Well, I’ve completed my first year on Oil City Council.
There’s nothing like on-the-job training.
I spent a lot of years covering municipal government in my former life as a reporter. I thought I was well prepared with a good understanding of the workings, the possibilities, the limitations and the difficulties of local government.
I soon learned you never know what to expect and that it is a lot harder and far more time consuming than I ever imagined.
It is also often quite frustrating. At the same time in can be invigorating and incredibly fulfilling.
High on my list of frustrations, and one I think is shared by everyone on council, is knowing what you would like to do and what would be good for the city and not having the money to do it. This is a somewhat THE all-encompassing problem/frustration.
I will also admit to having become quite frustrated with the critics and naysayers who only offer criticism and no real solutions, or even solid suggestions.
It is not enough to tell me or any other member of council that we need to “bring jobs” to Oil City, or “grow the tax base.” Tell us how you think that can be done, and realistically. Believe me; all of us on council want to hear those ideas.
So what is the flip side, what invigorates me and makes it so fulfilling?
At the top of the list is seeing so many people work so hard to make Oil City a better place and seeing their successes. There are too many to list, but Venice Lewis is certainly one shining example.
Another is truly believing that we are making progress, perhaps only incremental at times, but good things are happening.
We are an interesting lot; varied backgrounds, varied beliefs and heaven knows great differences in personalities. The good Lord also knows we don’t always agree, and some of our disagreements have been pointed. But that has not prevented us from working cooperatively. I think that says a lot for the other people around the table from me.
I wonder how I and we are viewed from the outside. What is my freshman GPA?
About Me
- John Noel Bartlett
- Oil City, Pennsylvania
- A retired journalist now employed by the Foundation for Sustainable Forests and a member of Oil City Council.
Links of Interest
- City of Oil City
- Erie Blogs
- Foundation For Sustainable Forests
- Friends of Allegheny Wilderness
- Oil City Arts by Joann Wheeler
- Oil City Arts Council
- Oil City Southside Association
- Rebuild Oil City -- Scott Smail
- Venangago-go -- Mike Dittman
- Venango Area Chamber of Commerce
- Venangoland -- Peter Greene
9 comments:
http://www.vacantproperties.org/
creating opportunity from abandonment
"Meanwhile, city council voted Monday to forgive a $20,650 loan owed to the city by one of its affiliates, the Oil City Redevelopment Authority. A temporary loan of $46,400 was approved in late 1982 for certain redevelopment activities in the downtown."
Isn't this special, especially with the current budget situation! This is a disgrace.
The National Vacant Properties Campaign Web site noted in the posting by the first anonymous is interesting. There's a lot of good information and ideas there, and it is well worth a look. Members of council have been keeping up with things on the Web site and gaining both ideas and insight.
However, again this is one of those things where if we had some money, we could move so much faster.
As for the posting by the second anonymous, the criticism makes no sense at all. For starters, the RDA has no money, other than what it gets through the city (very little), and no assets. If it should obtain outside or additoinal funding in the future, it will be going towards the betterment of the city -- as did the money from the loan itself.
Really, all we did was clean up the books by taking official action on what had long been the reality.
I like this open format you've created and that you respond to and clarify comments. Discussion is one of the first steps in moving forward and solving problems. This is just one thing you've done well!
Nice work, so far -- this council is very goal-oriented. More of the same in 2009, I sincerely hope.
I may not agree with all your decisions but this Council has set a new tone for City Government. Business as usual is not going to continue and that's a good thing.
I think the key to real revitalization is attracting developers with resources. This is a really bad time to have that happen but we can be working to make things more appealing when the economy turns around. We also need to have shovel ready projects in place to go after funding. We need a good point person like Joann Wheeler is for artists, for developers, business owners, etc. Someone positive with a can do attitude. Have someone give City Hall a call someday and inquire about moving a business here. See what they experience.
I would also go to our City website and approach it like someone looking to relocate. Is it attractive, informative, user friendly? I have to think the internet is the first place someone would start.
GOOD LUCK IN 2009!
I would give you a C minus.
All you people do is bloviate.
"High on my list of frustrations, and one I think is shared by everyone on council, is knowing what you would like to do and what would be good for the city and not having the money to do it. This is a somewhat THE all-encompassing problem/frustration."
All politicians ever want is money.
And if they are ever unable to do something it's because there is no money!
Wow, people are tough on us today.
I hope that none of us on council
are speaking pompously and excessively or expounding ridiculously. I will admit to perhaps a little too much talk at times, and perhaps a touch too rhetorically.
Somtimes the truth is that what you want -- even if a politician and it is money -- is what you need.
There is so much that needs done, and until someone can tell me how to do it differently, it will take money, or going without. Our streets are a prime example. We need money to pave. We don't have the money and the streets are going without paving. The question we have to ask is how long can this continue.
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