November 2008 Archives

This is the End!

| 3 Comments

Dear Readers,

Wrapping up all the loose ends in their final session this year, the city council banned all gas-powered devices including leaf-blowers, lawnmowers, automobiles, trucks, buses, aircraft, and trains. They "municipalized" every telephone pole in town, seizing them from the utility companies and declaring them "free speech zones" where citizens are allowed to post lost-pet notices. The council passed an ordinance ordering the police to taser all WSSC contractors found working within city limits after January 1, 2009.

Cage Rattling Time

| No Comments

Dear Readers,

Men are such liars! Especially men from the WSSC! Oh, they were SO heartfelt back in March, when the head of the Silgo Creek Parkway construction project stood up, looked the city council squarely in the eye, and pledged to take "personal interest" in making sure the job was done on time and to the community's satisfaction.

And what was "on time?" 90 days, he said. As an afterthought he added "Six months at the very most."

Dear Readers, that was EIGHT months ago.

Ballistics

| 2 Comments

Dear Readers,

Would you hand a loaded revolver or your car keys to a toddler? Of course not. Then why did some of you suggest an event to the city council without NAMING it first? A couple of citizens independently suggested to the mayor that the city hold an inaugural ball. Councilmembers were taken with the idea but instantly tried to call it something else, "ball" being too snooty for some. One suggested "community dance," another "bash," and Your Gilbert headed for the liquor cabinet.

Score

| 2 Comments

Dear Readers

Score one for Councilmember Clay who three weeks ago was pooh-poohed by her colleagues (and a certain commentator) when she asked if the city was prepared for spontaneous street demonstrations on Election Day eve. More longtime residents on the council assured her that such spontaneous demonstrations don't happen in the politically-jaded Washington DC metro area.

As it happened spontaneous celebrations DID break out shortly after it became apparent that Barack Obama had won. Not only in front of the White House and on U Street in Washington DC, but right here in Takoma Park.

Update, Nov. 4: The city says that Takoma Park councilmember Colleen Clay has been released from the hospital and is "fine" following her dramatic exit from the city council meeting last night.

Update, 10:48PM: Mayor Bruce Williams announced at the close of the Nov. 3 meeting that counclimember Clay, who had to be assisted from the council dais at the beginning of tonight's city council meeting, has been "checked out," apparently meaning that she had been examined by a doctor at a hospital.

He further hinted that Clay has continuing medical issues, stating that she has "things she needs to pay a little attention to," but he said she was expected to be released and able to go home by tomorrow by the latest. He said that she may even have been released by the time he made the announcement.


8:15PM: (revised) Councilmember Colleen Clay, Ward 2 representative, had to be assisted from the council dais at the start of the Nov. 3 Takoma Park City Council meeting. Appearing pale-face, complaining of a rapid heartbeat, and saying "I have to go!" she was helped from the room by a number of concerned-looking people including a police officer. The meeting was halted for around 15 minutes, Mayor Bruce Williams explaining first that Councilmember Clay had been feeling ill for a couple of days.

When the council returned it was to say that Clay was being tended in another part of the building and had asked the Mayor to continue without her.

Become a Friend of the Voice!


Recent Comments

  • Gilbert: Tom, They did discuss the alternative of contracting it out read more
  • Tom Gagliardo: 1. Why is there never a solution? Why is it, read more
  • Gilbert: Serious question: if you dislike it so much, and you read more
  • Anonymous: u know, if there wasn't a city of takoma park read more
  • Colleen: Actually, I didn't realize that Reuben had filled it out read more
  • Gilbert: Ah, so when you said "I skewed the survey the read more
  • Colleen Clay: Gilbert, I only received the survey in 2007. Our household read more
  • Alain: Good question, Gilbert! Also, given some of the odd distribution read more
  • Gilbert: Your Gilbert's prose may be purple, but at least we read more
  • Reuben Snipper: After reading this, I decided to drop some ... nuggets read more

Technorati

Technorati search

» Blogs that link here