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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Nuisance, Nuisance, Everywhere

"Though Police Chief Lynn Rowe said City Council had come up with the (nuisance) ordinance in order to deal with specific nuisance properties, Council was also reluctant to deprive people of their property without due process." - Community Free Press, DEC. 17, 2008 - JAN. 13, 2009 issue

In light of today's "Springfield News-Leader" article regarding City Attorney Dan Wichmer's letter and Reverend Rice's response concerning neighbors' allegations of misuse of the property at 806 N. Jefferson, or Veterans Coming Home, I felt the article I wrote for the "Community Free Press" regarding similar allegations might shed a bit of light on what the City is able to do or not do in the case of allegations of nuisance properties. Readers will find that CFP article below this entry. (And I have to wonder if neighbors of Veterans Coming Home are being made aware of how little the City can actually do to enforce the nuisance ordinance)

In the letter City Attorney Dan Wichmer wrote to Reverend Larry Rice, Wichmer referenced Springfield City Code sections 74-391 and 74-392. Wichmer noted, "Under these code sections, any property harboring a nuisance could be subject to closure for up to 1 year."

Wichmer then "strongly encourage(d)" Reverend Rice to stop activities not permitted and take action to eliminate activities which were a nuisance to businesses in the area. Wichmer wrote, "Failure to take corrective action will force the City to take action to abate the nuisance."

In the article attached readers will note, "According to City Attorney Dan Wichmer, as long as a landlord is working with the police department and there are no convictions, there is little the city can do under the ordinance."

The nuisance ordinance is very specific in describing the process by which the City of Springfield may close a property. One of the City's other options (under City Code) is to shut off utilities to that property for up to 1 year. The City really can't just go around closing properties based on neighbors' complaints, there is much more to it than that. For instance, before closing a property can even be considered notice has to be given and it must be given in very specific manner.

"JackeHammer" asked City Attorney Wichmer if there had been any notice of:

"...the illegal use, manufacture, keeping or selling of controlled substances" on the premises, and whether there have been any convictions related to "...the illegal use, manufacture, keeping or selling of controlled substances," (City code 74-391) where the initial arrest of a convict originated from the address 806 N. Jefferson Avenue, Springfield, Missouri


OR for:

"...the commission of crimes, ordinance violations, or acts done, permitted, allowed or continued to the damage or injury of any inhabitants of the city," and whether there have been any convictions related to "...the commission of crimes, ordinance violations, or acts done, permitted, allowed or continued to the damage or injury of any inhabitants of the city" involving an initial arrest of the convict from 806 N. Jefferson Avenue, Springfield, Missouri (City code 74-392)

BY: "The chief of police or his designee," (City code 74-391) OR "The chief of police or director of health or other head of a department charged with ordinance or code enforcement or their respective designees?" (City code 74-392)


"No." City Attorney Dan Wichmer wrote in an email response. "My letter merely referenced the fact that if we found and proved violations that originated from 806 N. Jefferson, we would treat (it) as any other nuisance property and use all tools available. We are not, to my knowledge, anywhere near sending any sort of nuisance notice."

Later in the day, when questioned about why he sent the letter at this time, Wichmer wrote, "In Feb of this year, BDS (Building Development Services) sent him a letter advising of purported improper uses. This letter was in addition to a letter from HHS (Health & Human Services) stating that their inspection to be sure that he was complying with his stated uses for the building per his application to acquire the building revealed that he was not in complete compliance with his stated uses."

City Clerk Brenda Cirtin wrote in an email to JackeHammer that Director of Building Development Services Nick Heatherly, indicated BDS has "posted" Veterans Coming Home for a code violation. She is awaiting his reply about when it was posted and the nature of the violation, "I asked him when and what the violation was, but haven’t heard back yet," she wrote.

Wichmer said the reason he sent the letter is because Rice's local representatives had stated Rice wanted to know if there were any issues, "When he opened the center, Rev. Rice, through his local reps, stated he wanted to be a good neighbor (especially in light of the incidents he had at the Free Store, his facility near Jeff City and the stabbing in St. Louis) so if we had issues, please let him know," Wichmer wrote.

According to Wichmer, the letter was sent out 2 weeks ago. Indeed, it is dated November 23, 2009. Wichmer indicated Ron Moore, New Life Evangelical Center's on site manager and Dan Boyle, Rice's attorney, were very cordial in their responses, with Boyle stating, "he would make sure there was follow up on their (Veterans Coming Home) end." Wichmer indicated that because he had received such a cordial response from them, he thought the issue was behind him and being handled.

"He (Boyle) told me in the future to just call him or NLEC’s business manager if we received further complaints. I thought that ended the matter. That is why I stated that Rice was merely grandstanding yesterday," Wichmer wrote.

At any rate, it all seems much ado about nothing for the moment (unless one considers how unhappy some City staff and some members of the City Council were at the time Rice was awarded the building...and unless one has a suspicious mind that the City is setting the stage for going after Rice on a trumped up code violation while it appears to ignore code violations of others it finds less unsavory....)

JackeHammer has placed a call to the Reverend Larry Rice for comment and is awaiting his response.

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From the DEC. 17, 2008 - JAN. 13, 2009 issue of the "Community Free Press:"

"West Central WOES
Area developers’ cries for help reach a high level of frustration."

By Jackie Melton
CFP Contributor

At a recent meeting at the Busch Municipal Building,tempers and accusations sometimes flared over vandalism, theft, drug use, and whether the city’s nuisance ordinance can be used to remedy recurring problems in Springfield’s West Central neighborhood. One thing was made clear by the attending city officials: there are not going to be any quick fixes to neighborhood crime in West Central or any other neighborhood in Springfield.

Carol Nachbar, a real estate investor and redeveloper who owns property in the area was frustrated over what she perceived as non-enforcement of the city’s nuisance ordinance.

Though Police Chief Lynn Rowe said City Council had come up with the ordinance in order to deal with specific nuisance properties, Council was also reluctant to deprive people of their property without due process.


“We can’t take a whole complex with just one violating apartment unit,” Rowe said. “If they’re [owners/managers] dealing with the issue, then that precludes using the nuisance ordinance to take that property.”

Due process is what has Nachbar and other West Central investors and homeowners asking questions. Nachbar balked when told that, without convictions of crime, the nuisance ordinance could not be enforced.


“These people are out there causing all this havoc and this chaos,” Nachbar said. “The police put them in their cars and they handcuff them and then, 15 minutes later, they let them back out of the police car. That’s the problem, they are not arrested in the first place.”

The Windermere Apartments, 1055 W. Walnut St., is at the center of the debate among West Central residents and property owners. Nachbar claims problems originating at the property are interfering with her ability to lease a neighboring property she owns.

According to the city Web site, the business license for 1055 W.Walnut is issued to Shorty’s Holding, LLC. The address for the owner is also the same address issued to Cars 4 U, a car lot on Compton Street owned by Kendall Hancock. Hancock could not be reached for comment, but a woman at Cars 4 U, who identified herself as only Angela, said she was the manager of Shorty’s Holding, LLC.

“I’m the manager and we don’t have a comment,” she said.


According to City Attorney Dan Wichmer, as long as a landlord is working with the police department and there are no convictions, there is little the city can do under the ordinance.

“I can assure you that I take you seriously, but you sitting there, indicating that I’m not doing anything, isn’t going to make me a whole lot happier dealing with you,” Wichmer said to Nachbar at the meeting. “I’ve pulled your properties, you’ve had disturbances, and you’ve had complaints. Do I shut your properties down?”

Rowe explained his department is following procedure and doing what they can under the law.
“Sometimes there’s enough [evidence] to pursue it and if there is, they go to jail every time, even though it is a revolving door and they go right back out,” Rowe said.

Another local developer and investor, David Rhodes, said, in the past, when there was more police presence crime had disappeared.

“If this issue serves one purpose, I hope it is that it will get more police on the street,” Rhodes said.

Jack Pugh, Rhodes partner in “B’s” Renaissance Renovations, LLC, identified himself and Nachbar as two of the top investors in the West Central area. Pugh lives in a home on Walnut Street that he and his wife remodeled with the intention of retiring there. His wife has since moved out, and they have purchased a new retirement home in Greenfield.

