McGowan after his announcement of failure to achieve any HUD commitment for financing, and it was further reported that he had requested an extension of his requirement for starting his renovation work?

> Did or did you not make statements in the News-Leader’s story that you had some ‘ideas’ that might resolve this apparent delay in the building’s renovation, and that you wanted to discuss this new possibility with the rest of City Council?

City Council is not the only group of people in the city that would like to know what you might be proposing. I imagine everyone will be told when the issue comes up for Council discussion. Fair enough!

In the meantime, with our limited knowledge and the remembrance that prior administrations did not serve the citizens too well in situations like this, we wonder:

> Are you proposing another time extension for start-up of the renovation?

> Could your proposal require more city money to be invested in the project so that Mr. McGowan’s capital would be enhanced to the point that HUD would approve his major capital loan? Or,

> Might your proposal be something beyond our imaginings?

I do not expect this letter will change your personal opinions of my character one bit. I had a premonition that even before I wrote my February 14th email that you were intending to veto any application I might make for serving on any volunteer city committee. Your last email merely confirmed the thought.

I hope you can live with your easily aroused anger. As mayor, you will be confronted in many situations where other people will disagree with your opinions. Being Mayor is not the same as being owner/president of O & S Trucking, where you can fire anybody in the organization any time you perceive you have been insulted. Citizens in Springfield do have legitimate questions. We just would like to know what you are proposing.

Sincerely,
James R. Hornaday Jr.
Springfield MO 65810

------------------------end--------------------------

From: "Oneal, Jim" joneal@springfieldmo.gov
To: "railmet@sbcglobal.net" railmet@sbcglobal.net
Sent: Mon, February 22, 2010 6:04:54 PM
Subject: apology

Mr. Hornaday,

Please accept my sincere apology for my unwarranted response. You do have a caustic way about you, but that might be just a bit of spice in your character. I do in fact recall the positive message and I do appreciate it. You asked me four questions at the end of your response today about my allegation of your total dis-regard of the truth.

In item one: It is an urban myth. The city's previous administrations did however, "dodge a bullet" by divesting their (our) ownership of the building. My understanding is we have incurred about $250,000 of closing costs in the transactions. We have no obligation to purchase the building if Mr. McGowan does not succeed.

Item two: It is not factual. Mr. McGowan does in fact have a loan guarantee commitment from HUD. He must fulfill the terms of the commitment. The recent reports he has missed a deadline do not kill the deal. My understanding is it only obligates him to get a new appraisal, at his expense. The other sources of money, both public and private are nearly all arranged. However, I don't know if he'll get the deal done. It is complex and this is a terrible economy. Springfield's continued role in this is in fact rather limited. It is his project to get done or not.

Item three: If the News-Leader reported Mr. McGowan asked me personally for any sort of extension, that would be totally inaccurate. Any extension, frankly would not be mine to give. As I tried to explain in my poor response to you, the meeting reported was a casual, unplanned 10 minute visit at the Farmer's Gastropub, where he had just come from a planning meeting downtown. I was having dinner with my family. He actually spoke more to my daughter in law than me. He did say he was excited and had nearly everything in place for what he hopes is a groundbreaking in June. I wished him well.

Item four: I never said anything to indicate I have, as you referred to in your web blog, "A plan." I have no idea where that comes from. I have asked the City staff to prepare an update for council within thirty days. I hope that demonstrates fiduciary commitment, because that is why I asked for it. I did say something to the effect that this is a complex arrangement and his group may come up with some alternatives if portions of his financing arrangements don't materialize as he plans. The city staff can offer ideas as well. But I do not now nor have I ever said "I have a plan." Mr. McGowan has to make this happen.

I guess their is a larger lesson here. I will react more appropriately and all I ask from you is before you blog something like you did above, why don't we talk, have coffee? I have nothing to hide and while we might not agree on everything I'm sure we'll both be the better for it and learn rather than burn. You have my cell number. It is at the bottom of my previous e-mail fromO & S.
Again, I do apologize and will show more respect in the future.

