25 October 2009

trash talk

Ever have someone say something to you that sounds so stupid you hardly know how to respond?

The family was at a public event today, possibly one of my projects I am most proud of in river city, and as we walked into the building I noticed a line of people stringing in so I held the door for them. I'm not mentioning this looking for accolades, courtesy and respect are some of those core values my folks instilled in me, I mention this only because the mayor of river city happened to be one of those for which I held the door. I shook his hand and said hello and he then asked "how you like those trash cans?"

I said..."uh, yeah, they look real nice" as I rolled my eyes.

I'm sure he was trying to get my goat, possibly over the protest, but what a stupid thing to say. So a constituent is upset over how trashy you've just made river city and you get all coy and say something stupid like that? Would you make comments like that to others who think you've messed up?

This vaguely reminded me of when I met with State Rep. Heim for coffee and he brushed off my comments on daylight savings time by saying how his constituents were really going to enjoy it because they could get in an extra round of golf. He was defeated a few months later.

As we were playing today with the kids out in the front lawn in a huge pile of leaves I looked down our street to an elderly lady's home. She is choosing to leave her giant tote in the public right-of-way in front of her home near the street because it is too much to haul around. It looks like crap, but do you blame her?

River city's totes look remarkably similar to Jeffersonville's....you know, the town whose city attorney had an overnight stay in a big green box. Time to take out the trash folks.

3 comments:

Penny Lane said...

I am sorry you have to go through this Kurt. You are a good man who just wants the best for his city. Your deserve better treatment from the Mayor. Somewhere I think the Mayor lost his way. He started out o.k. going to lots of events, etc. Every organization loved that. However, it is not enough to just show your face. You become a figure head. This works if you have a city manager -- one that is hired by the council. This is what we desperately need. The Mayor has to lead. There are so many things that need to be accomplished. I see status quo -- a do nothing mentatlity. Please don't give up. You could run for Mayor and when the contract expires in 4 years we can buy garbage trucks and go back to the way it was. The city has the money.

Anonymous said...

Looks to me like he's a little afraid of you.

Anonymous said...

How can the mayor lead with so many strings attached to him? The King of Western Ave. hired or should I say bought him. Let's see if the mayor is strong enough to cut the strings!!!!!

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