“After the two attempted murders at the rental operations next door, and our neighbor who was stabbed and left to die on our front steps by two thugs who felt they had a right to own his bicycle, she just gave up,” Pugh said. “It was just too close. She didn’t work all her life to have to live in fear.”


Pugh talked about several contractors and residents who have been victims of theft. Later, as he steered his car down Pershing Street, where he has redeveloped and assisted others in redevelopment of several properties, he pointed to his “crown jewel.”

“A young family bought that a year ago and now they’re moving out. They’ve been broken into four times,” Pugh said. “They’ve just given up.”

Suggestions offered by city officials for dealing with the nuisance properties didn’t offer any overnight solutions. Beyond continuing to file police reports, working with their Police Area Representative officer, or taking the personal initiative to sue a nuisance property owner in civil court, one of the few other suggestions was that residents become more involved in their neighborhood associations. It was suggested they start a “Neighborhood Team”program.

“Neighborhood Teams can set priorities and then we all work together,” Rowe said.

Jack Pugh had little faith that forming a Neighborhood Team was the answer.

“It’s attacking the problem at the wrong end.” Pugh said. “If we had a Neighborhood Team in place reporting on the Windermere Apartments, would anything have been done differently at this point? Would it have helped to have had 120 calls this year instead of 100? The answer is no. It’s the policies that the Neighborhood Team has to work under that are the problem.”

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What is a Public Nuisance?


“Any place that is used for the commission of crimes, ordinance violations,or acts done, permitted, allowed or continued to the damage or injury of any of the inhabitants of the city after notice is given and the place continues to be used for the commission of crimes, ordinance violations, or acts done, permitted, allowed or continued to the damage or injury of any inhabitants of the city is a public nuisance.”

Source: Section 74-392.A, General Ordinance Number 5465 (Springfield’s nuisance ordinance)

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Approval of $50 Million Springfield Public School Initiative does not Guarantee Federal Stimulus Funds

Last night, I read with interest Brian Brown's article, "Pay longer, build now," regarding the $50 million bond initiative the Springfield Public School Board seeks the tax-payer to approve in the upcoming November election. The article can be found in the October 7, issue of the "Community Free Press (CFP)."

In the column, Brown wrote, "The $50 million bond issue will utilize $5 million to $7 million in federal stimulus money to fund a number of construction and air-conditioning projects in the district."

You see, what was unclear in Brown's article in CFP, was whether the federal stimulus money had been applied for and is guaranteed if the voters approve an extension of the previously, voter-approved tax levy.

Brown pointed out in the article that voter approval of the November bond initiative will extend the 2006 debt-service levy by four years, or until 2030. The debt-service levy, otherwise, is anticipated to be paid off in 2026.

Superintendent of Springfield R-12, Norm Ridder told Brown for the article in CFP, "The community has to pass the bond initiative for us to get the stimulus money." Ridder also indicated the board hadn't really planned to seek a bond initiative in 2009, "The board was not going to go for any kind of initiative this year, but then there was a stimulus package that came forward from the federal government."

Having just written an opinion piece at "JackeHammer," in response to Springfield School Board president Gerry Lee's recent "Voice of the Day" column in the "Springfield News-Leader," and having been the recipient of a response to that opinion piece, in the comment section of that entry, by Springfield Public Schools Community Relations Manager Teresa Bledsoe, I decided to call her with some questions.

I inquired as to whether the SPS Board, or its representative(s), had applied for federal stimulus money related to the bond initiative which will be on the ballot in November.

"We have to approve a bond issue before we can apply," Bledsoe said.

According to Bledsoe, there were $149 million in federal stimulus funds available in the Qualified School Construction Bond Program in 2009 and another $141 million will be available in 2010.

SPS does not qualify for application for those federal funds unless a bond initiative is passed within a certain time frame. Existing bond initiatives do not qualify Springfield to apply for the stimulus funds held in the Qualified School Construction Bond Program.

When asked if there was any guarantee that SPS would be awarded the $5 - $7 million Brown's article claims the bond issue will utilize, Bledsoe referred me to the confidence of the SPS Board's financial advisor George K. Baum.

"He feels fairly confident that we would receive at least $5 million," Bledsoe said.

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Repeat City Council Speakers not Going Away Anytime Soon

In fact, City Manager Greg Burris' recent remarks about regular speakers at City Council meetings, "probably just strengthens our cause," said Missouri Liberty Coalition member Carl Herd

I got wind that the Missouri Liberty Coalition (MoLiCo) would be meeting last Saturday, September 19, for a "planning meeting."

Considering I used to be the "Community Free Press" liaison with the local government watchdog group, and they haven't made it, as a group, into the news much lately, I thought it might be interesting to attend the meeting and see what they were talking about.

It has been nearly a half a year since three of the MoLiCo members ran for City Council seats. Nick Ibarra won his Zone 1 Council seat, the other two contenders, Tom Martz and Fred Ellison did not prevail against their opponents in the race.

Five members were in attendance at last Saturday's meeting, while a couple of other interested non-members contributed to the conversation.

The Missouri Liberty Coalition, as featured in the January 30, 2008 issue of "CFP," focuses on Springfield City government and City Council issues. For that reason, they regularly attend City Council meetings and address the City Council, often questioning actions the Council will take regarding legislation, for the most part, crafted in the City's legal department as a result of either an issue or interest of Springfield City staff or its City Council.

Listening in on their conversation, and even contributing my own thoughts at times (though I am not a member of the group) I learned they are content with maintaining a local city government focus, although, in the early days of their founding, they had considered scrutinizing the county and state governments as well.

Some members expressed concern about what, arguably, could be considered efforts by some people in the community, and even within the government, to minimize the opinions of the members of the group by seeming to suggest because they repeatedly address the Council, their voices are somehow less important than Springfield residents who do not regularly address the City Council.

"JackeHammer" would ask, who better to address the Council, who more credible, than a small group of interested and passionate Springfield residents, to raise questions about potential legislation facing our elected representatives, than a group who regularly and consistently reads and studies each City Council agenda and every item listed upon it?

In a recent interview in the "Springfield News-Leader," reporter Kary Booher asked Springfield City manager Greg Burris some pointed questions to commemorate his first year anniversary as Springfield's City manager. During the course of answering one of Booher's questions, Burris responded,

"When we go to a City Council meeting, there is a group that shows up -- it's a small group -- and speaks out critically against the city on anything. It doesn't matter what it is. But you don't see a civil discourse within the meeting. The meetings are civil, don't get me wrong. But you don't see other citizens getting engaged in the process. That's been a little disappointing. I'm hoping that changes over the next few years. Things have been so good for so long that I think many of us took it for granted that things would continue to go very well. But we're living in a different time right now. When the only people that bother to show up to City Council meetings and other meetings and speak out are the regulars -- and that's the only voice that the council gets to hear in a public setting -- that's a little disappointing."

There was little doubt in Carl Herd's mind that Burris was speaking of the members of the Missouri Liberty Coalition, who regularly attend Council meetings.

"I think that this just shows his inexperience as a City Manager in how he responded to Mr. Booher in his interview in the paper, and that when he looks back on it, he might have answered differently," Herd said. "But, as far as him trying to diminish the small group of people who attend City Council, and we pretty much know that that's the MoLiCo, for the most part, that probably just strengthens our cause."

MoLiCo member Tom Martz gave grace to Burris' right to have and share his opinions in the "News-Leader" but, wanted to be sure there was recognition that every member of the public has that same right to address their elected representatives. He felt that through Burris' comments he had learned more about Burris' thinking.

"Mr. Burris is entitled to his opinion, just like I am entitled to my opinion, and the individual membership of MoLiCo are entitled to their opinions as well, " Martz said. "To attend City Council meetings is my right as a citizen of Springfield, to question the actions of government is my duty as a citizen of Springfield, and we are a representative republic, therefore, my representation at City Council meetings, no matter how many I attend, should not be looked at as a means of disdain."

What are MoLiCo's plans for the future?

"We're still a very active group, maybe not huge in numbers but, a very passionate group that are still working on the real important issues, following City Council agendas, and responding to that, whether it be the pension shortfall or Springfield Mill and Lumber, or whatever issue comes up," Herd said.