Jim O'Neal
Mayor
City of Springfield Missouri

------------end------------

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recommended Viewing: Mayor O'Neal & Councilman Dan Chiles at the Lawn and Garden Show

A Conversation With Mayor O'Neal - Well Fed Neighbor
A short conversation with Mayor James O'Neal at The Home and Garden Show, in which he expresses support for The Well-Fed Neighbor Alliance, the local food movement and chickens in the city. - by Dale Wayne Jackson

Conversation with Councilman Dan Chiles - Well Fed Neighbor
Dan speaks about the importance of the local food movement in terms of personal health and alternative energy solutions. - by Dale Wayne Jackson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Municipal Government and Greene County Commission Combined Meeting Calendar: February 22 - February 26, 2010

Notes: Greene County Commission meetings are color coded blue, City meetings are color coded red. In the case of County meetings, all meetings are held at 933 N. Robberson unless otherwise noted. (Sorry for the late posting. I didn't receive the City calendar from the public information office until Monday morning, then had to re-format.)

Monday, 2/22/2010

8:00 AM - City - Global Perspective & Diversity Sub-Committee Busch Municipal Building, 1st Floor Conf. Rm, 840 Boonville Contact: Anita Cotter, (417) 864-1651

8:30 AM - County - Administrative Meeting – Commissioners, Highway Administrator - Location: 2065 N. Clifton, Springfield - Agenda: Driving tour of county roads and bridges

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

1:30 PM - County - Industrial Development Authority

2:45 PM - City - Board of Public Utilities Plans & Policy City Utilities, C. Frank Knox Board Room, 301 East Central Contact: Gayla Jones, (417) 831-8311

3:00 PM - City - Board of Public Utilities City Utilities, C. Frank Knox Board Room, 301 East Central Contact: Gayla Jones, (417) 831-8311

6:30 PM - City - City Council Meeting Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Brenda Cirtin, (417) 864-1650 (agenda)

Tuesday, 2/23/2010

8:00 AM - City - Mayor's Commission for Children Midtown Carnegie Branch Library , 397 East Central Contact: Denise Bredfeldt, (417) 864-1656

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

10:30 AM - County - District O Solid Waste Management Meeting - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 309, 940 Boonville, Springfield

12:00 PM - City - Council Lunch* Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Anita Climer, (417) 864-1654

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

2:00 PM - City - Administrative Review Busch Municipal Building, Room 285, 840 Boonville Contact: Daniel Neal, (417) 864-1036

3:00 PM - City - Airport Board Public Relations Committee Springfield/Branson National Airport, Airport Board Room, 2300 North Airport Boulevard Suite 100 Contact: Terri Winchester, (417) 868-0500

3:30 PM (or immediately following Airport Board P/R Committee Meeting) - City - Airport Board Economic Committee Springfield/Branson National Airport, Airport Board Room, 2300 North Airport Boulevard Suite 100 Contact: Terri Winchester, (417) 868-0500

3:30 PM - City - Traffic Advisory Board Busch Municipal Building, Traffic Eng.1st Floor Conference Rm, 840 Boonville Contact: Jenny Turner, (417) 864-1980

Wednesday, 2/24/2010

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - City - Workforce Investment Board - Joint Meeting of Planning & Oversight Committee and Marketing Committee Missouri Career Center , 1514 South Glenstone Contact: Karen Dowdy, (417) 887-4343

9:00 AM - County - Closed Meeting Pursuant to RSMo 610.021 (1)

12:00 PM - County - Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative - Location: Emergency Management Media Room, 833 Boonville, Springfield

12:00 PM - City - City Council Community Involvement Committee Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Lisa Harley, (417) 864-1443

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

6:00 PM - City - Police Fire Pension Fund Citizens Task Force Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Sharon Smith, (417) 864-1004

Thursday, 2/25/2010

8:00 AM - City - Airport Board Springfield/Branson National Airport, Airport Board Room, 2300 North Airport Boulevard Suite 100 Contact: Terri Winchester, (417) 868-0500

