Pueblog USa
Thursday, February 26, 2009
On Pinion Canyon — 2
Why the resistence?
Some additional thoughts on the situation around Pinion Canyon. These deal with the history to date.
In the last quarter of the 20th Century….[Gads! That makes me feel sooooo ‘old’.]....I worked at Fort Carson and with units that trained in Pinion Canyon. Indeed. I was an infantry company commander at Fort Carson.
The problem is that one cannot maneuver—for training purposes—anything larger than a brigade. And even then, it has to be a force-on-force excercise—one group against another—as the entire brigade cannot maneuver effectively. This does not allow the brigade commander and his staff to function properly, as all they are in a force-on-force exercise is the ‘referee’. Not the commander of their entire force. This is, in my honest opinion, PP training. [Note: The smart people can figure out what “PP” stands for.]
Fort Carson and the units stationed there need more room to maneuver in order to train well.
Pinion Canyon, as it is today, was purchased in order to provide additional maneuver space. However, people who have no regard for national security, maneuvered themselves to prevent it from being used to its intended purposes. Anyplace where it was suspected that some pre-Columbian American Indian hunting party make a fire to cook their game was declared an archeological find. Therefore ‘off-limits’ for maneuvering units. This restricted training of combat forces to ‘roads’ and ‘trails’ This, in effect, made the training area useless to its intended purposes.
Now, with the expansion of Fort Carson’s tenant units to the return of the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) along with aviation and special operations, we need to review the training areas to support these forces. Pinion Canyon is part of that review.
So this fellow lives in the area of Pinion Canyon. And he’s opposed to expanding it to provide for good training of the people who protect his property, liberty and life.
WHY? And I invite anyone here to answer that question…...
Caveat Emptor — Gain$saver
A less than satisfactory encounter with eCommerce.
We decided we needed another desktop computer last month. But we didn’t feel a need for a new machine, as the new operating system was incompatible with some of the high-end software we had on hand. The software worked well enough on the old machine’s operating system but word was out that there were issues working it in the new operating system. So we decided to look for a refurbished machine to work our older software on the older operating system.
Looking around we encountered an outfit called Gain$aver, a.k.a. GainSaver. It seemed to have the best pricing and reasonable reports on veracity. So we ordered an older machine. We paid extra for it to be bench tested for 24 hours. We paid extra for an extended warranty.
Two weeks ago, about a month after the purchase, the machine began acting up. We reported the problem to Gain$aver.
They promptly issued an RMA. However, the RMA said that it was only good for ‘store credit’, i.e., no refund if they could not replace the machine. This sounded to me like an interesting variation on ‘bait and switch’. They never answered my question about refunds or replacements.
Last week, it was determined that the problem wasn’t the computer. Rather it was an esoteric peripheral device that was messing with the computer. Replacing the device seems to have solved the problem. But not the problem with Gain$aver…..
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
On Pinion Canyon — 1
Thoughts on training areas and eminent domain.
I’ve been quiet on this particular issue. And, based on an inspiration of a bumper sticker I saw on a station-wagon at Hobby Lobby lasts weekend, I think it’s time I came out on this matter.
Who the HECK are these people? And WHY are they so short sighted?
These are the simple questions I’d like to understand better about this matter of expanding the training area afforded the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized).
Additionally, why do they think their property is any more or less at risk than my own house in light of Kelo v. New London? That they should think their home is more important than national defense?
I’ll have more thoughts on that last item in the near future. [Note: Oddly enough, the fellow walking into Hobby Lobby looked like he had a son that could well be impacted, if not a casualty of war, if this matter were resolved in the wrong manner…..
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Back to Politics — BRPoCG - 2
Additional thoughts on the first meeting of the Blue Ribbon Panel of City Government (BRPoCG).
Maybe I should have said, “In a day or two,” instead of “later today”. I was OBE (Overcome By Events) after posting that initial item of similar title. At any rate, here is an additional thought on the initial meeting of the BRPoCG.
There was mention that the panel might want to hear from the Right Honorable Mayor of Denver, Colorado, John Hickenlooper.
I’m not sure WHY someone thinks this might be a good idea, other than the fact that Denver is the largest city in Colorado. But Denver is an ‘odd bird’ in terms of governance. Why? Because Denver’s government combines both city AND county government into one entity. They are not like Pueblo where the city and county government are separate. So whatever he would have to say would not bear too much on whatever form of government Pueblo might want to adopt. It is impossible for the city and county of Pueblo to be united into one entity. This is especially true with the other metropolitan districts in the county, i.e., Beulah, Rye, Colorado City, Pueblo West. Each of them has their own identity and governance and I have doubts that they’d like to join with the city of Pueblo in a monolithic system. They would likely look upon Pueblo having an overwhelming say in their local governance as Puebloans would look upon Denver telling it’s citizens how to deal with their fireplaces or using augmented mobility fuels and get their auto emissions checked.
So why this interest in Hickenlooper? Why not get a mayor of a city who has a similar situation as we have here in Pueblo city-county to speak?
Friday, February 20, 2009
Back to Politics — BRPoCG - 1
Getting back into local politics, vis-a-vis the Blue Ribbon Panel on City Government (BRPoCG)
I had the opportunity to attend the first public meeting of the recently appointed Blue Ribbon Panel on City Government, as it met last Wednesday, 18 February 2009, in City Council Chambers.
It was rather interesting. For a number of reasons. Some of which I doubt the City Council will appreciate exposure. And, just to be honest, others won’t appreciate these insights either.
The audience in chambers was an interesting mixture of the usual as well as the unusual suspects.
We had, not only the appointees to this panel, but members of the City Council, the appointed interim City Manager, the 30+ year contracted city attorney, some people from the Pueblo County Republican Party, the obligatory coverage from the Pueblo Chieftain…and one other….as well as at least one representative from CALM…an attorney in the community, himself.
