 |
What smallery1-square mile coverage could look like. |
While Olddoc (see here) points out the comments that his, Cory's and Jerry's blogs have elicited on the matter, it is Nat's post of yesterday that essentially gives the City Council A FREE CONSULT, based on his forty years experience in the technology-hustling game that IBM and UNISYS are both practitioners and victims of.
Councilor Storch gives a good overview of the issues that ought to be on Councilors' minds as they try to come to a decision on the Administration's proposal. Let's hope similar thinking is going on among the other Councilors.
Jerry is...well, Jerry. We learn that he also has questions about ShotSpotter®, and that he's in touch with alternative providers. Too bad he spoils that good news with his tantrums about Storch and further falsehoods about the Council and the 'previous administration' (have you ever noticed there are never identifiable specifics?).
Nat's blog post gives the Council the benefit of his experience in dealing with the slipperiness of vendors seeking contracts -- and how to make sure you are getting the best product for the best price, and are protecting your organization from being ripped off if the 'steak' doesn't match the 'sizzle'. (This is the kind of hardboiled business sense we can only hope people mean when they speak of bringing a business perspective to government.)
So far, the Robinson-Briggs administration has managed the whole business more as a public relations offensive than as a considered part of any STRATEGY for dealing with crime and gunplay. Consider for instance that the press was invited to the vendor demo at the Rock Avenue ballfields while the Council was not. Consider also that public input -- despite Mayor Robinson-Briggs' much-touted WBLS broadcast -- is only now coming into play with the scheduling by residents of a town hall meeting for Sunday afternoon.
City Administrator Bibi Taylor made it very clear at the last Council meeting that the Robinson-Briggs administration's intent is to go forward, whether by bonding (which the Council must approve), grants (which would not come online for a minimum of two years AFTER APPLYING) or simply piling more onto already overburdened taxpayers by a DIRECT BUDGET ITEM.
All of which is good reason to make plans to come out Sunday AND Monday. On Sunday, you can raise your concerns and questions in a public forum NOT RUN BY THE ADMINISTRATION (see the flyer posted on Maria's blog here) and on Monday, you can hear the Council deliberate further on the proposed bond issue.
Full disclosure: Nat is my partner, Jerry is not. I am godfather to Councilor Storch's children (previously noted) and consider Olddoc a wise voice to be heeded.
SHOTSPOTTER TECHNOLOGY TOWN HALL MEETING
Organized by West End Heights Homeowners
Sunday, October 3 | 4 PM
Clinton Elementary School
West 4th Street at Clinton Avenue
(Parking in Clinton Avenue lot)
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA SESSION
Monday, October 4 | 7:30 PM
City Hall Library
The Public is welcome and may speak at the end of the meeting.
- Councilor Storch: "ShotSpotter: Two things to consider, two to avoid"
- Jerry Green: "9/29/2010 Thoughts"
- Nat Singleton: "ShotSpotter: My comments, Green fails at gundown of Storch"
- Olddoc: "5 weeks till election"
Posts
7 comments:
save a million dollars plus the cost of the upkeep
YOU NEED TO START MAKING PROMOTIONS ALREADY TIRED OF THE BULLSH-T ALREADY
Layoff police officers yet pay for this...??
Nothing like paying for a technology that there won't be enough police officers to respond to.
While I may not have the answers, obviously grants would be the path to pursue before spending any of the taxpayers money.
Can't the Mayor apply the same logic and problem solving methodology to gang violence that enabled her to reduce murders by 300% ?????
If you have so many inherent biases ont his matter, this is not not fair commentary.
@ Rob -
Sharon doesn't have "logic" and knows nothing about "problem solving". She only knows how to LIE!!!
I do agree with something Jerry Green said. The council is in control of the budget. The Mayor could float a 200 million budget but without the council which would include Councilman Storch, the mayors executive budget gets deep-sixed.
Jerry is over the top as usual but in this case he is also right. But of course noone will ever admit to that.
You may not agree with Gerry, but he does look at the bigger picture. Unfortunately, he's stepped back and Sharon is making a big fool of herself, this City, its employees and did I mention herself. Someone HELP!
Post a Comment