Fireworks Response is a Dud
ByWe are three weeks into the year 2010 and I am sure many of us are still struggling with our New Year’s resolution. I read somewhere recently that the average amount of time it takes before breaking such foolhardy proclamations is about three weeks.
Really? Are we that soft?
It also prompted me to think of what should be some resolutions that the City of DuPont declares on behalf of serving its citizens for the year twenty-ten. I suspect that someone will comment on what they think the city can do better at for this coming year but I have one I can think of off the top of my head:
Follow through.
Through the luxury of video I can offer up an example of what I am talking about.
Did anything that the mayor stated regarding fireworks happen as promised? I cannot recall any “intense” public education on the matter; not on the city website, not on their facebook page, nor in Bill’s Friday letter.
Thankfully, I do not think that in the pouring rain of December 31st that there was much of an issue with fireworks. But lets be honest, putting off until now the issue of fireworks is nothing but lazy governance. DuPont had two significant fires around the Fourth of July holiday and the city’s solution to this matter was to defer it until January and then ignore it.
Sadly, we have grown accustom to this half ass approach throughout town. Supermarket? Sorry, folks. Loop Road? Maybe next year. New mixed use development around Ross Plaza? Well, here’s the thing…
What is the excuse this time and who will stand up and take responsibility?
Now there is an added wrinkle to the city’s delay on dealing with fireworks. Between then and now something called the “scientifically based, statistically relevant, public outreach, citizen survey” took place. There was also an “online, we don’t really care what you think because couldn’t be bothered to advertise it” survey. The issue of fireworks was not addressed on the $25,000 survey but a question regarding fireworks was asked on the bastard step child online survey. The question was as follows:
Which of the following best expresses your opinion regarding the use of fireworks in the City of DuPont?
The number one response was Fireworks should be banned at all times, 36.8%.
So what should the city do with this data? It was part of the whole package they touted both before the survey and at the town hall meeting discussing the results. Their outreach yielded an answer, it just remains to be seen what the Mayor and Council choose to do with this input. Do they take the results seriously and use it as a guide as they pledged? Or, do they shrug their shoulders in befuddlement and let an unexpected result paralyze them? Or, do they look the data square in the eye and say, “Hey, I am elected and I can do what I see fit. If the people don’t like it then vote me out!”
The councilmember who most vocally supported a ban on fireworks was voted out in November. Does it mean anything? Surely, it cannot be related. No one really brought the matter up during the campaign.
The only thing that can be concluded is that the matter clearly fell off the radar, as so many other issues do in DuPont, Washington. As the video shows, the Mayor was pretty enthusiastic about “intense” training in July, she just couldn’t keep the charade up through Christmas. Sure, other things come up, they always do. Perhaps some planned to insulate some pipes in July. You procrastinate at your own peril.
Well, I guess it is true when it is said: Anyone can go to church on Sunday but it is how you act on Monday that matters.
We have the mayor of wishful thinking. Expect nothing to change.
Ban fireworks? Ain’t gonna happen. There isn’t a councilman with the courage to ban them. If anything, the city will grant a business license so a roadside stand can SELL fireworks on one of their many undeveloped plats.
The city should resolve to have no more pet projects. Case in point: What DuPont citizen asked for golf cart usage on our streets and yet the city is investigating this option based on the input from a Lakewood resident.
We will bring the topic of fireworks up at the next council meeting. She seems to have a memory problem on items she just wants to go away!
The problem with big talk is that people then expect big results. I do not believe in a ban on fireworks. I do believe we can have a good comprimise if the laws we do have are enforced. The problem is that the city chose to circle the wagons rather than deal with citizen concerns head on. The time for dialog was in July, not January. Now with citizen feedback stating people want an all out ban puts the city in a tough spot, but shame on them for putting this issue on the shelf. They get what they deserve.
Here is an idea for a city resolution…DO SOMETHING!
At the next City Council Meeting ask that the issue of Fireworks in DuPont be put on the new “2010 Score-Card” and the “Tracking Report.” The Mayor and the City Administrator put these two items on the big screen for all to see.
The problem is that the issue opened in 2009.
$25,000 on a survey, and false commitments from the Mayor on how to fix a known fire risk to the citizens. We are being deceived about our request, through the survey, to resolve the risk of fireworks and fires that start as a result.
Why would you ever pay this team any more taxes? This is a perfect example of what we keep getting in DuPont – Mislead.
Thanks for sharing, say, do you have a twitter to follow?