Free-For-All Friday 9/18/09
Decatur Metro | September 18, 2009Use this post to ask questions and comment on local issues not posted within the past week.
Comments are closed on Monday.
Use this post to ask questions and comment on local issues not posted within the past week.
Comments are closed on Monday.
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Long time lurker, first time commenter. Please forgive me if this has already been discussed elsewhere on the DM site. I have a burning question:
I see white passenger vans marked with the Phoenix Industries logo at the intersection of Sycamore and Church Street ALL the time. Sometimes there are multiple vans idling at the intersection, or apparently circling the block over and over.
A reliable source suggests that Phoenix Industries handles food service for some Decatur restaurants. But at the Church Street intersection, the vans just seem to pick up passengers. Many, many passengers, in many, many white passenger vans. And food service doesn’t seem to be part of these transactions. Can anyone tell me what’s going on?
Thanks for your help with my mini-mystery!
I’m not sure exactly who/what they are, but there is a constant chain of vans linking the VA Hospital with the Marta station in Decatur. I would speculate they are a contract transportation service.
there are phoenix industries vans (contracted shuttle service) that shuttle patients & employees from clinics & off site parking in downtown Decatur. These shuttles run approximately every 15 minutes & likely have more vans during certain busier times of the day.
the stakes are high and so am I
it’s in the air toni-i-ight
It’s a free-for-all!
Ted “The Motor City Madman” Nugent would be proud of you, Grift.
Ah! That makes some sense. Thank you, mister Snake Wrangler!
Boy this place is deader than Medlock after a flood.
…too soon.
Are there any efforts by the city to mediate stormwater? Driving around town I see a lot of standing water in the streets and the creeks going crazy, just wondering if there have ever been any efforts to enact some creative stormwater manegement. (granted the rain this past week has been unreal!)
It would be nice to see some bio-swales and green streets similar to Portland/Chicago. If narrowing Church is really going to happen, this would be a perfect place to start!
The stormwater infrastructure in Decatur is much discussed and the stormwater utility that was created some years back was done to provide at least some funding source. A basic problem is that the existing infrastructure is 70 or 80 years old. The City is well aware of where the problems are, but the fixes are involved and expensive. Part of the football stadium rebuilding last year replaced some infrastructure there and a major effort will take place next spring to rebuild the system from Trinity in front of the fire station through to N McDonough to intersect with that.
Steve- I always find your comments insightful, you definitely always know what you are talking about. Who are you? DM won’t say who he is either so it’s OK. I’m still convinced he’s a unicorn.
Anyways, not directed at you just a general peeve.
Everyone is on hard times, self included, and i realize that extends to every part of society, including governments and maybe them more so.
I realize this is rare to get so much rain, but the flooding is public safety issue.
Not really to the extent crime is, but it’s still an issue.
So i get irked when i hear about the cost of public works projects that seem necessary. Steve, this is when you will jump in and explain that fixing infrasctructure issues of that magnitude is in the millons and and it will be fixed in Spring.
I am sick and tired of hearing “not in the budget.” Hey, here’s a hint, get creative and manage your bleeping money. Especially when i give it to you! But especially when it comes to public safety issues it’s a big deal.
I don’t have kids but it seems like a no brainer that furloughing teachers is rediculous. Even more so with firefighters. And fix the rivers that are supposed to be streets.
OK, now everyone can jump on me correct my spelling and grammar, tell me that’s overly simple and basically i’m an idiot!
On a lighter note, the line at taqueria del sol was insane last night. No more so than a usual Friday, but i was too hungry to wait and hopped over to Taco Mac. I love their beer selection anyways.
Your right Rebeccab. Yes, the cost of some of these public works projects are enormous and will take a long time. But saying “it’s not in the budget” or “its someone else’s responsibility” is just not going to cut it. Particularly when you consider how much money the city wastes on some things. Yes, the $1 million they spent for wayfinding signs is not going to be a drop in the bucket to replace our aging sewers, but it just doesn’t sent the right signal.
“how much money the city wastes on some things”
First of all, the signs didn’t cost anywhere near $ 1M and they were done out of bond money specifically designated for that purpose and were called out as one of the projects when the bonds were voted on (you do vote in City elections, don’t you?).
Second, I would be interested in other things that you think the City wastes money on. I happen to think, having observed over 20 years, that Decatur is as well run as any place and better than most. If you have concerns, take it up with your elected officials. BTW, have you participated in the annual City citizen budget study groups? You learn a lot about about how the City is operated in those.
As far as “not in the budget”, the budgets are only so much based upon the revenue from various sources. The concept of the storm water utility that was adopted some years ago is to provide dedicated $$ for that specific purpose. If you would like pay more for that purpose, let your City Commissioners know. “its someone else’s responsibility” – I don’t follow you here – the City knows about the problem and is addressing it as well as they can.
The City really ought to put you on payroll, Steve.
DM: When you write the book of this blog you can name this chapter: Hooty and the Crawfish.
LOL.
Or Hooty and the Blowhards. Maybe not so funny.
When I was out and about in town today, I saw that the retail space next to Piece of Cake (formerly Victory Vintage, or something like that) had the windows papered, as if the space were being worked on. Anyone know if that space has been leased, and if so, what’s going in there?
I’ve walked by several times and it doesn’t seem like anything is going on. I hope it’s a sushi place that specializes in discount premium beer.