The opening comments by the panel and the temporary chair were optimistic. Lots of promises about (1) open minds and (2) discussion of advantages and disadvantages. But, as my 58+ year sojourn in this venue has proven….verbal promises aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. And I think those of us with more than two synapses to rub together are recognizing that in a more vivid manner at the federal level these last few weeks.
Making It Cheaper & Better — Sour Cream (Cultured)
Another example of how to save money and provide superior product for yourself in a time of economic distress.
If you think making your own healthy yogurt was simple….
....just wait!
Sour cream is so much easier.
You pay about $4.50 for five pounds of sour cream at Sam’s Club. And, if you’re not into restaurant or catering activities, it can likely go moldy on you before you use it all up. And if you’re not a member of Sam’s Club, it’ll likely be half again as expensive in regular grocery outlets.
What to do??????
There’s an oh-so-simple solution…..
Friday, February 13, 2009
Response -to-a-Response
What are the real facts about this “no bid” deal with NEK? Is the Council really telling us all the details.
Response to a Response
February 8, 2009
Mike, I appreciated your response to my February 6, 2009 email (it was the only one). I received no responses to my January 28 e-mail.
Your response answered some of my questions but left many unanswered concerning both the NEK and El Centro Del Quito Sol situations.
My understanding NEK has been using the honor farm since 2003 with or without the knowledge of the City and not paying for the use of the facility. Is this true?
It is also my understanding that NEK has been under contract with government agencies to supply training services. In the competitive bidding process the cost of supplying this service must have included a facility to meet the requirements of the contract(s). It appears to me that Pueblo has been in fact subsidizing NEK since 2003. The picture that I am receiving is that NEK is not necessarily the visionary angel as described but possibly a greedy profit motivated company that is attempting to take advantage of Pueblo. I suspect that if NEK did not have use of the honor farm they would either lose their contract(s) and/or become much less profitable. Just think, if NEK did not have use of the honor farm, they would have had to have their own land with their own improvements.
I wonder how many thousands of dollars the use of the honor farm has already saved NEK. Because NEK has government contracts, they are accepting public funds, which translates into the fact that both their contracts and their financials are open to the public. I understand the city has requested their financials. Has NEK been forthcoming in making this information available from the time they started using the honor farm facility? I suspect that NEK needs the use of the honor farm far more than we need NEK managing the facility and this is one reason why the management of the facility should have gone out for bid in the first place.
Submitted by,
Ted Freeman
Monday, February 09, 2009
Making It Cheaper & Better — Yogurt
Tired of paying too much for good yogurt?
What’s yogurt cost, anyway?
I seem to recall that a 6 oz. bottlette of some flavored yogurt cost around $.79. And I thought it had too much sugar in it. [Note: I avoid artificial sweeteners like the plague. Last time I tried something with that stuff in it, I saw stars.]
Then, if you’re interested in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking, you need plain yogurt. But if you buy the quart-sized container, it can go ‘south’ on you before you use it all up. And there is undesirable waste.
What’s a body to do?
Try making it yourself…..
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
City Council-City Manager or City Council-Mayor
What form of government is best suited for Pueblo
City Council-City Manager
or
City Council-Mayor
Comments to City Council
January 26, 2009
I am concerned about the situation in which we find the city government; do we keep the council-city manager form and how can that be accomplished when we find that the city is without a city manager and there is an organized group in favor of changing the government to a council-mayor form. How can the city hire a new city manager when these conditions exist? Is it the right time to consider a council-mayor form of city government and for the right reasons?
I feel, as do others, that some of the reasons to change from the council-city manager form, real or perceived are; primarily little or no transparency(the breakdown of communications between the council and city manager, and between the council, the city manager and the public); little or no justification made public of criteria or basis on which decisions on major issues are based and independent of other council members; the lack of opportunities for public input; the inefficient operation of some of the city departments; the lack of oversight of non-departmental operations, including the Urban Renewal Authority.
ISSUES- ISSUES- ISSUES
Lack of oversight on non-departmental operations causes legislating in panic mode
Issues- Issues- Issues
January 28, 2009
I am concerned about the honor farm deal with NEK that is being considered without competitive bidding. There are those that say NEK is willing to invest their own money to make improvements. That may be true. But it must be remembered that NEK is a for profit company and their motive, most likely, for making improvements is not for the benefit of the community but for their ability to increase profits.
Might there be better qualified companies/organizations interested in operating the honor farm facilities and are willing to invest in making improvements. We may never know, because the city was not and continues not to be willing to go out on bid for the operations of the facilities. Secret negotiations generally seem to be the preferred way of doing business.
It is my understanding NEK has been using the honor farm facilities for some period of time for training (a profitable service). I would like to know how long NEK has used the facility and how much they have paid the city prior to the July, 2008 agreement and since that agreement.
This brings up the problem of little or no oversight of non-departmental operations. I believe the proposed change of the city management hierarchy, which I believe is a step in the right direction, must include well defined oversight of these operations. The honor farm/PMI situation is an example.
There is also another example, the fixed base operations at the airport. Recently the city issued a RFP, possibly for the second time, for the fixed base operations. I reviewed the RFP and came to the conclusion that the requirements to update and maintain the operations at the expected high level requested versus the risks and cost for an operator did not make good business sense for any potential bidder.
I attended to the bid opening, I was the only one that did, and it was no surprise to me that only one bid was submitted. This was from a company that was incorporated in November of 2008. This kind of situation seems to happen on a too frequent basis. Why? Is it lack of long term planning, and oversight, or is the city hard to do business with. The people need answers on how the city can provide a more efficient and cost effective government.
Ted Freeman