Tom Martz, who due to his busy work schedule has not been able to attend City Council meetings as regularly as he has in the past, said when his seasonal work schedule begins to slow down he plans to start attending Council meetings more regularly again.

"Come about the middle of November, when my schedule slows down, then I will be back attending City Council meetings on a regular basis," Martz said. "I think it's irresponsible for people not to attend City Council meetings. Everything they do has an effect and an impact on what you do in your personal life."

One thing is certain, City manager Greg Burris will continue to have the ear and influence upon Springfield voters' elected representatives. He is a regular attendee of all meetings of the City Council, and it is his well paid job to continue to be a regular attendee. Burris' opinions will never be "diminished" because he repeatedly bends the ears of our elected representatives. Should your opinion be diminished because you regularly exercise your right to address your elected representative?

I'm just askin.'

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Recommended Reading 16: The Case of the Mounting Cases

If you haven't checked Brian Brown's blog, "Brown on a Blog," in a while, or you weren't aware the reporter for the "Community Free Press" has one, this entry would be a great place to start.

You'll thank me. :)

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Local Writers Continue to Inform Public about Community Improvement Districts

Mark "Stormy" Davis weighed in on the Community Improvement District (CID) issue in the "Springfield News-Leader" on Friday. Davis is a member of the News-Leader's Editorial board.

What you may not know is Davis also writes a local blog, "The Storm Watch," and this is not the first time he's written about CIDs (see: "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly About CID's !").

If you are interested in learning more about CIDs, I posted links, specifically related to the Commercial Street CID, written by the News-Leader's Kary Booher back in June and for further background, Brian Brown, a staff writer for the "Community Free Press" wrote "C-Street May Seek Improvements Tax," for the November 19, 2008 issue of that paper. Brown's article also provided some basic and comprehensive facts about CIDs.

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Bus Grid System would Benefit Bus Passengers more than Downtown "Stakeholders"

Opinion

A 2007 Public Transportation Programs for Seniors Final Report, prepared by The Beverly Foundation, in partnership with the American Public Transportation Association, states that according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA):

"Public transportation is 'transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public...' as defined by the federal government. It includes services by buses.... It also includes demand response services for seniors and persons with disabilities...."

I was pleased to see the article, "Move to bus grid said to be feasible" in the "Springfield News-Leader" today. According to the article:

"Last year, the OTO updated its regional Transit Development Plan. Among its recommendations:

"City Utilities Transit should consider a change in the basic route structure it currently uses within the City of Springfield. Because of the effective grid roadway network completed within the City, the transit system should take advantage of such a network and implement a grid based system. This would also relieve some of the pressure on the transfer facility as transfers could occur at key intersections within the grid.""

Also, according to the News-Leader article, local architect Dan Scott, " thinks he may have designed a more efficient public transit system than the one City Utilities currently uses," and Scott claims it can be done without increasing costs exponentially, "He believes his plan would need, at most, one more bus on the two north-south lines," the News-Leader reported.

If, as the headline reads, a move to a grid system is feasible, it makes more sense in terms of providing service to those who actually need and utilize public transportation for Springfield's public transit provider to move toward a grid system than to spend stimulus and other grant monies on a new downtown bus transfer facility.

I've been looking over CU's contracted final feasibility study, and although the study lists a handful of customer safety and convenience issues, for the most part the stated "need" seems to be more focused on aesthetics meant to benefit business owners, developers and other transportation operators in the downtown area than in providing streamlined services to better benefit public transportation patrons.

Indeed, the stakeholders interviewed by the August, 2008 study provider, TranSystems, in association with Esterly Schneider & Associates, Inc., were identified as: "...representatives of the Urban Districts Alliance, the City Manager's Office, the City's Economic Development Department, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and those operating other transportation services in downtown."

The study's "Assessment Summary and Conclusions," states:

"In short, the existing facility is functional and well located relative to key destinations. It is, however, cramped and does not reflect in a positive way on the transit system or its users. It is not an attractive element of downtown Springfield."

The safety and convenience issues, noted above, are identified as: bus and pedestrian conflicts; bus/automobile conflicts; the perception of personal security; impacts on adjacent roadways; convenience and; operational functionality.

The "Assessment Summary and Conclusions," described the safety categories ranked "fair," based upon the three level scale of "poor, fair and good."

City Utilities addressed the safety and convenience issues of its passengers in the report by proposing the addition of designated bus bays, "ample space for bicycle storage in the form of bicycle racks," and providing "space for landscaping and open space to create a pleasing area for pedestrians and waiting transit passengers."

Section 1.2 of the feasibility report states:

"A tremendous opportunity exists for transit and the downtown area of Springfield. The community is in a position to leverage funding from the Federal Transit Administration to create a modern downtown transit center and in turn contribute to the continuing redevelopment of downtown by addressing the parking shortage."

I would prefer to see more emphasis placed on accessibility and timeliness issues for bus passengers than aesthetic beauty of the downtown area, personally.

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Related: Bus Transfer Facility Feasibility Report, source: "Community Free Press"

CU seeks extension of grant as site search goes on News-Leader.com Springfield News-Leader

Bus system ridership statistics graph, source: "Springfield News-Leader"

Springfield bus system subsidy graph, source: "Springfield News-Leader"

Grid-style bus plan aims for more efficient routes, source: "Springfield News-Leader"



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On Accurate Reporting

and correction policies, what to expect, and where should your trust lie?

A commentary

I had a discussion with an irritated friend the other day. He was upset about a news report he happened to hear on the radio. This friend felt the news report was a bit misleading and misrepresented. We talked about what a person should do when something like that happens.

Beyond notifying the particular source of incorrect information, I'm not sure there is much the average citizen (or below or above average citizen?) can do to correct mistakes made in the media or at a Web log, for that matter.

Being in the somewhat unique position of having been an outsider looking in, then an insider looking out, to return to being an outsider, oftentimes, looking in, again, I think I have some things that might add to such a discussion. Also, you should recognize, I have no masters degree in journalism, experience, perhaps, but, no educational credentials.

One issue my friend had was that when incorrect information or misleading insinuations are made within a report, people form opinion, potentially, based on incorrect foundations. It is a problem, and if you are like me, you don't subscribe to the "Springfield News-Leader," (and I use them as an example, you could apply this to any news source) then you rely on a link, mostly obscure, which sits under the heading of, simply, "Correction." There is no indication to what issue or error the correction applies, no eye grabbing, intrigue inspiring enticement to cause your curiosity to be aroused to see what the correction of the day happens to be.

Newspaper articles have catchy titles, and are supposed to have catchy leeds, crafted to draw the reader in and hold their attention to the end of the article. Not so with generic "correction" links.

Oftentimes, if one clicks on a correction link at the News-Leader (again, just my example for the purposes of this entry) one will find some trivial mistake has been corrected, such as a misspelled name or the wrong name being placed as a caption under a picture. Nothing exciting and nothing that would inspire one to think it was particularly important to follow corrections at the paper every day. I'm not sure what, if anything, needs to be or, could be done about that.

In Saturday's News-Leader you'll find these corrections, listed under that generic "Correction" link:

"The $68,100 cut by City Council from the budget for the Springfield Human Rights Commission is from the city's general fund. It was incorrectly identified as grant money in a Friday story.

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To clarify a Friday story on Shelly Lea Compton: She was charged with possession of a controlled substance."

You'll also find this statement:

"The News-Leader strives for accuracy and fairness. To request a correction, call Robyn Bates at 836-1112."

I don't question whether the News-Leader strives for accuracy and fairness. I'm sure they do, as an organizational policy. [I believe the N-L correction above, about the Mayor's Commission on Human Rights budget being cut by $68,100, needs corrected too. I think that is the total budget and the cut Council is discussing is $67,100] And, I haven't noticed, of late, any particular, notable tendency toward bias in any of their reporting but, as is the case with all news organizations, they depend on individual reporters to get the facts correct and report them fairly for them. And therein lies the proverbial rub. Individual integrity comes into play.

Journalists are not infallible any more than bloggers, though I like to think those who consider themselves professional journalists work a little harder at fact gathering and in the consideration of all sides of an issue than bloggers, as a general rule, unless, of course, they are blogging as a part of their duty for a news organization.

