Business as usual

Bessemer Opinions poll responders are pretty smart, it seems.

I asked what would happen in Congress over the next two years.

39% said it would be business as usual. Only 3% predicted the Republicans and Democrats would work together.

Of course, the new congress is not even seated yet, but the lame ducks certainly aren't showing an indication of cooperation. Get the Tea Partiers in there and there won't be a chance of cooperation.

Republicans are blocking an extension of unemployment benefits in the house. This is their way of saying "Merry Christmas," to 2 million families that will have no assistance coming to them during the holidays.

I predict the more compassionate Democrats will still be able to get the benefits passed...probably a week after they expire at the end of this month.

Now let's see if the Republicans are willing to compromise on the tax cuts. They can't give a few billion to struggling families, but they are willing to give hundreds of billions to the nation's wealthiest.

There are many studies that show unemployment benefits act as more of a stimulus to the economy than tax breaks because those receiving the benefits spend the money on goods and services thus creating a need for production, while tax breaks to the wealthy obviously don't create jobs. I mean, look around you. Those tax breaks have been in place the entire time our economy was spiraling down, and while we have been in the slow recovery, and they aren't creating jobs now, so why should we think they would if they are extended?

I shudder to think what America will look like after the new congress begins to dismantle the economy. Let's enjoy ourselves while we can.

Adele

Twenty two year old Adele is set to release her second album, 21, in January 2011 (February in the U.S.).

This album has heavy influence from the American south and country music. She had never been exposed to country music until her group took a tour through the south.

She's a Grammy winning songwriter and powerful singer whose video's I've featured before.

Here's a song from that album, performed November 16 on Later...with Jools Holland.

In a cave

The Alabama Baptist Convention yesterday passed a resolution calling on President Obama to "abandon his efforts to normalize homosexuality in the United States Military."

I don't know what to say. Me? Speechless?

I mean, it's to be expected from a group that doesn't accept that science and medicine consider us normal and that, as their newly elected leader said yesterday, "are often characterized by what they condemn, such as homosexual behavior."

If the Baptists would only treat homosexuality like Jesus did. Oh, wait. Jesus didn't say anything about it. Not a single word. (Other than his interaction with this gay man). Are you listening, Baptists?

I am about ready to propose a resolution opposing Southern Baptists.

Since they seem to live in cave, metaphorically, I will send them this song.

Mumford and Sons - The Cave





So make your siren's call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say

Cause I need freedom now
And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be

Today's council meeting

Finances

At last week's Bessemer City Council meeting a lot of numbers were thrown out. One was that the Library account, which is funded by the 3.5 mil library bond passed by voters years ago, had a balance of $1.4 million.

Upon further investigation (get used to hearing this term), it was discovered that there was only $764,987.19 in the account.

Hmmmm.

Upon further investigation, it was determined that on September 20, 2010, that $325,000 was transferred from the account, and on October 14, 2010, $450,000 was transferred from the account.

Both of these transfers were made in order for the city to meet payroll and payroll expenses. The transfers were authorized by former mayor Ed May, but were not authorized by or known to the city council. There is some question as to the legality of the transfers, both from the standpoint of granting authority, but also as to whether the money, voted on by the citizens to be used for library purposes, can be used for other purposes.

Council President Jesse Matthews suggested that the mayor look back further to see if such transfers were made during previous years.

Mayor Ken Gulley has asked the council to meet with him in a workday session on fiscal issues. He said some "harsh decisions" will have to be considered but that he will not "sugarcoat" or "exaggerate" the situation as he informs the public.

Judges speak before council

Today is Judge Annetta Verin's last day as a Bessemer municipal judge, and she and Judge Scott Roebuck, Bessemer's other municipal judge, spoke to the council about their duties, their dockets, and what the council should look for in a candidate to replace Judge Verin.

Judge Verin was recently elected to a Circuit Court position.


Judge Roebuck watches as Judge Verin speaks to the mayor and council

Judge Verin suggested that her replacement be someone who has (1) practiced law, (2) has a passion for the job, including domestic violence, (3) have certain qualities, i.e. honesty, integrity, dignity and respect. Judge Roebuck agreed and added that a judge should have a vested interest in the city and in the community. Both Judge Roebuck and Judge Verin live in the city of Bessemer.

I know some who have applied for this position, and I know who I would place in the position if I were in a position to do so. Someone who meets all those qualifications. I'll let the council members know.

