Hot Time For City Council Today

[Towntalk]

420 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Youngstown, Ohio 44501

Brief Station History: Station 1 is the main city fire station. It is located in the heart of Downtown Youngstown. Station 1 is home to the Fire Chief's office, Training, Shop, and Fire Prevention and Inspection. Opened on March 1, 1956, this station marked the return of a downtown fire station. The city's center had been covered by outlying stations since the early 1930's, when the original downtown station closed. Station 1 was designed by architect Arsene Rousseau and modeled after a station in Toledo, Ohio.

Apparatus: Ladder 22, Squad 33, Battalion 1, Boat 1, Parade 1, Spare 4, Spare 5, Spare 8, Shop 1.

[Peggy Gurney]

Are you saying that No. 7 is the station that will take the hit?

#1, at MLK Blvd and Belmont. 
The Capt at that station is speaking at our neighborhood meeting next week.

[AllanY2525]

I remember the announcement of the deal regarding the fire station at Madison and Elm Street.

The deal was that the guy who built the new dorms on Madison Ave would buy station
#7, demolish it for the land at some point and give the city a boat load of money to
replace it with a brand new fire station elsewhere, and the city benefits greatly if he
follows through with his end of the deal.

Any updates on this?

[Towntalk]

Are you saying that No. 7 is the station that will take the hit?

[Peggy Gurney]

My entire neighborhood has filed complaints. The closing of that truck is going to directly impact the northwest side of the city, my area included.

[AllanY2525]

I've attended a council meeting where a "favored speaker" was given way more than five minutes to speak.  Someone speaking against the status quo was abruptly cut off at five minutes.

Question
Who is the actual time keeper?

Perhaps someone could use "5 minutes with the mayor" to file a complaint, right at the top of city government?


Just an idea.....

[PD]

Valencia marrow or Jen

[jay]

I've attended a council meeting where a "favored speaker" was given way more than five minutes to speak.  Someone speaking against the status quo was abruptly cut off at five minutes.

Question
Who is the actual time keeper?

[Towntalk]

  Yes 

[PD]

I think TT was making and exaggerated joke. Am I right?

[Towntalk]

So in your world speakers could filibuster for hours, days, or weeks, making it impossable for others to speak. Suppose I wanted to address Council, just how long should I be given. Lets say that the issue related to the Fire Department.

[jay]

let 'em yap for 2 minutes then turn off his/her mike and remove him/her from the chamber.

This doesn't sound like the type of democracy I would want to live in any more.

[Towntalk]

Jay my friend, if I were to address Council, I would need 52 hours to make my point and another 52 hours to conclude. 
No one is suggesting that we should stifle speech, but merely say that if you want to speak to council, that 1. you should get permission; 2. that you should have no more than 5 minutes, then shut up.
Apparently in your world a person should have the right to jump up at any point during Council meetings and have an unlimited time to speak their peace, on any topic under the sun, moon and stars.

[PD]

Agreed but you have to set a time limit.  Out of respect for other citizens that want to speak

[jay]

Our city council should be encouraging public participation not stifling it.