After a few days of being out of touch, I see on this web site that a number of Chicken Little posters have went to work with a number of concerns about the make up of the NEW Pickerington City council.
First; yes there have been some hurt feelings and bursed egos as a result of the November election and now our re-org held this week. However the re-org votes were unanimous. I know there were members that didn?’t get their way and I didn?’t get my way entirely. However we did reach a decision and that decision was unanimous.
Mayor Shaver has announced that he was running for an open judicial seat with the retirement of Judge Jackson. If the Mayor is successful he will probably resign at the end of 2006. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. Although the re-org did not go exactly the way he would have liked I do not see a rebellion against the Mayor or his policies.
I fully support the Mayor and his efforts to control growth and improve relationships with our neighbors. None of those issues that we ran on it 2003 have changed for me and the others on the majority of council.
When you have seven members on a board or a commission and they are freely elected in a democracy they will all develop different opinions on almost any subject. In November, the voters added three new people to the personality mix on council. We have now formed or we are forming a new collective personality and I think the indications are that this new council will still reflect the desires of the City Voters.
Our first test did occur at our first council meeting with the new ?“Residential Design Standards?”. The vote was 6-1 in favor with Mr. Sabatino voting against the measure. This measure started in July of 2005 and the Mayor and our City Manager have had extensive talks with the BIA and one builder who still opposes these standards. Despite the BIA?’s opposition and the continued threats of a law suit the Mayor, The City Manager and the NEW City Council did not cave. Folks this is public record.
We continue to meet with Violet Township and Canal Winchester trying hammer out some sort of an economic agreement to benefit the entire community.
We continue to finds ways to restructure the City?’s debt.
We will re-write our zoning code book this year and do a focused update of our land use plan, mainly looking at commercial land uses.
I would look to see a new commercial design standards worked on in 2006.
I am encouraged by comments from the NEW council that we will continue to tighten the screws on building and to make every effort to control our future and be able to provide the needed infrastructure.
For those that were not successful in either the November elections and or our council re-org they also have NOT given up and walked away. They ALL will continue to serve the community in either the same capacity or they have taken on some new tasks. I think we all owe them our gratitude for their professional behavior and their dedication to the city and our community.
As the oldest living member of our new city government I truly feel the city will be in good hands when I feel it is time to retire.
First; yes there have been some hurt feelings and bursed egos as a result of the November election and now our re-org held this week. However the re-org votes were unanimous. I know there were members that didn?’t get their way and I didn?’t get my way entirely. However we did reach a decision and that decision was unanimous.
Mayor Shaver has announced that he was running for an open judicial seat with the retirement of Judge Jackson. If the Mayor is successful he will probably resign at the end of 2006. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. Although the re-org did not go exactly the way he would have liked I do not see a rebellion against the Mayor or his policies.
I fully support the Mayor and his efforts to control growth and improve relationships with our neighbors. None of those issues that we ran on it 2003 have changed for me and the others on the majority of council.
When you have seven members on a board or a commission and they are freely elected in a democracy they will all develop different opinions on almost any subject. In November, the voters added three new people to the personality mix on council. We have now formed or we are forming a new collective personality and I think the indications are that this new council will still reflect the desires of the City Voters.
Our first test did occur at our first council meeting with the new ?“Residential Design Standards?”. The vote was 6-1 in favor with Mr. Sabatino voting against the measure. This measure started in July of 2005 and the Mayor and our City Manager have had extensive talks with the BIA and one builder who still opposes these standards. Despite the BIA?’s opposition and the continued threats of a law suit the Mayor, The City Manager and the NEW City Council did not cave. Folks this is public record.
We continue to meet with Violet Township and Canal Winchester trying hammer out some sort of an economic agreement to benefit the entire community.
We continue to finds ways to restructure the City?’s debt.
We will re-write our zoning code book this year and do a focused update of our land use plan, mainly looking at commercial land uses.
I would look to see a new commercial design standards worked on in 2006.
I am encouraged by comments from the NEW council that we will continue to tighten the screws on building and to make every effort to control our future and be able to provide the needed infrastructure.
For those that were not successful in either the November elections and or our council re-org they also have NOT given up and walked away. They ALL will continue to serve the community in either the same capacity or they have taken on some new tasks. I think we all owe them our gratitude for their professional behavior and their dedication to the city and our community.
As the oldest living member of our new city government I truly feel the city will be in good hands when I feel it is time to retire.