8:00 AM - County - Good Community - Location: Chamber of Commerce, 202 John Q. Hammons Pkwy, Springfield

9:30 AM - County - Meeting – Commissioners, Sheriff - Location: Jail Training Room, 1000 Boonville, Springfield - Agenda: Department Operations

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

2:00 PM - County - Meeting – Officeholders

3:30 PM - City - Jordan Valley Advisory Committee Busch Municipal Building, 1st Floor Conf. Rm, 840 Boonville Contact: Olivia Hough, (417) 864-1092

6:30 PM - County - Greene County Mayors Association - Location: Battlefield City Hall, 5434 Tower Drive, Battlefield

Friday, 2/26/2010

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

9:00 AM - County - Meeting – Commissioners, Management Team - Agenda: Department Reports

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

- City - No Meetings Scheduled

--------------------------------------------

*Tentative February 23, City Council Lunch Agenda

1. Follow-up to City Council Meeting held on Monday, February 22, 2010

2. Recommended ¼ Cent Sales Tax Capital Projects - Ralph Rognstad & Marc Thornsberry

3. Any and all matters to come before City Council

Sources: Springfield Public Information and Greene County Public Information Offices

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BREAKING: Lawrence Halprin-designed Park Central Square added to the National Register of Historic Places

The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) issued a press release February 17, 2010, to announce the addition of Park Central Square to the National Register of Historic Places.

According to TCLF, Springfield is now the location of the first work by landcape architect designer Lawrence Halprin to be added to the National Register. The designation was made official by Director of the National Park Service Jon Jarvis on February 5, 2010.

"This followed a decision on January 25, 2010, by Ms. Carol Shull, the Acting Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places, to approve the boundary expansion of the Springfield Public Square historic district to include Park Central Square," the press release stated.

Founder and President of TCLF Charles A. Birnbaum indicated Director of the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office Mark Miles notified him of the designation. It was the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office which prepared and submitted the National Register nomination to the National Park Service.

"This is great news for Springfield and for Mr. Halprin’s legacy. The city should be touting their progressiveness, possessing the first, nationally designated landscape on the National Register of Historic Places by Mr. Halprin," Birnbaum wrote in an email.

From the news release:

The addition of Park Central Square to the National Register is an important milestone in recognizing the important legacy of modernist landscape architecture and the career of Lawrence Halprin,” said TCLF president Charles A. Birnbaum. “This is significant since only two years ago the Square was headed for destruction.”

Birnbaum was also happy to announce the launch of an oral history project with Mr. Halprin. He indicated the project had been in development for almost seven years. So, if you'd like more information about the famous landscape architect and designer of Park Central Square, click here.

Although the Springfield News-Leader has been reporting there have been some behind the scenes discussions about the interior design renovations of Park Central Square between Springfield City staff and owner of the Heer's building Kevin McGowan, Springfield Director of Public Information Louise Whall said there is not a complete design available.

"The goal is to adapt as many of the original principles as possible into the new design, taking into account the amount of funding available and the need to respect the specific Halprin design elements that contribute to the historical character recognized by the state Historic Preservation Office," Whall wrote in an email.

Whall listed the major goals of renovation to the inner perimeter of the Halprin designed square:

* Taking down the concrete retaining walls that surround the inner perimeter and were not part of Halprin's original design. This would be to improve both accessibility and aesthetics. The retaining walls pose both literal and figurative barriers.

* Rehabbing the gazebo to address structural needs like replacing rotting wood, while maintaining the Halprin design concept

* Rehabbing the fountain, which needs major repairs to its internal waterworks

* Increasing lighting for aesthetic and security reasons

* Adding more built-in electrical capacity to improve its functionality for hosting events in terms of setting up sound and/or lighting systems.

Note: A big THANK YOU to Neva Schroder for calling this important news to the attention of "JackeHammer." JackeHammer wrote extensively about the issue of Halprin's Park Central Square when a local architectural firm announced a design concept which would have destroyed the integrity of the original Halprin design.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Moved to Busch Building

Due to an out of order elevator at the Historic City Hall building, the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 18, at 6:30 PM has been moved from Council Chambers at 830 Boonville to the Busch Building at 840 Boonville.

