Okay, I had to leave the town hall meeting early, so I will probably post more on this later. For now I will just make a few basic points.
1. I have been unable to find the new legislation that provides for one security/improvement district that covers Pensiontown and Carrollton Riverbend. All I have is the suggested changes. I would really like to see that the changes are actually in the pipeline.
2. I was correct in my initial reading of SB 568. This bill provides for the district to be in place for NINE years. Anything more than three years is bad. Lets face it, if the security/improvement district turns out to be really great, there will be no problem extending its life. Three years should be plenty of time to see if the didtrict is accomplishing its purpose. Further, in my humble opinion if the board members know that they don't get to be entrenched for several years, I think that they will do a better job of representing all the people who could potentially choose not to extend the district.
3. If the commercial owners are exempt from the assessment, then they should not be allowed on the board. The board should be limited to people who actually pay the assessment.
4. I understand why certain neighborhood associations get three spots on the board. However, what has the Pensiontown Neighborhood Association done? Why are we going to allow a neighborhood organization that is not fully formed to have three seats on the board?
5. What about liability? Although the board members are not individually liable, how much, if any of the assessment will have to go to liabilty insurance for the district? Will the district be responsible for purchasing its own liabilty insurance?
6. Why the hurry? If this is worth doing, it is worth doing right. I do not believe that this is our only chance to have one of these districts. Surely no one is suggesting that Senator Gray is unwilling to reintroduce this bill in the next legislative session if that would be better for her constituents.
Anyway, feel free to comment.
Molly
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5 comments:
1. The revision of the initial legislation was submitted to Sen. Gray by CRNA today. That's why you cannot find it.
2. Board members will have term limits as set in the District's by-laws (to be created when board is elected.)
3. There is no exemption for commercial owners in the revision.
4. This can be addressed by your neighborhood association to Sen. Gray. Carrollton United that has been in existence in the Carrollton Area, in Pension Town, Hollygrove and Gerttown will sponsor the new P.T. association. Carrollton United has been active in getting better schools, in helping to get a grocery store on Carrollton and Claiborne and has done many good things in the area.
5. Sen Gray spoke about this at the Town Hall meeting. There is some protection by the state. Call her office to find this info.
Good points.
However, I am getting really tired of going to meetings on the new draft when all I have is the old draft to look at.
I actually did fill out the comment sheet. I am glad to hear that Hollygrove and Gerttown are getting involved, because I was concerned that Pensiontown was code for "Tilman Hardy and two people that he can control"
Ask Sen. Gray to send you a new draft when she receives it. She can only send it if she receive one. Has Palmer Park submitted a new draft? Is it participating by getting a consensus in open meetings for people living within its boundaries and coming up with solutions to criticism, misconceptions, misinformation, and getting the correct facts out to as many people as possible?
Another way to get information hot off the press is to ask Jerry Speir, pres. of CRNA to put you on his email list. He sends out email messages to those who are interested concerning decisions immediately after a meeting. CRNA membership consists of everyone living between the River and Claiborne, no dues is required. jerryspeir@hotmail.com.
At the CRNA open board meeting on April 10 where revisions were discussed and voted on, Helen Jones was present as a rep. from the Palmer Park Assoc. She would be another source for the suggested revision of the original legislation.
Carrollton United is participating in helping establish the Pension Town Association. I did not say that Hollygrove and Gerttown are "getting involved" Re-read my message. Carrollton United has no boundaries, it represents all of Carrollton. You can get the facts about who Carrollton United is, what they have been doing, who attends their meetings, by going to one of their monthly meetings. Its open to everyone in Carrollton.
From what I heard from the mouth of Tilman Hardy, he went to Carrollton United to help him organize a Pension Town Assoc.
Thanks for the comment.
Then, it looks like there really is no Pensiontown Neighorhood Association yet but they want three seats on the board.
Last time I sent an email to Sen. Gray, she did not respond. I guess she thought I was a nut. I asked her to provide evidence that would support the implementation of these districts. Silly me, I would have thought that the onus would have been on the proponent of this legislation to justify presenting it to the legislature.
I am beginning to be very sorry that I voted for her.
All of you objections can be handled by getting a petition against the components in the legislation that you dislike, including "for the overall betterment of the community" and substituting what improvements you prefer, like grass cutting, trees, shrubs, flowers in Palmer Park, sidewalks restoration, potholes, etc. Look at other Districts to see what they included in Improvements.
Another way to dispell your fears that this is a done deal is for you and other opponents to get with the leadership of the three associations within the boundaries and discuss a revision before it is too late, and present it face to face with Sen. Gray as the others have done. There is nothing that can defeat yourself as a defeatest attitude. I sense that it is going to be voted upon in the fall and if opponents of certain components of the bill do not change it now it is going to be too late.
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