Thursday, May 12, 2022

Escanaba City Hall Meeting (Balancing Budgets and Attracting Business May 5th, 2022)

 Its amazing that people came out on this level to support the library. Its also amazing the people are willing to stand for a good cause. I also agree keeping the police and fire department Door Cams is important (Its good data that gives insight to prosecute criminals and learn from mistakes. Also sorry inside sort of joke but in a round about way I guess I can ask City Hall for better digital cam funding as long as they can raise their revenue....working on it! {developing ideas for raising revenue and drawing business} Might consider a few cams downtown in the party zone if future funding improves. Just make sure the quality is good for zooming. 🤔 📷 😮 That is what a community is...you look out for each others interest and the long term health of the people. Supporting our public safety is part of that process and ensuring they have the funding is important. Let us not cut there. They are doing important work. Economic, social, institutional, etc...). We should never think of selling the parks! It can be enhanced as soon as a plan is developed to attract new business and use them as a tourist draw (and local quality of life.). 

We haven't thought much about what it takes to bring new business to the area. Its probably one of the only major long-term solution (cutting is a short term strategy) yet I'm not seeing a full plan. I proposed a couple of things that make sense such as attracting small business, better investors oriented information, using real estate to find small business owners in other areas and attracting them to an innovative cluster (I think we should start thinking out of the box. Smart City However, everyone must make their own choices and live by those choices. That includes small towns and governments i.e. state, federal, etc.... Outcomes are a series of choices that open and close different doors. Pick the right sequence in the right environment and at the right time and you can win. Let other considerations get in the way and you might lose. Evolutionary Economics

You can read the 05/05/2022 Esky City Hall Meeting Agenda

I agree with maintaining the funding of the library (I spent much of my childhood at the now vacant Carnegie Library across from Saint Joseph Church. I would like to buy it for $1 and turn some of it into a residence and some of it into a creative studio; depending on zoning. Not sure what type of work it needs but if someone wants to dump it I might be interested. Thus far it looks like it has been vacant for years. Maybe allow people to put in art classes, kids self-defense, science and other enrichment stuff as a tandem to the nearby Bonifas Center. Its not really fully thought out idea but if the chips fall there I might pick them up.) . The public library is an asset to the community and an opportunity for people to focus on their education and development. Let us look for grants and improve business prospects. 

In my experience you can't cut your way to solvency by reducing those things that help the community and attract national/international interest. It is better to increase revenue in some way. Cutting fat out of waste is different then cutting essential services. I'm sure that people can look through some of the other services and find that which isn't essential or used much. The library isn't one of them. Digitization and apps can help create viability in library use. i.e. they do some digital book borrowing. Maybe we can find more uses for the library. Perhaps some businesses that are coming in would like to donate to it.

I believe a well funded Escanaba Public Safety is also important; I think they need more money at some point in the future and I would support them in that (Not that I have much direct say. I might have some indirect say). When organizations are functioning well, people trust those officers (...there are many officers from EPS I trust. In another department there are a few I don't trust at all. Its based on their level of professionalism and focus on their higher mission. Supporting friends isn't a legit use of power. Intentionally trying to restrict community engagement for racial, religious, friend network reasons isn't a good strategy either. Life is Like a Box of Chocolates. Evidence based decision making and not pre-heuristic thinking designed to target someone and damage their reputation could be criminal under certain circumstances. Time will answer all questions.) and they can be a big part of what makes the community safe and those that are willing to reach out and help others when needed. They can also be an asset in terms of fighting against blight, drugs, crime, corruption, etc.... 

I agree with the young lady in blue. Everyone should be able to stand at the podium without rude people making comments or trying to interrupt. Its uncivil and a lack of good manners and morals. I have seen this bizarre behaviors from others who feel that what they want is more important than everyone else. They are the ones who encourage others to be disrespectful and in turn damage the community and its prospects as they build walls between people (I once saw a guy at our local casino go crashing to the ground drunk, heart attack, stroke etc... with some first responder training {and other training 🤔}I visual checked his vitals and made sure that no one stepped on him while waiting for the EMT to show up. A nearby security guard came over and stayed with me to help out. If there was something really wrong that 5 minutes would have been critical to their life {I'm sure his family would have appreciated the help}. Anyway, super studs were yelling that no one should help this guy; I'm not sure why they were doing that or why they would restrict help to him {This isn't the first time I saw someone restrict help to another person in the area. I always thought it was sort of illegal.}. They didn't know the injured/patient and they didn't know me such as my experience in casinos and qualifications. However, security got upset with them and I believe asked them to leave because they were being aggressive and disruptive {I get it! They were big guys...gives them the right to risk other's lives.}. They were not my primary focus so I stopped paying attention at some point and security handled the situation. When the tribal EMTs/Security showed up they asked me a few questions and I handed the patient off to them. That is our duty but there are people who sort of get in the way of the process because "they know better" with no training, insight, or skill. Being drunk and loud isn't a qualification for much but it is a cocktail for ignorance and problems. Point being we owe civility to others and those that don't give it have other issues.).

For the most part agree with this new attorney on difficulties dealing with complexity in arrangements. It is best to sell the lots to developers. Here are a few ideas from prior on how to get people to work together (There are also a few ideas on how to rejuvenate the city. You can also search for Delta County and Escanaba on the blog. I wouldn't sell property always to the highest bidder but at market rate and to interested parties that are most likely to bring jobs, tourism, and push for other local developments. Sell it to the developers with an agreement for development by some point or ownership reverts. She used the term "red flag" so I'm going to note that in something else I'm looking at that sparked my own "red flags". Maybe something or maybe nothing. 🤷 💸 {Remember that most of these council members were not there or involves so no blame on them; assuming there is any issues at all. They are clearing up situation now. Good job! They could be close to kicking over an important stone. I also support this administration. I think they are good people trying to do the right thing. That isn't necessarily a reflection on the old administration.}  btw....I like this attorney! She didn't have as nice a suit as the last attorney 🕴 but she seems more genuine and perhaps knowledgeable 💇🤓. So far good contract/hire.👌👍 {P.S. You don't have to be on a NY runway to appreciate a custom cut suit. No seriously, I thought it looked good on the old attorney but likely out of my price range. Just saying. 🤷}.)....

Escanaba Hotel and Jail Site Development Meeting: Waterfront, Hotel, Housing and Nautical Considerations Important (Notice how you can get these multiple developers to coordinate with the purchase agreements to create mutual synergistic benefits and maximize the impact on the city.)

2020 Delta County Master Plan and New Economic Theories (Supported Old Theories) .

P.S. I would still like to someday see investment downtown and things like bike lanes that can be used by unmodified golf carts to funnel everything to downtown events and activities. 🚪's open and 🚪's close.

P.S.S. It would be great to get more people involved in these open board positions. Government runs best when old knowledge and new people are mixed together.

Its...just a few splattered ideas. :)

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