In a news release, Department of Public Information Special Projects Coordinator Mike Brothers directs those who wish to attend the meeting:

"Those attending the Commission meeting should enter the Busch Building through the main doors on the east side of the building. Security will remain the same as with Commission meetings in City Hall. Visitors will need to check in with security in order to gain access to the elevator to the fourth floor."

Though I did not note the news release specifically indicating the meeting will be in the 4th floor conference room, since there is an indication attendees will need to access the elevator to the fourth floor, it's probably safe to assume the meeting will be held in the fourth floor conference room at the Busch building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greene County Commission Meeting Revisions

Two Greene County Commission meetings originally scheduled for this evening at 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM have been removed from the original calendar and a Thursday closed meeting has been added.

Cancelled: The 6:30 PM Planning & Zoning Board Study Session was removed.

Cancelled: The 7:00 PM Planning & Zoning Public Hearing was removed.

Added: A closed meeting was added for 8:30 AM Thursday, February 18. The meeting is closed pursuent to RSMo 610.021(1).

-----------------------------

Source: Greene County Public Information Officer Jenny Fillmer Edwards

"JackeHammer" Observes 5th Anniversary

This month and year mark "JackeHammer's" fifth anniversary!

Since my first dream was to be a poet, and live a hermit's life in a little white house with a white picket fence and a few chickens in the back yard, I have decided to commemorate the anniversary of "JackeHammer" by providing selections and links to the 13 original poems I have published here over the last 5 years.


2005:

Saturday, July 16, 2005

SMOOTH

It is a man who turns
his breast to me, not pure.

It is a song, a whispering
song
sweet
until I open its envelope
inside
the smooth milk
which left his
hand.
I resealed it, careful
so the
milk
could not drip out

I took a sandwich of honey
and butter
to Daye's Park
I lie there, each blade of grass
tickling my skin

In my mind I
whisper that song,
the song in the envelope
which sits like milk
smooth
not pure

Posted by Jackie Melton at 11:55 AM

JackeHammer: Touching the Dirt Softly

JackeHammer: Sun in Rain

2006:

JackeHammer: Sweet and Bitter

JackeHammer: Carissa, at the Church Carnival

2007:

JackeHammer: Poem inspired by a blogger

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Rhythm of Tender

I didn't know how tender
the word
like a silent bubble shining in sun
blown from the hand of a child

I didn't know how tender
the touch
like a sable brush laden with lacquer
stroking heirloom wood

I didn't know how tender
the finger
tapping like a dancer in black shoes
keeping rhythm with word, with touch

rhythm of thought
rhythm of God

Posted by Jackie Melton at 7:35 PM

JackeHammer: Miles from home

JackeHammer: Bitter cold

2008:

Monday, November 17, 2008

Learning Death

I see you walking in your kitchen
favoring your hip, each step like a great rocking
row boat

Tomorrow
Will it be tomorrow?
The bulldozer will come to level the house
where your nine children ran to play?

Long gone the kitchen table we sat at talking gardens
and life choices

sorting baby clothes found at garage sales
while frozen clothes hung clean in the icy outside cold where
the birds sat in the summer, in the summer

Chickens, stumps and horses
axes, barbed wire and pretty dresses made from feed sacks
hams and pies and poker
and laughter
loud, rude, roaring laughter

Death of dogs, death of grandpas, grandmas, mothers

learning death from the outside
looking through its windows

inside
we still see you, see all of you

in life

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Update: An animation

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted by Jackie Melton at 2:20 AM

JackeHammer: Blindly Watching

JackeHammer: I was fifteen

JackeHammer: Remember Spike

2009:

None

2010:

Not yet....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Municipal Government and Greene County Commission Combined Meeting Calendar: February 15 - February 19, 2010

Notes: Greene County Commission meetings are color coded blue, City meetings are color coded red. In the case of County meetings, all meetings are held at 933 N. Robberson unless otherwise noted.