Getting paid to do something and being affiliated or associated with a particular news organization does bring with it an accompanying burden of responsibility, at least it did for me because, at the time I was writing for CFP, I realized my reporting didn't simply have an affect on my own credibility but, also on the paper for which I reported. I think, since I am no longer paid or affiliated through association with the "Community Free Press" that I might be more inclined to slack off a bit. That is a tendency I try to keep in check.

But, there's a second point I felt I wanted to share today.

Yesterday, (Friday) CFP staff reporter Brian Brown left a comment on one of my blog entries. He commented that he thought a certain reporter for the News-Leader "has done a really good job on his CU stories this week," and don't get me wrong, the reporter probably has done "a really good job on his CU stories this week" but, I don't know, for sure, if he has or not, and you don't either unless you have attended all of the meetings pertaining to that issue, and have been privy to conversations held between that reporter and the people he has interviewed and quoted.

Now, it should be noted CFP's Brian Brown knows more about the issue than I do because he has interviewed those involved in the CU/eminent domain issue. Therefore, when Brown compliments the News-Leader reporter's work, it has more credence than if I did, since I've interviewed no one on the issue, personally, though I've kept up on the media reports on the issue.

In the past, I have discovered a little error here, and a little error there, sometimes a more substantial error here, and more substantial error there, in some of the reports I've read in the News-Leader about various issues. The same is true of some of the reports I have seen at local television news stations. But, let's face it, if I had not been present, personally present, at some of the meetings that were being reported upon, I would never have known the reporting was not factually correct in some areas or, that it did not seem to adequately and appropriately reflect both sides of an issue. So, I assume that News-Leader reporter has probably done a good job reporting on the CU/eminent domain issue. For the record, I was in attendance when the Council discussed the issue of CU's potential taking of Becky Spence's land through eminent domain, and at the meeting Spence called at the library on South Campbell, however, I have not spoken to anyone at City Utilities on the matter.

So, I wrote all the above to, really, just to offer these thoughts, in summary:

There are no infallible reporters or journalists, and unless you have attended the meetings which they are reporting upon yourself, you really can't know whether good, accurate, fair reports are being issued. You can "think" they are reporting well on an issue but, you can't really know unless you know the issue for yourself.

I don't think it wise to trust and have faith that journalists and reporters are fairly and accurately bringing you their reports without really knowing whether these fallible journalists and reporters deserve that trust and faith, in other words, individual journalists and reporters are in a position of needing to build that trust.

What's the answer? If you really want to know the facts you need to attend all the meetings surrounding any issue which you believe is important. It is not an easily complied with answer. We all want to have trust and faith in journalists and reporters because it is much easier to do than to take responsibility and find out the facts for ourselves. They get paid to do that, we don't.

Because journalists and reporters are paid to issue reports, and it's their job to attend those meetings, they have the time to attend them, we don't always have the time to attend all the meetings surrounding an issue which we believe is important.

So, what's the other choice? Caution. Simply recognize that journalists and reporters are not infallible and they will sometimes fail you. Recognize that unless you've been to every meeting, you're working from a vantage point of ignorance until you find out the answers for yourself.

This isn't meant to suggest you can't form opinions based on the reporting of journalists or bloggers, sure you can but, recognize you are forming opinions based on second hand information, and in the case of bloggers, sometimes you are even forming your opinions based on the opinions of those who might, also, have formed them based on the same second hand information that you have accessed. Recognize, too, you might get just as valuable information from a non-journalist, who attended the meetings you did not attend, as you do from that paid and credentialed journalist, however, the non-journalist might not be quite so articulate in the telling as a trained reporter. On the other hand, sometimes the non-journalist might be more articulate than a trained reporter...I know some people that qualify in that category, as well.

Never forget, we live in the "Show Me State," not the "Tell Me State," or the "Write Me State."

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Springfield-Greene County Parks Department Receives Glowing Review

I enjoyed reading this article, "Parks hits a budgetary winner," in the News-Leader today.

I wrote an article for the "Community Free Press" about the decision process of budget cuts within the park system last year. I was proud of that article and spent a great deal of time on it, including over 2 hours of meeting time with Parks Director Jodie Adams. The article also offered document boxes with the services that were available within the system of parks for the remainder of last summer, as a public service. It would have come out in the issue that followed the article I wrote on the City versus Springfield Skatepark Association, if it had been published.

I agree the Parks Department has taken some unwarranted hits about some of their cuts in the past. I don't know how they can communicate what they do in their budget, what can be used to fund pools and parks which originated prior to sales tax revenues being approved for new parks and pools. Somehow, no matter how many times it is reported, a lot of people still do not understand it.

Of all of the articles I ever submitted to the Community Free Press, the parks article was the only one that CFP refused, or failed, to publish. Though I repeatedly asked why an article I had invested so much energy in was not published, I was never given any answer other than a promise to get back to me on what I could do to make it work for the paper.

Later, I asked Adams if she would mind if I posted it at JackeHammer. She wanted to read and approve it before I posted it. I didn't feel it was appropriate to seek her approval of the piece before posting it, something I would not do before publishing an article in a news paper, why should I do it at my blog? So, it languishes today in the file cabinet. I regret it because, I really felt it gave insight into what the parks department went through during their budget cuts last year, relayed the facts about many issues within that department the public questioned, and showed Ms. Adams in a more personal light, as she struggled with decisions she did not wish to have to make in a way that she felt would be fair to all the citizens of Springfield.

That one, I guess, is the one that got away.

The reason I sought her permission to post it here, in the first place, is because she granted her interview to a contributor for CFP, not to a local blogger. I didn't feel it was appropriate, under the circumstances, to post it here, without her permission, for that reason.

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Becky Spence Speaks!!!

Brian Brown, reporter for the "Community Free Press," landed an interview with Becky Spence. Spence had spoken earlier with Vincent David Jericho of "KSGF" radio station fame but, had deigned to make any comment to the "Springfield News-Leader" regarding her negotiations with City Utilities on property she owns, and which the utility company would like to purchase.

The CU board voted last month to approve the use of eminent domain to acquire Spence's property, "should negotiations on the sale of the site breakdown," Brown wrote.

Kudos to Brown for getting the story! The new issue is available for pdf download and reading online, just click on the cover shot of the paper here, or you can pick up a copy of the paper at all the usual haunts today.

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The New Council: A Chemistry of Respect

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes....

Okay, I could tell you the cold, hard, factual details about the City Council luncheon today, I've got it on tape and I have most of the handouts that were available but, I'd like to touch on something a little different. Besides, I might follow up on Wes' report after it comes out in tomorrow's News-Leader.

I'd rather look at the attitude and chemistry of the new Council tonight. I like it.

I see a true consideration and respect for other members on the part of our new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. Almost a deference to them that can only be described as a humbleness of spirit on the part of the Mayor and his new Pro Tem. It's a refreshing change.

Twice today, I witnessed the Pro Tem defer to Councilman Doug Burlison, who offered some good suggestions, and I think Mr. Burlison has, sometimes, felt a bit shut out in the past.

This is not to say that our past Mayor, Tom Carlson, did not allow other Councilmembers to speak, he did, but, while that is true, there never seemed to be the level of respect we are witnessing on the part of the new Mayor.

I don't really think I am the only one who got a sense there was a certain feeling of entitlement on the part of the old Council. Often, they seemed to decide how they wanted to act, with little regard to the sentiment of the public. I also don't think I am the only person within this city that sensed a certain arrogance on the part of some of the past members. Sure, they were all, personally, likeable people but, they didn't seem to be very approachable to the general public.

Another attitude I like is the respectful but firm manner in which our new Mayor deals with the City Manager. I know it is pretty early to pass any judgement on the way the new Council works but, Mayor O'Neal has already set a precedent of establishing his and the Council's unquestionable authority over Springfield's fledgling City Manager. The effect seems to be a more genuine deference to the wishes of the Council on the part of the manager. He seems a bit more tentative in recommending certain actions and time lines than he has in the past, and I believe, he may be starting to take his place, under the authority of the City Council, a bit more seriously than in his first days as manager.

All this is good news to me, in part, because I am going to be letting go of covering the City Council more and more as time goes by. I'm going through my own changes. The last 4 months has been a transitional time for me. [Really the last year, considering I lost my little dog and my sweet Mother in late December, 2007 and early April, 2008.]

