This article did not produce the results I was expecting.  I was hoping when I wrote it someone would have relayed the message I was trying to convey in this excerpt of the council meeting video.  This is the same message I was trying to convey in the flier I produced prior to the meeting and it is the same message I've produced below.

For the record, I appreciate the words of sympathy from all those that thought I might be embarrassed by last Monday night.  However, if I would have had the opportunity to talk with Mark after the meeting I would have sincerely thanked him for providing the opportunity to have this discussion in public.  But then again I've known for fifty one years that I'm prone to stage fright and stopped being embarrassed by that a long time ago.

 Here's the point I had hoped those that saw the meeting last Monday would have told me they got out of the meeting.
 
  The entire video of the meeting is up the city's website.

 
I have been advocating for more than three years this city would get better projects at a better price if we would involve the business leaders and residents in the decision process.  It was my intention to work through a four or five month transition period in order to give council time to adjust and understand my mannerisms.  I made this decision because I expected the result would be an acceptance of more public input.  However, I've been conflicted by this choice because four months from now will be a very late start for us to get residents the information they need in order to make an informed decision about a November tax levy. 
 
The submission of the proposed changes to the Rules of Council Tuesday Feb 18th offered a venue to ask the question, "will council ever realize the costs to the city caused because they made major decisions without public input and will they ever be willing to change the process and take advantage of the good input that is available. 
 
Monday night seven members of council went on record and answered that question no (or at least not yet).
 
Part and parcel, very little actually changed Monday night.  Yes they formally decided they would not let me vote, however, for two months they have voted to prevent the disclosure of how we plan to hire our next permanent city manager and they have voted to keep secret the criteria the city used to pick MEMI as the manager of the new Music Center.
 
In actuality, a lot changed.  Now that I know if City residents are going get the details behind how much we expect to collect in TIF payments compared to the payments we will need to make in order for us to pay our debts; if we are going to get case studies on which areas of the city or which demographic contributes to the tax base or which ones cost more; if we are going to get a good estimate on how much profit or loss the Aquatic and Music Centers will achieve, then I'm going to have to inspire a team of people outside council and staff to help me put together that information. 
 
What are you doing the next 9 months?  



Original message ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Last night at the council meeting there was a long discussion on a number of issues: Rules of Council, the Election materials, City Attorney My wife tells me that for most of the night my mannerisms and speaking ability made it impossible for people to get any of points I was trying to make. Do you remember if there was anything that came across other than style?

The video of the meeting is up on the city's website.  If you haven't looked at it please do and let me know what you think.   Tom McMasters Mayor of Huber Heights

One of the reasons I had not highlighted the Alcore and Family Dollar TIF's since the election is because I have no idea how giving back a $177,000 a year to the schools will affect the city's ability to pay for the Music Center / Aquatic Center.  But knowing how the City plans on paying the debt on the Aquatic and Music centers is one of the reports that I hope we will see real soon.  But then of course, asking staff to produce this it is not an agenda item on any committee yet.

_______________________ References _________________________________________________________

 Click to view the flier I produced prior to the Feb 27, 2014 Council meeting

Click to go to the article I posted because of the Tuesday discussion on the proposed Rules of Council 

Click to go to the  video of the meeting is up on the city's website