Bandelier National Monument

Back in September I was planning to post some pictures and a bit about our trip to New Mexico. Boring, I know, but some news story happened that bumped it.

So, instead I will bore you today.

We visited Bandelier National Monument which is a mostly natural area whose cliffs and canyons were formed long long ago by volcanic ash.

We didn't know it, but when we drove up we learned that the park was having their grand reopening and admission was free that day. Dignitaries included several governors of nearby Pueblos and staff members from Senator's offices that were involved in the planning of the upgrade to the Visitor Center and other areas.



Local Native Americans performed. These are the drummers that supplied the rhythm for the dancers.



And these are the dancers.






While hiking along the main loop trail we came across this deer that didn't seem to mind us at all.



The high elevation wildflowers were beautiful.








The Ancestral Pueblo dwellings were carved in the mountainside. This house was accessible by ladder after climbing a trail leading up the cliff. Some of the houses had petroglyphs carved on the inside walls.






There were several artists with their work on display and for sale. This young woman makes these figures from the root wood of cottonwood and other types of trees.




This bird watched us eat lunch.

This was my second trip to Bandelier, but I hope it won't be my last. There is a lot more to see, and there are other seasons of the year to visit. This trip was in the summer. I've gone in the fall, when there was snow in the higher elevations, but I would like to be in Bandelier when snow is falling. And again in the spring when the springtime flowers are blooming.

I like to imagine I'm one of the Ancestral men, oh, about 19 years old, 10,000 years ago, wandering through the woods and climbing the cliffs and ladders. Finding a private place down the stream in the woods or among the cliffs, with my male friend from the Pueblo. No Christian mis-interpretation or hateful politicians, just two early Native persons doing what is natural for them.

Thanks

Today is Veteran's Day and we honor those who have served our country. In Bessemer a Veteran's Day program will take place at 12:00 noon at Watermark Place at the Discovery Alabama Event Center. Retired Col. Dan Fagan U. S. Air Force will be the speaker. Lunch will be available.

In Birmingham the nation's oldest Veterans Day Parade takes place beginning at 1:30 starting near Linn Park on 19th Street.

This picture is of my father, a World War II Veteran. Thank you dad, for serving our country. The United States exists today because of your generation.


He fought in the Rhineland, in the Central Europe campaign, and then in Luzon in the Pacific Theater. He received the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal.


Here is a video honoring all Veterans, including one from Alabama.




Here is a preview of songwriter Tom Goss's new single Lover which will be released November 18.




The song tells the story of a gay man whose partner is killed in battle.

Thank a Veteran today.

A big hubbub over the hub

Last night I attended a public hearing mediated by a judge that was part of the process necessary for Norfolk Southern to build their railroad hub in the McCalla area. I had attended the first two public meetings, and thought that since the "McCalla residents" have had over a year to familiarize themselves with the proposed facility they would be more reasoned in their opposition.

Boy was I wrong.

I neglected to take into account that most of them are white Republicans, so they are conditioned to opposing everything, by their Republican leaders in Washington and by their Tea Party leaders, who ignored facts and relied on misinformation to propel like minded folks to office in the recent election.

It worked in the election. It didn't work last night.

Most of the questions asked by the public have already been answered either at other public forums or in the Environmental Assessment that has been available for several weeks.

But they haven't read that. And from talking with several of them, they don't intend to. They act as though reading 500 pages is an impossible task, and maybe for some of them it is.

Incidentally, there are several thousand people in McCalla, and there were less than 100 at this meeting protesting the facility. A noisy minority, like, again, the Tea Party.

Several of the people asking questions made it a point to blame Bessemer for their problems.

"Is the City of Bessemer represented?" asked the first person. Part of the road from the interstate to the proposed entry to the hub is owned and maintained by Bessemer. and apparently that part of the road needs some repair, and widening.

The next person to ask a question actually said, "The problem is Bessemer."

I do agree that the City of Bessemer should have been represented at the meeting. This is a huge project that promises to bring hundreds or thousands of jobs to the city. Wake up Bessemer, get on board!

One of the men on the panel answering questions did mention that Bessemer has new leadership and the people from Bessemer that frustrated them for the past few years are gone, so they should approach Bessemer again about upgrading the road. (Maybe they should wait a month or two until some of the dust settles at city hall).

