Okay, the Norwood Health Levy didn't pass. Am I feeling like a winner? Not at all. I worry about the health of the City. Its' as if it is on life support. There is no money in this City. It is true the City is broke and the Health Department is a casualty of mismanagement of the funds. Why did the City Council let this happen? I'm not blaming City Council all by itself, however, they ran for office to do right by the residents, and homeowners of Norwood. They failed you. It is just that plain and simple. They had knowledge of what condition the city was in ten years ago, five years ago. Yet no one blew the whistle to the residents. I look back on Council Meetings and not one member said, " we need to let the folks in on how bad our problems really are".
The City Council Members act as if they can not challenge the Mayor to the decisions he is making. Look at their votes, they all vote the same on every single issue. I attend some of the meetings and I can tell you I witness this all the time. Only once did I ever see one member vote different. That was Mr. Tom Whittington on the matter of the City of Norwood refusing to refund the over payment on years of trash fee. Mr. Whittington voted No on accepting the decision to keep it in the courts. That was the one time a council member voted different then the others. Just one and only time. I just don't understand why they feel the need to vote all the same all the time.
I have written in the past that I think the Mayor tells them how to vote. Why else would they all let this City get in the mess we are in? Surly, someone could have spoke up at some point. Some one could have said, "What about our Health Department not being funded"? Not one member ever did. Not one member spoke to the dire straights this Department was in? Folks this is what happens when you get too comfortable with your seat. You start to not care and not ask the tough questions. You take the residents and homeowners for granted. You start to slack on your responsibility to serve the residents and voters.
That is why we voted No, this City Council serves us! I have watched years and years the Mayor have his way with them. Council act as if the Mayor has instilled fear in them. Council does not question the Mayor, they don't ask him to explain his decisions, nor do they present questions that residents and voters want to ask. Weather the question is good or bad. The Mayor is not the beginning or the end. It is the City Council that is suppose to prepare themselves with information. This information should then be brought to the floor and discussed openly among the Council Members. Everyones input into the matter should be heard. Council meetings are the place to agree to disagree. Question decisions, talk about levies, discuss money problems, discuss landlord contracts, discuss big business contracts. The only thing I have ever seen is all the members voting yes on issues. And if they are not voting yes all together they are voting on emergency ordinances. Which no one can begin to understand. Fact is Council don't care that you don't understand. They don't care to stop and try to explain little bits of facts about the decisions they make.
That is why so many people in Norwood are turned off to their decisions. The Mayor and City Council keep acting as if they can keep doing business as usual and we are going to keep taking it. Not under my watch. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, however, I think the residents and homeowners deserve more from Norwood City Council. And if they are not given more, I will be there to inform as many residents and homeowners to just vote No!
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