 By Walt Bolling September 01, 2005
The citizens of Ketchikan who missed the city council meeting of this evening will be interested in action taken by the council relative to the cruise ship bond issue. On a vote of 5 to 2 the council approved the recommendation of a "working committee" to go forward at once with the cruise ship port expansion project (the exact same project the voters defeated just 12 working days ago). There was no mention made of the membership of that committee. It had to include some council members, possible the mayor, probably the city manager, and some staff and the Lord only knows whom else. It is without a doubt one or more people committed to the cruise ship industry and private land owners within the city. It would appear that the process must have begun the day after the September 16th election. What gall! How arrogant can an elected body get? Just 12 business days after the September 16th bond election. The group was formed, meetings held and the item was on the city agenda. It seems I recall an agenda item had to be requested several days before a scheduled meeting, say something like 3 or 4 days so it can be published as a public notice. That means it all had to take place in about 8 or 9 days after the election! Does this suggest that the majority of the council represent the cruise ship companies and not the voters? Does a "No" vote mean "yes" or "maybe"? Glen Thompson's letter of the 31st (yesterday) said the world is run by those who show up. One would normally agree - but this time the voters who showed up did not win anything. The "NO" vote lost to 5 votes by council members. Walt Bolling
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.
|