Mayor Paul Dyster appeared on the Tom Darro show last month and after 60 minutes, and in between ten commercials, and three listener phone calls, the mayor did a marvelous filibuster. Dyster visits Darro every month or so.
We were disappointed however when one phone call, coming from a lively listener, resulted in the caller being cut off as soon as that caller said of the city budget process, and city expenditures, "Mayor, it's a disgrace and I'm holding you responsible--". Darro immediately went to a commercial and when he returned, the caller was gone.
A second caller tried to get to the bottom of the Hamister parcel mystery: why a private person is allowed to park cars on city-owned land at considerable profit.
After a verbal, five minute ride, the caller was cut short by Darro. The mayor did not explain - at least to my comprehension - why the city allowed a half a million dollar parking business to blossom on city-owned land - land which they plan to sell to Hamister for $100,000, if and when Hamister starts construction of a Hyatt Place Hotel.
A third caller was a senior citizen seeking help in getting her trash totes to the curb. The mayor politely told her she should call the city at 286-4840 and select extension #2, and she would be signed up for "porter service" that would take her trash to the curb after January 1. If it's true, and it sounds too good to be true, that's happy news for those who need help lugging the totes.
Sometimes, what is not asked is more important than what is. Here are a few questions I recommend be asked when the Mayor next appears on Darro:
1. Why have you not written a casino cash spending plan?
2. When will the city begin posting the casino cash interest account on the casino income and expenditures website?
3. Why don't you hold press conferences; why did you stop holding the lovely Meet the Mayor Night?
4. Why don't you attend the 6 pm council sessions and meet with residents/speakers to help address their concerns in the presence of the council?
5. Why hasn't there a single new store or business on Old Falls Street?
6. What will the cost be to operate and maintain the new train station?
7. Will you take the advice contained in the 2013 state audit of city govt?
8. Will you hire a city engineer?
9. What are your plans regarding the treatment of frack water at the Water Board?
10. What were the final costs to purchase all the totes?
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