If You Don’t Eat Your Meat You Won’t Get Any Pudding
ByAfter the May 12th DuPont City Council Meeting I received a couple e-mails complaining about some of the comments made by Councilman Larry Wilcox. I really did not give it much thought since Larry’s usual comments are blogging gold! Overly emotive; non sequitur; words getting in front of thoughts; and tired clichés. You can’t write fiction this good.
No doubt about it.
Still, I dutifully sat through the entire video broadcast. In reality, there are two episodes of Larry speaking his mind. However, the second set of comments, toward the end of the meeting, are the comments of particular note. I have to admit, after viewing them I needed to count to ten.
And then I had to count some more.
Hmmm. I thought I was the only crank in town.
Larry Wilcox and his peers at City Hall are failing to recognize a few key points. The first, and most important, is that you represent the citizens’ interests and not those of city hall. I know it may be difficult to wrap your head around, but some of those interests may differ from the council’s views and interests.
Get over it.
It is obvious from Larry’s comments, and those published on the bogus “survey”, that the council and staff are too closely up each other’s asses (as if the sycophantic fawning wasn’t our first clue). To carry on about a low voter turnout for an April election is pure nonsense. The city could have very easily exploited that apathy to their advantage, but they did not.
Larry, you lost 767 supporters of the levy from November! You lost 767 “Yes” votes between then and now. Why? Where did they go? Did they suddenly stop caring about fire service? Whose responsibility is it to compel them to support the levy? Did they stop making eye contact when you were standing on the corner waving a sign?
Please, Mr. Wilcox, while you are at it, can you report the historical voter turnouts for April elections? Is it significantly higher than 31%?
If you want a clue to why it is so difficult to compel people to come out to city hall it is because of the feeling of futility it fosters. You have the nerve to recognize that the streets are narrow and curbs need to be painted even though the DuPont Municipal Code already states that there should not be parking in those areas? Why does the council refuse to hold city hall accountable to the law already on the books in the name of citizen safety? Where is the accountability in the name of citizen interest after they have approached you time and again?
Save your outrage. You have not earned the right.
This brings me to my second and last point. It is bad form to bitch at your constituents. They are not your children. You are accountable to them and it is time that this legislative body starts acting as such. They watch week in and week out and so little changes. If you are not connecting, and any time you lose 767 votes of support that suggests a lack of connection, then perhaps you would be wise to try another tack.
Before you blame those out in TV Land for being too busy to be sucked into your black hole of inefficiency take a good look at yourself and those around you. It wasn’t those in TV Land who decided an April election was a good idea. It wasn’t those in TV Land who did not bother to survey the citizens before the election. It wasn’t those in TV Land who decided that the only change needed was the dollar amount.
Those you call out in TV Land are just paying their taxes and waiting for results.
That about sums it up.
Dupont would be nice if you stupid citizens didn’t live here.
Talk about being out of touch.
Nice guy, just not the right guy to push change into our city wrought with growing pains.
We need to remove Larry and several other councilmembers from office in November. These folks are totally inept and don’t add any value to the policy making process in DuPont. They simply react to issues as they arise as opposed to proactively establishing worthwhile policy for the city.
The Mayor and Council believed that having the levy in April would work to their benefit to get a passing result BECAUSE of the low voter turnout.
Now Larry turns around and condemns his constituents for not participating (the Yes voters). Here is a man living in denial of what DuPont really wants.
What does that mean, TV Land? Do we watch too much TV? I’m alive and well in the 21st century getting my information at 100 Mbps. I do not have time for your fossil ideas, do nothing committees, and childish events.
Larry, I take offense to your comments and think we as citizens here in 98327 deserve an apology.
Larry,
You make my blood boil, and you wonder why people no longer participate? Look in the mirror, what have you accomplished?
You say you’ve been looking at painting the curbs red for 10 months, and the DMC states they shall be painted yellow. In fact, if you looked at the curbs painted in DuPont, as you said you have been for the past 10 months, you would find they are currently painted yellow, and there is no enforcement of the law where the curbs are already painted yellow. So how hard are you looking at it?
From the DuPont Municipal Code:
16.03.020 Parking restrictions.
(a) Parking or standing of vehicles is hereby prohibited in any area designated by yellow painted curb with “No Parking” stenciled on the top of the curb, or by other official traffic control devices.
(b) Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class 4 civil infraction pursuant to Chapter 7.80 RCW. (Ord. 01-696 § 2).
The Mayor at the same meeting (previous video clip) asked for residents to give her counsel feedback and ideas as to how to move forward. Isn’t a debate an idea? So if your asking for feedback, then why on earth would Wilcox immediately shut down an idea brought forth by a resident during public comment! It’s not about you, Larry. It’s about the community as a whole. You brag about representing the City at all these regional functions. But do you listen?
Good points, Palisade Res and Palisade Denizen. The councilman is acting like a victim. No leadership.
Denizen,
You must be referring to the residential curbs being yellow. The curbs around our businesses are painted red.
Yellow curbs are in question because the fire last summer. Narrow streets were believed to be an issue. The yellow curbs on McDonald are faded to the point of being ineffective.
What about cross walks painted on McNeil near Patriots Landing or across Wilmington near Ross Plaza? That too has been brought up numerous times to council and NO ONE has acted on it.
I was told by the Fire Chief (at 2 seperate meetings) that all roads would be looked at to determine if a fire truck could pass with parking on both sides. The City Council has had a plan worked up by the Fire Chief since the house fire in DuPont. As before, many promises, I think the council just hopes it will all go away and chooses not to deal with it. How many more house fires do we need!!!!!!
By process, it is the mayor who needs to take the brunt of this criticism. She is the head of the staff. They ultimately report to her. The council are just the dolts who talk a good game and complain about the people who elected them.
Concerned citizen,
I think you are correct with the statement, “the council just hopes it will all go away and chooses not to deal with it.” Parking restrictions for small streets have been on the table with the council for years and nothing has been done. (the issue was brought up in 2007 with a plan, this was prior to the current chief) http://www.ci.dupont.wa.us/files/library/9eed819097eb3bb2_o.pdf
Didn’t the city hire a visitor readiness coordinator? They must have taken the spring off:
http://www.visitdupont.com/
Dog Gonnit you voters, give the city more money already. Do your civic duty, Can’t you see the city is working so hard? I shake all of their hands for a job well done, and hugs for anyone wearing a uniform.
Wonder if Larry will enlighten us with yet another rendition of how he represents DuPont at official functions during tonight’s council mtg.? Anyone got a muzzle?
Couldn’T go tonight please give us the low down on the B.S fest thanks I’m sure the one sided survey is their big hope for saving the day