Monday, 2/15/2010

Holiday - City - City Offices Closed

COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED – Washington’s Birthday

Tuesday, 2/16/2010

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

11:30 AM - City - City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Brenda Cirtin, (417) 864-1650

12:00 PM (or immediately following Special Council Meeting) - City - Council Lunch* Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Anita Climer, (417) 864-1654

1:00 PM - County - Officeholders, Department Heads - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 212, 940 Boonville, Springfield - Agenda: Workers Compensation Laws and Procedures

2:00 PM - City - Administrative Review Busch Municipal Building, Room 285, 840 Boonville Contact: Daniel Neal, (417) 864-1036

3:30 PM - City - Library Board - Joint Meeting with Library Foundation Board Library Center , 4653 South Campbell Contact: Debbie Eckert, (417) 883-5366

4:00 PM - City - Library Board Library Center , 4653 South Campbell Contact: Debbie Eckert, (417) 883-5366

5:30 PM - City - Cable Television Advisory Commission Midtown Carnegie Branch Library , 397 East Central Contact: Nancy Yendes, (417) 864-1645

Cancelled 2-16-10 - 6:30 PM - County - Planning & Zoning Board Study Session - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 309, 940 Boonville, Springfield

Cancelled 2-16-10 - 7:00 PM - County - Planning & Zoning Board Public Hearing - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 212, 940 Boonville, Springfield

Wednesday, 2/17/2010

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

12:00 PM - City - Strategic Plan Public Health Chapter Committee Jordan Valley Health Center, Rooms 2 & 3, 618 N. Benton Contact: Kristina Rosewell, (417) 862-8962

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

3:00 PM - City - E-911 Advisory Board Greene County, Commission's Conference Room, 933 North Robberson Contact: Debbie Moore, (417) 864-1719

5:30 PM - City - Landmarks Board Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Daniel Neal, (417) 864-1036

5:30 PM - City - Mayor's Commission on Human Rights Midtown Carnegie Branch Library , 397 East Central Contact: Bob Hosmer, (417) 864-1834

Thursday, 2/18/2010

8:00 AM - City - Public Building Corporation Busch Municipal Building, 1st Floor Conf. Rm, 840 Boonville Contact: Mary Mannix, (417) 864-1625

8:00 AM - City - Springfield Convention & Visitor's Bureau Board of Directors Jordan Valley Park , 815 E. St. Louis St. Contact: Tracy Kimberlin, (417) 881-5300

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

Added 2-16-10: 8:30 AM - County - Closed Meeting Pursuant to RSMo 610.021(1)

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

12:00 PM - County - Ozark Transportation Organization - Location: Busch Building, 4th Floor Conf. Room, 840 Boonville, Springfield

12:00 PM - City - Ozarks Transportation Organization Board of Directors Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Tim Conklin, (417) 836-5482

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

6:30 PM - City - Planning and Zoning Commission This meeting was moved to the Busch Building fourth floor conference room due to an elevator problem at old City Hall. The news came through a Public Information Office news release dated February 18, 2010. Contact: Mike MacPherson, (417) 864-1831

Friday, 2/19/2010

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - County - Financial Advisory Board - Agenda: Review of County Finances

9:30 AM - City - Public Housing Authority Madison Towers, Northeast Meeting Room, 421 West Madison Contact: Jo Danderson, (417) 866-4329

10:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

12:00 PM - County - Lunch with Building Operations Employees - Location: Cook’s Kettle, 200 W. Commercial St., Springfield

12:00 PM - City - City Council Plans & Policies Committee Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Lisa Harley, (417) 864-1443

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

2:00 PM - County - Closed Meeting Pursuant to RSMo 610.021 (2)

-------------------------------------------------------

*Tentative City Council Lunch Agenda

1. Jordan Valley Advisory Committee Update of West Meadows Cleanup and the Quarry - Olivia Hough

2. Any and all matters to come before City Council

---------------------------------------------------------

Sources: Springfield and Greene County Public Information Offices (re-formatted)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the City Manager's "Listening Tour"

I've been asked at least a couple of times about Springfield City Manager Greg Burris' schedule for a "Listening Tour."

