Not Trivia

Today's Courier has the story about the Council meeting that was published in yesterday's on-line edition. Obviously for local news we must check both;

On the subject of local news, when I checked the city site at 7:30 AM today the events calender was blank for the last week of January and completely blank for February. I then checked for the Council meeting schedule and found a good record for 2008 but nothing for 2009. I then reviewed the Emergency Temporary Appropriations for March and April to find two items of interest.

Under "Public Information'" the budget calls for $59,600.00 for the two months. That is annualized equal to $357,600.00. For "Information Technology" during the same period the budget amounts respectfully are; $55,900.00 and $335,400.00.. What is $692,000.00 of taxpayer's money buying? Perhaps Mark Deshields can explain Monday night.

While on a bitching bend I read today that the Postal Service is considering a 5 day weekly delivery. For some one who can remember 3 cent letter stamps and 1 cent postal cards accompanied by 2 deliveries weekdays this plan is heresy. The Postal Services problems are understandable when at least one time a week I have mail belonging to some else and when letters mailed and properly addressed never arrive at their destination. That coupled with more efficient commercial package services as well as cellphones and other electronic communication methods have led to a public shift from letter writing etc. There is an adage that increasing costs and reducing services do not lead to improved operating income but rather a further decrease in usage and bigger losses.