I really enjoyed the work I was doing for the Community Free Press but, it became more and more clear to me that they really needed to use staff personnel for the increasing work load they were requesting of me, if, as it became apparent was the case, they were not willing to pay me appropriately for the work I was taking very seriously and spending more and more time upon. It was good business for them but, not good common sense for me.

Here's the confession: I loved what I was doing, so much so, in fact, I've been doing it for free as I have been slowly and quietly weaning myself from continuing in the same manner as I have been able to perform in the past. You see, I'm not a rich person who can afford to keep sacrificing my time in the endeavor, regardless of how much I enjoy(ed) it and regardless of how much I enjoy(ed) offering information as a community service to those who were and continue to be interested in city business.

Anyway, no promises. I'll write about the city if and when I have time or, if and when I feel like it. There's a big, broad, beautiful world out there and I have interests in other areas too. Life is good.

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News, Niches and the Nine Percent

Or, Springfield Citizen Survey Says

In a "Springfield News-Leader" article, "Sign project to cost $600,000," Wes Johnson answered questions regarding the Wayfinding Signs Project, which five members of the City Council approved through resolution at Monday night's meeting. A companion "Our Voice" column pretty well drove home any editorial comments I might have on the subject but, you know me, I'm not one to let that stop me from commenting. ;)

Johnson's article provided the sort of "meat" voters need to go with their "potatoes" when making decisions about how to vote on tax measures.

The current, 2008-2013 CIP plan, similar to the previous CIP plan which contained the Wayfinding Signs Project, has 134 pages. I don't know how many pages were in the CIP plan that contained that project but, one could wonder, considering only 17 percent of voters turned out on February 3, after intensive community discussion and promotion of the 1-cent police and fire pension sales tax, how many voters read and understood the previous CIP plan prior to voting in support of the 1/4-cent sales tax which included the Wayfinding Signs Program?

What other $600,000 "surprises" are in store for citizens of Springfield who have, or made, no time to read 100+ pages in the plan? And, I wrote "surprises," in quotation marks because it's doubtful many voters are educated about the projects within any given CIP they have voted to fund with a sales tax in the past. We could even wonder how many of our representative City Council members are educated about the projects within any given CIP, remember, Councilman Chiles didn't even know what "wayfinding" was, even though he had been presented, or had the documentation available to him, at least, by the Thursday preceding that City Council meeting.

The difficulty comes in, for citizen voters and their representatives, when these sort of lengthy plans are developed by City staff (based on public input, mind you) and presented to the City Council with a limited amount of time for discussion. The projects included within the plan are a package deal. The Council approves the whole package, and in the amount of time they are allotted to make a decision regarding such plans, it is doubtful they have adequate time to seriously consider each individual project within it. Is it appropriate to be bound by a plan which spans 6 years while the voters who supported it are cutting back due to economic hard times?

The city must project what they believe their sales tax revenue will be from year to year and clearly, they don't have a magic 8-ball which gives them an infallible forecast. Sales tax revenue was projected to be an increased 3 percent for 2008, it has fallen short, in fact, it has decreased rather than increased. So, how can we, as citizens of Springfield, support plans which cannot consider what economic times we may be living in from month to month, let alone year to year?

The Bible says, "You have not because you ask not," our City government seems to have that asking part down pat. Though giving the usual lip service to finding cost efficient or cost free ways to receive public input about why the pension sales tax failed on February 3, there is little doubt a new sales tax measure will be placed on the ballot in an upcoming election.

Councilman Burlison, for some unknown reason, felt he needed to share with the public how he planned to make a motion that a new pension sales tax initiative be placed on the ballot as soon as possible. I'm sort of scratching my head about why he felt the need to share that sentiment publicly. He didn't make the motion so, why tell people, "I was going to make a motion but, now I'm not?" Further, before the vote on February 3, the Council was saying it was up to the voters, the voters should decide. Well, the voters decided but, it would appear that, until the voters decide the right way or the way the City and Council would like them to decide, their decision simply does not count. Now, clearly, and to be fair to Mr. Burlison, that is not to say that some sort of solution to the pension problem must be reached and most people realize that some sort of sales tax will likely, be a part of the mix.

My thoughts are: If the City didn't ask for so many taxes, like the CIP sales tax, the Park's sales tax, and the Transportation sales tax, in most cases for non-core services or lesser priority projects, to later offer $600,000 "surprises," the public might have passed a legitimate and necessary tax like the pension sales tax.

But, all that said, isn't it public apathy that is the problem, in most cases?

I understand, and am even sympathetic, that it isn't just simply a case of apathy, it is often a case of time constraint. How many Joes and Josephines have time to take on the daunting task of reading a 100+ page document to become educated on whether they should or should not support a Capital Improvement Plan sales tax? Should they be required to have to take on such a daunting task in the first place? I recognize they voted on City Council representatives in the hopes that those representatives would take care of such issues for them. After all, isn't that why we have an elected City Council? To represent us in such matters? Aren't they the ones who get paid for that? Well, no, or hell no, depending on your perspective. Much can be said for the public sentiment that the Council volunteered and they knew what they were volunteering for and they shouldn't have volunteered if they weren't up to the task of representing us but, I still think "you get what you pay for."

Neither do I think the media should take the entire blame for not exhaustively educating the public about every detail involved in such a plan. Some people wouldn't read the "cliff notes" version if they were in solitary confinement with nothing but the CIP in the room. The burden of oversight just isn't important enough to them to "waste" the brain cells needed to embrace the information. But, let's say they do spend their time educating themselves about the plan, 1). They might have to quit their day job to make the time. 2). If there are projects which don't meet their approval, their work has just started, now, they have to 3). Take action on what they know by starting to make noise about it. What's the answer? A charter rule against 100+ page governmental documents? A charter rule against 6 year plans?

HOW DO YOU MAKE PEOPLE CARE? Now, there's an age old question. You have the documents available for your perusal. You have the media doing the best they can to give you information about the plan(s) or the tax(es), or the pending legislation, whatever the case may be. You have open Council meetings (According to the 2008 Citizen Survey, 9 percent of you attended them in 2008) and you have a Public Information Office at your disposal, if you care to call with questions. You have City Web sites, City blogs, City Council representatives.

I don't mean to sound cynical but here's the deal, you have an important City Council election coming up in April. For whom will you vote? Will you take the time to even find out about the candidates or, will you sit down in a voting booth (if you bother to even go to the polls) and mark the name you think you might recognize?

Maybe I'm too harsh, maybe I'm too cynical, I don't know but, we'd all like to blame someone else. Joe and Josephine blame the new City Manager, "He has no experience." Pete and Peg blame the City Council, the City Council hired and are charged with the oversight of the City Manager, the City Clerk and the Internal Auditor, that much is true but, NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM arrived in their City Council or Mayoral positions in a vacuum. They were voted there, oftentimes with low voter turnout and sometimes by people who said to themselves, "I think I might recognize that name," or "I got a glossy brochure from this candidate," and we all know glossy brochures make for a credible candidate or an astute Council representative, right?

Bob Mace, veteran columnist for the Community Free Press (CFP), put it this way in the new issue of CFP:

"It truly is past time to realize that it’s less a question of who serves on council than it is putting our collective will to addressing the issue of reorganization of Springfield government. Council has an impossible task when approaching funding priorities because the airport, parks and libraries have their own taxing authority and volunteer boards setting individual priorities.

We should be able to postpone park projects in order to deal with high priorities of the pension shortfalls and a hiring freeze for police and firefighters. Our approval of earmarked taxes and allowing municipal departments to have autonomy from the general fund budget leave council with hands tied."

I'd have to agree with Mace, voting away money to fund lesser priority services for a period of years during times of feast has it's downfall when the famine hits. In the end, however, the voter is the one who decides (and sometimes decides and decides and decides until the City likes and agrees with their decision) but, until a greater number of voters and potential voters in the City of Springfield take more of an interest in how the City is spending their hard earned dollars, it is doubtful it will change.