There is no published schedule. What is being offered is an opportunity for any community or civic organization to schedule a Listening Tour meeting through Executive Assistant Kathy Hardt at 864-1006 or via email at khardt@springfieldmo.gov.

Individual citizens may answer the same survey questions that Mr. Burris is asking when he visits with community or civic organizations, and the Web site the City has provided for such input, according to news releases, does not relay the source of the input except by region (unless you choose to identify yourself).

If you would like to answer the survey questions, you may follow this link, "QuestionPro Survey - Listening Tour."

These are the survey questions:

What do you value most about the Springfield area?
What would you most like to change about the Springfield area?
What is your vision for the Springfield area in the Year 2030?
How can you help us get there?

The survey also gives you an opportunity to make additional comments about Springfield's long range planning process and to provide your email address should you wish to be notified when further information becomes available regarding strategic planning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Richard Land: Super Bowl anti-abortion ad to confront, "the country with the undeniable humanity of each unborn child"

Dr. Richard Land of "The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention," has written a compelling article regarding the "Focus on the Family" commercial CBS will air during the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Land explained the commercial being criticized by numerous "pro-choice" groups tells the story of Tim Tebow and his mother:

"In 1987, Tim’s future parents, Bob and Pam Tebow, were in the Philippines on a mission trip. During the trip, Pam fell into a coma from amoebic dysentery and was administered several strong medications to treat her potentially life threatening illness. Later, doctors, worried about consequent severe damage to the baby she was carrying, strongly urged Pam to abort her fifth child. She declined their medical advice and gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy, Tim Tebow, on Aug. 14, 1987. Pam cited her strong pro-life Christian beliefs for her decision to have her baby over the doctor’s objections."

Land feels the reason pro-choice groups are protesting the ad, and have asked CBS to pull it, is because the ad puts a human face to unborn children, "It confronts people across the nation with the fact that every “problem pregnancy” involves not just a pregnant mother, but also a real, live unborn human being," he wrote.

Land compared Tebow's story to Harriet Beecher Stowe's book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," which, he wrote, "...put a human face on the 3 million slaves in America, thus hastening their liberation." He feels Tebow's story has the potential to put such a human face on the hundreds of thousands of babies aborted every year.

Land indicated, of the 14,000 anti-abortion advocates who attended a recent protest in Houston, Texas, 80 percent of them were under 30 years of age. According to Land, they carried signs that read, "We survived Roe--Roe won't survive us!" Land thinks it is indicative of a turning of the tides in America, and there is more consensus against abortion today than for it.

"The “pro-choice” movement knows they are losing and that ultrasound machines and commercials like the Tebows’ are confronting the country with the undeniable humanity of each unborn child," Land wrote as he charged "pro-choicers" to pay for their own ads countering ads such as the Tebow's, rather than seeking censorship of such advertisements.

"...they should pay their money and make their case. I suspect they know they don’t have such arguments and so they descend to the tactic of seeking to silence the arguments of their opponents."

In 2006, a total of 846,181 abortions were reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).


Read the entire ERLC article here.

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Municipal Government and Greene County Commission Combined Meeting Calendar: February 8 - February 12, 2010

I'm trying something a little different on the weekly calendar. I've combined the City calendar with the Greene County Commission calendar. County is color coded blue, City is color coded red. In the case of County meetings, all meetings are held at 933 N. Robberson unless otherwise noted. Let me know what you think, if you like the new calendar or hate it. - Jackie

Monday, 2/8/2010

8:30 AM - County - Administrative Meeting – Commissioners, Highway Administrator, et al -Location: 2065 N. Clifton Ave., Springfield

9:15 AM - County - Closed Meeting Pursuant to RSMo 610.021 (2) - Location: 2065 N. Clifton Ave., Springfield

