Unsolicited Opinions
The world's most confusing
By Wells Dunbar, 3:51PM, Thu. Dec. 6, 2007
The world's most confusing solicitation hearing is currently underway. As BTP noted, despite posting language clearing the way to potentially broaden the ordinance, Jennifer Kim said she was tabling any expansion. Really, so why fan the flames any further with this hearing? Considering Kim also has a separate item dealing with homeless services, she could just allow comment on that and call it a day, but no such luck. It's the kind of confused move the embattled council member needs to stop making.
So far, Brewster McCracken has made the most hay, asking (breathe deep) APD and city Human Services to come back in 90 days with a plan to gather "good census data on who's panhandling" over the course of a year.
Oh no – Will Wynn's anger issues are coming to the fore again. House the Homeless' Richard Troxell – who apparently signed up to speak with two people donating him time, for a total of nine minutes – made it clear he intended to deliver his speech as planned and permissible at the time of sign up. However, with the phantom expansion a non-starter, council was floating the idea of tabling the item and closing public testimony. Wynn called on Troxell to speak specifically to McCracken's study, but Troxell made it clear he was going to continue with his presentation as planned. Cross talk ensues, with Wynn getting all Bill O'Reilly on his ass, yelling "I'll turn your mic off and go to the next item."
Oh dear.
Cooler heads prevail, and Troxell finishes without incident, calling the study a "backdoor plan" to further harass the homeless.
Those in favor of expansion are speaking, but Wynn's sweating them too to stick to three minutes or under. This after council dry-humps the quasi-legal expansion of Green Water Treatment Plant's corpse for hours behind closed doors in Executive Session? Well, we know where council's priorities lie.
It's absolutely cringe-inducing that a public hearing – even an oddly-called one like this – can get such short shrift.
Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.
By Wells Dunbar, 3:51PM, Thu. Dec. 6, 2007
The world's most confusing solicitation hearing is currently underway. As BTP noted, despite posting language clearing the way to potentially broaden the ordinance, Jennifer Kim said she was tabling any expansion. Really, so why fan the flames any further with this hearing? Considering Kim also has a separate item dealing with homeless services, she could just allow comment on that and call it a day, but no such luck. It's the kind of confused move the embattled council member needs to stop making.
So far, Brewster McCracken has made the most hay, asking (breathe deep) APD and city Human Services to come back in 90 days with a plan to gather "good census data on who's panhandling" over the course of a year.
Oh no – Will Wynn's anger issues are coming to the fore again. House the Homeless' Richard Troxell – who apparently signed up to speak with two people donating him time, for a total of nine minutes – made it clear he intended to deliver his speech as planned and permissible at the time of sign up. However, with the phantom expansion a non-starter, council was floating the idea of tabling the item and closing public testimony. Wynn called on Troxell to speak specifically to McCracken's study, but Troxell made it clear he was going to continue with his presentation as planned. Cross talk ensues, with Wynn getting all Bill O'Reilly on his ass, yelling "I'll turn your mic off and go to the next item."
Oh dear.
Cooler heads prevail, and Troxell finishes without incident, calling the study a "backdoor plan" to further harass the homeless.
Those in favor of expansion are speaking, but Wynn's sweating them too to stick to three minutes or under. This after council dry-humps the quasi-legal expansion of Green Water Treatment Plant's corpse for hours behind closed doors in Executive Session? Well, we know where council's priorities lie.
It's absolutely cringe-inducing that a public hearing – even an oddly-called one like this – can get such short shrift.
Got something to say on the subject? Send a letter to the editor.
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Homelessness, City Council, Brewster McCracken, Jennifer Kim, Will Wynn, House the Homeless, Solicitation, Richard Troxell