The Community Free Press has an new Managing Editor. He's trying to find his niche. I wish him luck. Council members would like to hear from the public too but, based on the fact that only 9 percent of respondents to the recent 2008 Citizen Survey had even attended a City Council meeting in that year, I'd say he may have a hard "row to hoe" in getting that elusive public input regarding what they'd like to read about. My natural inclination at the moment would be to suggest more frivolous topics which take little thought and bear little consequence to future generations, that way, you could appeal to 91 percent of the population rather than 9 percent. Then again, on the other hand, the media has a responsibility to report on City, State and Federal government issues whether the public bothers to read it or simply uses it to line their bird cages and mulch their gardens.

The times are hard but, I'm hopeful. Some people are waking up and asking, "How did we get here???" If you are one of those people, welcome to the 9 percent.

Will Jackie Vote Yes or No on the Police and Fire Pension Sales Tax?

How I'll vote and why

Each of us have many choices to make tomorrow but none of the choices is more important than the police and fire pension sales tax.

I suspect I have grappled with the issue for longer than most people since, I began watching the issue and following it for the Community Free Press (CFP) long before most of the community began trying to sort out the details and make an educated decision. That's not a brag, chances are, if I hadn't been covering the issue for CFP, I wouldn't have gone to extreme efforts to fully understand the issue either.

In the beginning, after watching Assistant Fire Chief and Pension Board trustee David Hall make his presentation regarding the status of the police and fire pension system at a City Council luncheon, before City Manager Greg Burris was even City Manager Greg Burris, I leaned toward supporting the sales tax but, later, I wavered and I'll tell you why.

I believe the "worst case budget scenario" presentation Mr. Burris made, at a later City Council luncheon, did more harm than good in trying to garner support for the sales tax. Further, some of the information and tactics on the part of the City to pass the sales tax were very distasteful and some, through omission of some facts, or selective sharing of information, struck me as not quite honest.

As an Independent conservative, many of the items on Burris' list of cuts he claimed will be required to make up the shortfall they need to raise to pay the full actuarial recommended contribution in fiscal 2009-10, were very appealing and I, and, I suspect, many others, began to think maybe, by not passing the 1-cent sales tax, some needed fiscal budgeting changes will come to the City, maybe they will begin to reset their priorities and begin to let some of their wants go by the wayside and address what we all, in our heart of hearts, know are the true core City services.

Core services, in most people's opinions, are not parks and parking garages, redeveloped, dilapidated department stores and, truly, are not even swimming pools being open 6 days a week in the dead of August, or fireworks displays in July.

Core services are the services we need and require to be safe in our neighborhoods and to run our businesses, and lives, free from overly stringent government interference. Core services are, primarily: SAFETY; clean water; sanitary sewers; utility service; clean air to breathe; and the ability, through infrastructure maintenance and unencumbered roadways, for movement of the people. Those are services the City should provide (now, how they are provided, that, is debatable) and they should be providing them without the help and assistance of non-profit groups, in my opinion. The City has, in the past, commended some non-profits for doing work in core City service areas so that the City is not forced to expend as much money as they would otherwise to provide them but, if the City was not spending so much of its money on non-core City services would the City even need that help and assistance?

The new City Manager and City Council have spent a little time in exercises intended to determine, "what are core city services?" Well, I believe we all know what they are, these exercises are futile and instead of simply identifying core City services they are identifying core City services with an attached wish list of everything that each member of the Council, personally, feels is important.

There are many important services the City provides which are not "core," services, they are services a City might provide when times are good and a pension fund is flush, unfortunately, our City continued to provide non-core services during times when the pension fund was not flush and times were not good. In fact, they withheld $10 million from the pension fund over four years during a time when they were purchasing the Heers building unnecessarily. Mr. Prost merely needed their approval to extend a loan with Great Southern and held two different loan approval letters in his hand the night the City Council swept him and other well respected Springfield business leaders aside to, instead, cut Prost out and take over the responsibility of the Heers building, accompanied by interest payments, until it could be sold to another owner who now, just like Prost, is unable to uphold an agreed upon timeline of redevelopment. I could say more, as an Independent conservative, about the City's ill use of taxpayer dollars but, that is only part of the point I am trying to make.

It is very tempting, indeed, to vote no for the sales tax and try to force the City to cut out their ongoing redevelopment plans and change their introverted, "I-want, vision-20/20" from looking in a continued, ill-conceived direction.

Then, I read the News-Leader's, by now, infamous "Our Voice" column announcing their position against the sales-tax, which, by the way, I felt was an overall, reasonable position.

Then, I read Cindy Rushefsky's foot stomping letter, which didn't sway me.(Unfortunately, though I searched extensively, I could not find a link to the Rushefsky letter which was published in the News-Leader after the News-Leader's "Our Voice" column was published).

...And, then I read the statement emailed to me by Councilman Doug Burlison and my potential no vote, again swayed, ever so softly, back toward yes. Here is the reason why:

Burlison wrote, in part:

"The resolution that we recently passed has added other protections that secures the interests of the taxpayer, and the pension fund recipient. The current management, and a majority of the upcoming City Council will not have had a hand in getting us to this point, yet will need the tools to fix this problem.

The question is, "Do we take care of this now?" I think at the rate of at least $39,000 per day of interest income lost, the answer is a resounding, "Yes!" I have no personal love of taxes, and have worked to avoid increasing them. Higher taxes are not good for any public economy, but then again, neither is bankruptcy. If we do pass this measure, we need to work to shorten it's duration as much as possible; but before anything else, we need to insure that the shortfall in the pension fund gets taken care of, completely.

My main motivation behind my support of the 1 cent proposal is to avoid passing this problem on to others so they will have to take care of it in the future. Instead of handing down a list of bad choices to subsequent councils, and instead of sticking my head in the sand and letting my children's generation deal with this, I will take a stand that is politically unpopular with several in our community, and vote in support of the sales tax. The honest truth is that this proposal is the cheapest way to shore up this pension plan, and any delays will greatly increase the mountain of liability that we will have to overcome."

Bottom line, my thinking is this:

If the tax is passed, the City will be able to afford the genuine core City services they need and are obligated to provide to the citizens of Springfield, and the fact of the matter is, Mr. Burris and the Finance Department of the City of Springfield may recommend how money is spent in the next fiscal budget but it is our elected, representative City Council who will approve the budget. So, what do we know about our representative Council who will determine what are core City services and where money should be budgeted in the next fiscal year? We know who five of those Council members will be: Doug Burlison, Dan Chiles, Cynthia Rushefsky, Ralph Manley and Scott Bailes.

We have some opportunities to effect change in April among the City Council, we will determine tomorrow who will survive by a primary City Council election. Whether the pension sales tax passes or not will determine where their work will lie. I'd like to give our new City Council an opportunity to focus on providing funding for legitimate core City services in the next fiscal budget, we all really KNOW what those core City services are, we need the City of Springfield, led by the new, elected, representative City Council to recognize what are true core City services and what are services on a want and wish list, and we need them to act responsibly in, what are shaping up to be, some tough economic times, not just for our City but nationally. We need to hold this future Council, of our choosing, responsible for, as Councilman Burlison wrote, "work(ing) to shorten it's (the sales tax's) duration as much as possible."

I'd like to see the new Council have a little elbow room in which to make these decisions. While I am sympathetic with some who would like to force the City to pay the consequences for past actions in how they have dealt with the police and fire pension fund, forcing a City Manager and a City Council who were not in office during the creation of this crisis, out of what appears to be spite, to deal with the sins of past management and Councils, doesn't seem the most wise or forward thinking response.

I'd like to give a new Council and City Manager the opportunity to get our City back on the right track without punishing them for a crisis in which they played no role, and that is why I, personally, plan to vote in support of the pension sales tax tomorrow. This is also why it is very important that citizens place the right candidates on the City Council in April. Choose carefully tomorrow. Choose carefully in April. Find out as much as you can about the candidates, they will be your representatives, and, whether they are paid or not, they are accountable to you.

If we vote well and communicate well with the incoming Council, perhaps they will represent us well as they enter into budget discussions and determine where they can cut expenditures for the future. We will be voting them in and, inevitably, whatever comes of their service is the voters' responsibility. In other words, lack of attention on the part of the public in the past is where the buck stops. Whatever action or inaction was taken in the past on the part of your elected, representative City Council is your responsibility.