10:45 AM - County - Board of Zoning Adjustment Study Session

11:30 AM - County - Meeting – Commissioners, Joclynn Brown - Agenda: Resolution for OTC’s Training for Tomorrow Grant

11:30 AM - City - Workforce Investment Board Executive Committee Missouri Career Center , 1514 South Glenstone Contact: Karen Dowdy, (417) 887-4343

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

4:00 PM - County - Greene County Historic Sites Board

6:30 PM - City - City Council Meeting Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Brenda Cirtin, (417) 864-1650 (see: agenda)

Tuesday, 2/9/2010

8:00 AM - City - Downtown Springfield Community Improvement District Parking Committee Jack Ball Architects , 444 S. Campbell Contact: Barb Baker, (417) 831-6200

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions 8:30 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

8:30 AM - City - Library Board Buildings & Grounds Committee Kirkpatrick, Phillips, & Miller CPA's , 2003 E. Sunshine Contact: Debbie Eckert, (417) 883-5366

9:00 AM - City - Board of Equalization Greene County, Room 113, 940 North Boonville Contact: Richard Struckhoff, (417) 868-4055

9:00 AM - County - Board of Equalization - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 113, 940 Boonville, Springfield

9:30 AM - County - Board of Zoning Adjustment Public Hearing - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 212, 940 Boonville, Springfield

12:00 PM - City - Council Lunch* Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Anita Climer, (417) 864-1654

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

2:00 PM - City - Administrative Review Busch Municipal Building, Room 285, 840 Boonville Contact: Daniel Neal, (417) 864-1036

6:00 PM - City - Citizens Advisory Committee for Community Development Public Hearing Old City Hall, Council Chambers, 830 Boonville Contact: Vern Morgan, (417) 864-1844

Wednesday, 2/10/2010

7:00 AM - County - Planning & Zoning Board Study Session - Location: Historic Courthouse, Room 212, 940 Boonville, Springfield

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:00 AM - City - Downtown Springfield Community Improvement District Board of Directors Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Barb Baker, (417) 831-6200

8:30 AM - City - Library Board Programs/Services/Technology Committee Library Center , 4653 South Campbell Contact: Debbie Eckert, (417) 883-5366

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

5:30 PM - City - Sherman Avenue Project Area Committee Busch Municipal Building, 2nd Floor West Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Marti Fewell, (417) 864-1039

Thursday, 2/11/2010

8:00 AM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

8:30 AM - City - Springfield Police Officers' and Firefighters' Retirement System Board of Trustees Busch Municipal Building, 4th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Nikki White, (417) 569-6282

9:00 AM - County - Daily Briefing with County Administrator

9:30 AM - County - Quarterly Facilities Review - Location: Walking tour of Greene County campus facilities

12:00 PM - County - Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee

12:00 PM - City - City Council Public Involvement Committee Busch Municipal Building, 5th Floor Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Brenda Lewellen, (417) 864-1442

1:00 PM - County - Administrative and Department Functions

1:30 PM - County - Meeting – Commissioners, Jeff Reinold - Agenda: Springfield Enhanced Enterprise Zone

3:30 PM - City - Tree City USA Citizen's Advisory Committee Busch Municipal Building, 2nd Floor East Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Benjamin Kellner, (417) 864-1178

Friday, 2/12/2010

8:30 AM - City - Springfield/Greene County Park Board Mediacom Ice Park , 625 E. Trafficway Contact: Jodie Adams, (417) 864-1049

9:00 AM - City - Commercial Street Community Improvement District Busch Municipal Building, 2nd Floor West Conf. Rm., 840 Boonville Contact: Donnie Rodgers, (417) 880-3435

COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED – Lincoln Day

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*Tentative February 9, Council Lunch Agenda

1. Follow up to City Council meeting held on February 8, 2010

2. Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) ¼ Cent Tax Renewal - Ralph Rognstad and Marc Thornsberry

3. Any and all matters to come before City Council

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Sources: City of Springfield Public Information Office; Greene County Public Information Officer (Re-formatted)

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