Bonus local rant

We’ve been quiet about local politics lately, so we thought we’d do
a post on the subject. We are sad to announce that the zoo is dead. It
has joined our good friend, Common Sense, who died of neglect here
several years ago.

The zoo is gone, to be replaced with a handicapped-accessable Ecopark
at a future date. Funny how when Credit Island first opened, it was a
nature park with walking trails and wildlife running all over. Then
came the needed amenities; the roads, the golf course, the clubhouse,
the tennis courts and restrooms. And the wildlife all but disappeared.

Then at Fejervary Park we had Monkey Island and a zoo. The monkeys
left first, we think they’re in a bar in Panama trying to figure out
Midwesterners. And now the zoo is going to close, and the wildlife is
going to disappear.

Since it passed our City Council, and the Mayor was all for it, we
have a question or two. The most obvious is; how much is it going to
cost us? Since the city claims it doesn’t have the couple-hundred-
thousand dollars to restore the zoo; is the Ecopark going to be less
money? We notice nobody was willing to put a price tag on this
wonderful destination of the future. Or do we wait until an exploritory
committee is formed and comes up with a total.

We’re not even sure what an Ecopark is, or why we need one to bring
people here. We figured we’d help the city out and give them a starting
figure. We’d guess the total to rehab will run $1.4 million.
we believe this to be an accurate, low end, figure. Depending on the
number, and quality of amenities, it could go higher.

We would suggest our City Leaders take care of other things first-

1. Look into how to bring our population back up to what it was 25
years ago. For those who wear rose-colored-glasses; population growth
measured in tenths of a percent is not growth, it is stagnation. We
would like to see Davenport with a bigger population than Cedar Rapids.
We did years ago.

2. Do damage control on the perception that crime is rampant in our
city. Just stating we have a ‘zero tolerance on crime’ is not enough.
We’d like to know what has been implimented to make it happen. Doesn’t
zero tolerance imply that if you commit a crime you will get some sort
of consequence for you actions?

3. Get busy and repair the potholes. It should be budgeted for some
streets to be repaved completely as opposed to patched. The streets
aren’t going to get better on their own.

4. Tighten up, or at least clarify some of your actions. Contract sales
of houses comes to mind. Are there people slipping through the cracks
and renting? When is a rent to own, a contract sale? And do we have
anyone who looks for fraud?

That’s our little extra rant of the day. Comments on our opinion, or
anything else are welcome.

Weekend ramblings and a cruise

A lot of recalls out there. DaimlerChrysler seems to lead the automotive pack. There’s also a ton of children’s products being recalled, for various reasons; death, severed finger, lead paint and the like. Unfortunately, the list goes on. To learn more go to-  http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/recallsdesc.htm

 A week from today,  the FBI will release its annual Hate Crime Statistics on their website at 9 a.m. at http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm#hate 

 In 10 days free yard waste pickup will start. Solo had a post about on his blog. http://solodavenport.blogspot.com/

 We’re going to take the weekend to finish the yardwork and then get the vehicles ready for winter. I’d rather do it now than in the snow.

 Lastly, there is a Cruise-in tomorrow night at Southpark Mall hosted by the Quad-Cities Cruisers. It starts at 6 pm, and goes until the oldfarts get too cold. This is the last big event of the season to our knowledge so try to make it. It’s usually a big deal before everyone puts away their toys for the year. So, if there’s not much going Saturday night, stop over for some neat cars, nice people, and good music.

Accident waiting to happen

 Mismanagement and climate change are shrinking clean water supplies worldwide.
Studies done by government and utilities agree that cities and towns will need
to spend $250 billion to $500 billion more over the next 20 years to maintain
the drinking water and waste-water systems we equate with modern living. We have
the lowest price for tap water in the world at $2.50 per 1,000 gallons. While
some people believe water is free, it cost money to treat, move, store, and
distribute it to our homes.
  In America there are 250,000 to 300,000 water main breaks per year, and that
number is increasing as the infrastruture ages. The real problem is utilities
are subsidized and don’t charge us the real cost of doing business. The answer
may lay in a tax on bottled water or toilet paper. Federal funding  for drink-
ing water and waste-water treatment has declined 24% since 2001.
 Atlanta may have the answer. Over the past 5 years, Atlanta tackled a water
system in crisis with a $3.9 billion improvement program. The city doubled the
water rates, and voters approved a 1% sales tax to help turn around a system
in which raw sewage spilled into waterways, and dangerous street sinkholes
and advisories to boil water were a regular occurance due to watermain breaks.
 Some experts agree it will take a catastropic infrastructure failure causing
widespread illness or death to spur action. Water main breaks are a warning
of this event. Most systems are at least 70 years old and are nearing the end
of their usefullness. Will it take a catastropic failure? I certainly hope not.
Conservation is part of the equation, bringing the systems into the 21st Century
is the other. I can only hope something is done before a major failure.
For the whole story go here-
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/070527/4water.htm

 I would like to thank U.S. News and World Report and Marianne Lavelle for doing
this story in the June 4, 2007 edition of the magazine. All comments are welcome.

Sweepers and a Car auction

Someone mentioned about not being able to find the webpage for the street sweeping schedule.
For a look at the City Street Sweeping schedule page go here.   week2 week3 week4

Earlier I mentioned an upcoming auction with over 100 cars and tons of parts. The Lloyd May collection is being auctioned off July 27, 28, and 29 in Neponset, Illinois. The parts auction and preview will be Friday July 27, 2007, at 10 am.

LLoyd is an old stockcar racer and quenched his need for speed by collecting cars and Hi-performance parts for over 30 years. Many rare and sought after Fords, including 5 R code Galaxies, Chevrolet, MoPar, Buick and an assortment of HiPo parts including multiple Ford 427’s, a RARE Ford 1966 SOHC Hemi “Cammer” motor, 427 2-4bbl set-ups, and much more. The cars range from a 1915 Ford Model T touring to a 1968 Chevy Nova SS, built strictly for racing that has nitrous.

If you go to website you can learn more at
Vanderbrink Auctions