I'm not telling anyone else how to vote but, I felt it was a fair and reasonable thing to do to inform you of how, after all the study, research and open minded consideration I have spent on the issue of the police and fire pension sales tax, I came to the conclusion, in my own mind, that it is best to vote in favor of getting the issue of a sales tax behind us and move forward toward holding our new, come April, City Council accountable to represent all of us in regards to the provision of core services. We elect them and we are responsible, in the end, for the decisions we allow them to make on our behalf. For now, I believe it is in the best interest of our City to support the sales tax and then, do everything we can to keep ourselves educated and involved in the future actions of our representative Council.

City would need State Authorization Before Seeking a 2-cent Pension Sales Tax in Two Years

A couple of days ago, "KSPR News" aired a live interview with City Manager Greg Burris about the police/fire pension sales tax issue. In that interview, Burris told "KSPR's" Michelle Sherwood:

"This is a really bad time to try and pass a sales tax. The problem is, the longer we wait on this, the more difficult it becomes to really solve this issue because, it gets worse with time and so, if we wait, and the longer we wait, this becomes so big that a 1-cent sales tax won't resolve the issue and so, at that point, then what do you do? What are the odds of passing a 2-cent sales tax a couple of years from now? Probably not very good."

It troubled me to hear this response. In part, because according to the 2008 Citizen Survey, 88 percent of the respondents to that survey replied they use local T.V. news to get information about the Springfield City government. This places a great responsibility on the shoulders of our local T.V. news channels, which do not really broadcast in-depth coverage of important issues.

In the Citizen Survey, the daily newspaper followed in second place with 68 percent of respondents claiming to use the daily newspaper to get their information about the Springfield City government, a 20 percent lower number than those who use local T.V. news. Internet sites, other than the City's own sites, were not surveyed. Meaning, blogs were not considered. Also not considered in the survey, was Springfield's community newspaper, the Community Free Press, since it is not a "daily" newspaper. Radio, however, was included in the survey. Radio was in the number three spot at 63 percent, rating only 5 percent less use than the daily newspaper.

Here's the impression people, 88 percent (if we believe the Citizen Survey was an accurate sample of the whole of Springfield's citizenry) might have been left with after listening to Mr. Burris' interview with Michelle Sherwood of "KSPR." If you don't pass a 1-cent pension sales tax in February, the City may be asking you for a 2-cent pension sales tax in a couple of years.

Does the City have the authority to seek approval from the City Council to place a 2-cent pension sales tax initiative on the ballot in two years? No. Not under current State guidelines detailing what actions a municipality may take to address a pension plan with a funded ratio less than 60 percent.

Some time ago, I sought and received a link* to an amendment to Senate Bill No. 406, Page 2, Section 87.006, which inserted specifications regarding what actions municipalities may take in order to address pension funding problems. This information was received from a State Representative who was active in the passage of the amendment so, I am trusting it is the most current State legislation on the topic. I am confident in my source but, if readers have questions about its accuracy, feel free to contact the City's law department for verification. The City of Springfield and any other municipality in Missouri has clear guidelines from the State of Missouri about what they are and are not authorized to do in order to find solutions to underfunding problems within pensions and health care plans of employees in the public safety sector.

Key information from that amendment a voter might want to consider before worrying too much about Mr. Burris' statement implying if you do not pass a 1-cent sales tax in February you might be asked for double that in a couple of years:

"94.579.1. The governing body of any home rule city with more than one hundred fifty-one thousand five hundred but fewer than one hundred fifty-one thousand six hundred inhabitants is hereby authorized to impose, by order or ordinance, a sales tax on all retail sales made within the city which are subject to sales tax under chapter 144, RSMo. The tax authorized in this section shall not exceed one percent,** and shall be imposed solely for the purpose of providing revenues for the operation of public safety departments, including police and fire departments, and for pension programs, and health care for employees and pensioners of the public safety departments....The order or ordinance shall not become effective unless the governing body of the city submits to the voters residing within the city at a state general, primary, or special election a proposal to authorize the governing body of the city to impose a tax under this section."

So, under current law, the City may not ask for more than one percent (1-cent) in their request for a sales tax to fund the police/fire pension plan.

It is conceivable the City could lobby the State of Missouri to ask the sales tax percentage limit be expanded and it is possible that the City's lobbyist(s) might be successful but, under Missouri State law, at the moment, the City may not ask for a 2-cent sales tax to fund the police/fire pension plan. I wonder if I am the only one who finds it troublesome that the City Manager would imply an option the City is not currently authorized to take action upon? I wonder if Mr. Burris is aware of what the State has authorized the City to do and if he intentionally or unintentionally implied the City is authorized to ask for a higher sales tax percentage than what the State authorized for a ballot initiative?

Today, and every day this week, the Springfield News-Leader has been allowing an open platform for the City of Springfield to answer reader questions about the pension sales tax. This, too, troubles me.

I'm not the average citizen because I have a blog and have been blessed to write a column for the Community Free Press for over a year but, I'm thinking if I was an average citizen who didn't have any method to disseminate information to the public or, the same level of authorization to approach City management with questions, and I had issued a question to the daily newspaper of note, I would be looking for an unbiased answer to my question from that daily newspaper of note. If I wanted the answer from the City, no further questions asked, I could contact the public information office myself, why ask the newspaper? If readers simply want the City's response, they can contact the Public Information Office of the City themselves. I think readers want more than that, but, that's just my opinion.

Further, if citizens want a broad understanding of this issue or any other issue within the city government, I think it behooves them to avail themselves of local T.V. news, the daily newspaper of note, the radio, Springfield's community newspaper (CFP), blogs, the city's Web-sites and City officials. Local television is not and has never been known for providing in-depth coverage in 2 minute live interviews. They serve a fine purpose but, depending on them to give you understanding of an issue as complex as the police/fire pension plan or the actions the City is trying to take to remedy the underfunding within it, might not be your best bet. By citizens taking the initiative to inform themselves through a wide array of venues, they will be better prepared to make a truly informed decision on issues which will effect their every day lives.

*To read the entire amendment, click the link and scroll to page 15 of the 44 page pdf file.

** Emphasis mine.

Community Free Press Available

After a Holiday Break

You can read the new issue of the Community Free Press online. At this time, I have been unable to access the supplements to the print edition but, I'm sure they'll be online soon.

Featured in this issue is information about the Mayor and City Council candidates. I asked them about their thoughts on the pension sales tax and pension plan and Brian Brown took a look at General Seat A and General Seat B candidates, with the promise to focus on the Zone 1 and Mayor candidates in the January 28 issue. Hopefully, our efforts will give people useful information as they decide who they will support in the primary election on February 3.

Brian Brown also took another look at Park Central Square, its history of change and what is happening today with the renovation of the perimeter of the square. That article can be found on page 1, under the heading, "Change is Part of Square’s Rich History."

In a guest column, City Council General Seat A candidate Robert Stephens, explored his "Concerns About CFP’s Fairness and Policies." I have only one comment regarding Mr. Stephen's concerns: The fact that Mr. Stephen's guest column was published speaks volumes to me but, you can read about his concerns for yourself on page 5 and make your own determination as to whether he has legitimate cause for concern.

Mr. Mace must have found it to be a slow news cycle and that's all I'll say about that. ;)

On page 7, you'll find the first quarter calendars for City Council meetings and City Council luncheon meetings along with Council notes on the recent release of the 2008 Springfield Citizen Survey. There is also information about the worst case budget scenario City Manager Greg Burris shared at a recent Council lunch meeting. Councilman Denny Whayne shared some of his concerns with CFP regarding the hold on police and fire academies and Burris' idea to remove PAR and COP officers from neighborhoods and install them "on the street," instead.

Other headlines include: "Rock Star to Rabbi," page 9; "A Healthier Approach to Pizza," page 11; "Don’t Give Your Money to the Gold Bugs," page 12; "Students Are Taking Over the Air Waves," page 13 and; MERT SEATON has a, "A ‘Pukin’ Good Time" on page 17.

There's a lot more, check it out at the Web site and pick up a copy at one of the many carriers of the paper!

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Danged if They Do

City Council will consider future budget cuts today

Lack of communication played a role in the police and fire pension fund getting to the deficit amount it faces today. Some would have liked to have seen more foresight on the part of Springfield's City Council and City management.