But the most ridiculous question award goes to the man who, with kids in tow, asked for a "100% guarantee" that nothing would happen at the facility that could harm his children. Judge Art Hanes, the moderator, didn't even let the question get to the panel. He said, "No," that they can't do that and that nothing is 100%.

"Then why risk it?" the man replied, and the McCalla hub-bubbas applauded.

My questions to that man, and to those who applauded are these.

1. Is the school bus that you put your child on every day 100% safe? Then why risk it?

2. Is the school room that your child sits in every day 100% safe? Then why risk it?

3. Is bringing a child into this world 100% safe? Then why risk it?

I overheard one lady who had concerns about terrorism and security. Norfolk Southern's security will be state of the art as far as access to the facility. But I would hate to live in such fear as some of these people seem to do. Muslims, terrorists, gays! Oh my!

Here are some things that have been ignored by the anti-progress people.

Norfolk Southern will spend $100 million dollars ($97.5 million actually) on the facility. That's a lot of money being invested in west Jefferson County.

Hundreds or maybe even a thousand or so jobs will be created during the construction phase of the project. A few hundred jobs will be created at the facility once it opens and thousands of jobs at warehouses and distribution facilities will be created also.

Over the next 10 years the economic impact is estimated to be $4 billion.

As a result of the facility there will be fewer emissions (by trucks) and less wear and tear on our highways and a smaller carbon footprint.

Here is system engineer for facilities for Norfolk Southern Charlie McMillan explaining the security aspects of the facility.



Norfolk Southern public relations head Rudy Husband explained to the group why Norfolk Southern cannot make promises about community enhancements at this point in the process.



Speaking of the process, this was the third public meeting, and now the concerns brought up will (once again) be addressed and by December a final approval by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration should be set.



And here is the project schedule. Site work could begin in May of 2011 and the Birmingham Regional Intermodal Facility should be complete by October 2012.




Hey McCalla - I hear the train a comin'.

Here's the best railroad song written.

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues

Bessemer in "Dire Situation"

We don't let sleeping dogs lie around here, at least not anymore.

There have been rumors about Bessemer's financial situation. The rumors weren't helped any by the former mayor's refusal to release financial information and his refusal to provide an audit to the council.

The council today unanimously passed a motion to allow funds to be transferred from various accounts into the general fund by the mayor, so that payroll can be met.

But payroll is not the only concern, according to mayor Ken Gulley. There are vendors whose bills are coming due and other obligations.

Obligations due on November 10 total $972,711, and there is less than that amount in the general fund account.

And then on Friday payroll taxes are due. Soon after that, Blue Cross Blue Shield will have their hand out. In all $1, 651, 606.00 is needed by November 20.

The mayor said Bessemer is in a "dire situation" and that he believes some of this was "done on purpose" by the former mayor. Ed May should have had some type of grasp on city finances, yet he hired around two dozen employees since the election in August and entered the city into several contracts within the last 2 weeks, all of which are costing the city additional money and all of which will be assessed and adjusted.

The immediate solution to the crisis is to transfer the funds as they are doing, but this is only a stop gap measure. City attorney Shan Paden said that there will have to be a reduction in work force at some point (possibly January).

After the motion to authorize fund transfers was passed, Mayor Gulley said he wanted to speak on why the motion was adopted as a matter of record. He said we will "have some challenging days ahead" and that they "will have to do some reduction in staff."

He put out an appeal to the council to work together and to the citizens to work with the administration and with the business community to work with them to get this city back on track.

Mayor Gulley, you have the citizens behind you and the business community as well.

Fortunately the new council also understand the gravity of the situation. Council president Jesse Matthews said the previous council had a "inkling" of the days to come, and that they had been "left as blind in the dark for so long."

New council member Ron Marshall said he is looking forward to a cooperative relationship with the mayor, and other council members seemed ready to move forward as well.

All that being said, the council and the mayor are optimistic that they can bring us out of this crisis. Sales tax and property taxes should provide a needed boost as the year ends, although some of that money will be needed for other known expenses that arise this time of year as well.

I predict that by mid 2011 Bessemer will have ironed out these misgivings and be back on the track that Gulley is suggesting we need to be on.

I guess the only question remaining will be...well, we don't know if any laws were broken so those things will just have to wait.

If Bessemer is in such dire straits I guess I can play my favorite Dire Straits song, Sultans of Swing, live version.