Assistant Fire Chief David Hall indicated he began discussing troubles with the pension system's funded ratio in 2003 with, then city manager Tom Finnie. Hall said the board was assured by Mr. Finnie that it would be handled. Hind sight being 20/20, we know it wasn't handled at all.

Another factor, no City Council pension board representative, whether voting or non voting, sat on the pension board during the time frame when this pension "rain shower" became a severe thunderstorm. You can refresh your memory on the communication breakdown by reading the archived issue at the Community Free Press from September 10. Specifically, the story titled, "Pensions Remain Top Council Priority," on page 1.

Today, some are warning "dooms day scenarios" will play out at the City Council luncheon regarding ramifications on future budget discussions if the 1 cent pension sales tax does not pass in February.

So, Council is sort of danged if they do but, what if they don't?

Do we want a Council that will look ahead to the future in an effort to be prepared for a worse case scenario or don't we? I think we do.

One point that is missing however, in this discussion, is the fact that the city bought some time when they paid the full actuarial amount in fiscal 2008-09 and Council approved putting the tax initiative on the ballot in February.

We all know that the pension system needs fixing and sooner, rather than later, because, the deficit amount grows more every day but, if the tax fails in February, the city, by making the full contribution last year and by getting a tax initiative on the ballot, isn't required to make the full contribution in the upcoming fiscal budget. They bought themselves some time.

I hope they'll shoot straight with the citizens of Springfield and give them the whole truth. They bought time that would allow them to look at other solutions or initiate the sales tax proposal again.

Nothing changes the fact that the pension fund needs to be fixed and the problem will not go away without the sacrificial lamb of a huge cash infusion however, the city won't be forced to make severe cuts in the budget next year unless they choose to and, they may choose to but, they need to explain why they are choosing that route rather than presenting it as though it must be done and it must be done in the 09-10 fiscal year.

It is a complicated issue, the new city manager has done a good job of trying to articulate it so the public understands the issue. As long as he continues to do that he also continues to build credibility. If he fails to tell the whole story or tells it selectively? He runs the chance of damaging the credibility he has built.

Burris, early on, when he began pension presentations, indicated if the sales tax doesn't pass in February it will be brought back to future ballots until it does. These scenarios may be a strategy to make it appear they will be forced to make drastic cuts in the upcoming budget if the tax doesn't pass and it may be a beneficial tool to get voters to approve a tax the second time it is presented if it does not pass the first time but, it will be the city's choice, not their mandate.

Hats

We all wear different hats

Recently it was called to my attention there is a letter that a City Council candidate has written to which he did not wish to sign his own name. In his words, "...since I'm a ca(n)didate I believe it is wrong for me to have my name on it."

The candidate, Tom Martz, has a record of being very outspoken and active regarding city issues in Springfield and has, on more than one occasion, spoken before the City Council in City Council chambers. I applaud him for taking such an interest and being so active in local politics, just as I applaud any resident of Springfield who takes an active role in their own governance and in issues that impact their lives and the lives of their neighbors.

In fact, Mr. Martz became the acting Chief Petitioner on behalf of the petitioners requesting a State audit of the City of Springfield. Councilman Doug Burlison had been the Chief Petitioner but, after his election to the City Council in April 2007, it was my understanding that Mr. Burlison felt continuing to be the Chief Petitioner would be a conflict of interest or, could be perceived as such.

Because Mr. Martz is active in City government politics and is a candidate for City Council he's definitely on my radar screen, as are all City Council candidates and, quite often, those who speak at any given City Council meeting. I've sat with a number of them, interviewed a number of them by phone and have steady contact with more than one involved citizen. As a journalist, reporting on city matters, I view it as a part of my job to do so.

But, back to the topic at hand, through more than one venue, I received a copy of an email Mr. Martz sent to a google group he established for discussion among members of the Missouri Liberty Coalition. In that email, Mr. Martz wrote:

"I have a letter which I have transposed which I would like to see in the CFP (Community Free Press) and the S~N~L (Springfield News-Leader) only not with my name attached to it. Anyone who might be interested in submitting this letter send me a private e~mail and I'll send you a private copy for your review. Should after reading it you chose not to use it just let me know , no hard feelings either way. I believe what I had to say in this letter is something that the voters should know before voting, since I'm a cadidate I believe it is wrong for me to have my name on it. I don't want someone trying to promote it as an attack piece when all I have done is point out the facts.

A Springfield resident would be much appreciated for this instead of someone who does not lkive here"

It is up to the reader to decide whether it is ethical for Mr. Martz to write a letter he is unwilling to attach his signature to and appeal for a volunteer to affix their name in his stead. However, such a letter, if it is known to a newspaper would not, likely, be considered for publication.

Mr. Martz, later, indicated someone had agreed to affix their name to the letter for submission and the person who would submit it is not a member of the Missouri Liberty Coalition but, that was not before my husband, a member of that group, volunteered, unbeknownst to me, to affix his name to the letter. He tells me he had not, and has not ever, seen the letter Mr. Martz referred to.

For the record, I have not seen the letter Martz wrote about.

The private discussions on this topic that have naturally transpired between my husband and myself are not something in which I feel the public has a right to be included. However, the role my husband played must be addressed.

In an email response to Mr. Martz through the Missouri Liberty Coalition google group, Mr. Melton offered to send the letter to the publisher of the Community Free Press. He then wrote:

"I can have Jackie suggest that someone at the paper take a long look at it and put it in the CFP but they don't all ways put every thing in print. Some stuff goes on the web site as well."

I did not know that Mr. Melton was writing such an email until after he had done so and I am appalled that my husband involved himself in such a way and made a suggestion that I would be involved in the process of such a letter being either submitted or promote its publication in the Community Free Press. When it was called to my attention, naturally, I was very upset at the implication that I would play a role in its publication.

The fact of the matter is, I am a freelance contributor for the Community Free Press. It has been a priviledge I have enjoyed for two years now and I, certainly, submit more today than I did when I began 2 years ago, with my first "test" article in January of 2007, thank heavens, I think I have grown as a writer since then!

Letters to the editor at the Community Free Press can be submitted to the Community Free Press through email, through fax or via snail mail. Working as a freelance contributor I am not privy to those letters prior to their publication. I play no role in the paper's choice of which letters to include or not to include in any edition of the paper. That is not to say that I have not encouraged many people who have a myriad of thoughts and opinions on a myriad of topics to submit letters to the editor. Most recently in this entry, when I encouraged readers to submit letters to the editor wishing outgoing Managing Editor Mert Seaton well and letting him know, through the paper, he would be missed.

Mr. Melton, I believe, is proud of his wife and has on occasion implied I have greater powers of persuasion at the CFP than I actually have. I think it's a man thing. ;)

At any rate, my husband is an adult and he fancies himself a bit of a political activist however, his key interest is the FairTax issue. He's been promoting it around the area for years. It's as much his right to have an opinion as anyone. While I like his opinion of the FairTax, we disagree on many issues and get in many heated discussions about politics, social issues, etc., in our own home but, just as I make every effort in my reporting at CFP not to involve my own opinions in my reporting there, I do not involve Mr. Melton's opinions in my writing for the Community Free Press either.

I learned a lot from outgoing Managing Editor Mert Seaton and I owe him a lot. One of the first lessons he taught me when reporting for CFP is that, and I paraphrase, people don't care what you think. That is a steady refrain I keep in my mind as I go about my work for the paper. You see, I want the facts as much as anyone. I ask a lot of questions and try to keep my mouth shut as much as possible. Some people have more mouth than ears, I'd like to think I have more ears than mouth when it comes to reporting at the Community Free Press. Certainly, I have the blog here, unrelated to the paper, in which I can give my weighed opinion on things but, as my disclaimer says, "Jackie Melton writes a regular column for the Community Free Press. Her opinions are not the opinions of the Community Free Press and this blog is in no way associated with the Community Free Press."

Just as any other reporter, or freelance contributor, I wear many hats. I'm a Christian, a wife, a freelance journalist, an AWANA Spark's Club director, a sister, a step-mom, a blogger, and even a friend to a few people. Sometimes those roles bump into each other in inconvenient ways and it takes due diligence to keep them separate but, giving myself the credit I feel I am due and deserve, I think I do a very fine job of keeping them separate and will continue to try to excel no matter which hat I happen to be wearing the next time you see me.