A banner day in Monroe

At the risk of being roasted over this, I offer congrats to anyone who was responsible for putting up the streetlight banners calling attention to the River Raisin Battlefield.
Also, despite any naysayers (and I'm usually a big fan of naysaying), I think this battlefield thing has a lot of potential for the area.
If anyone has driven by the old paper plant site of the battlefield recently, it's finally torn down (regardless of who might be lining their pockets from it) and it's a vast improvement.
If I were a politician -- any politician -- I'd be jumping on this bandwagon even if I hated history or the people involved in it.
Even if this doesn't pan out, this seems like one of those no-brainer, common good, kind of ideas.
Anyone care to do battle with me over this view?

Graffiti again

Okay, so maybe I have an obsession.
But it was refreshing to see in the Monroe Schmooz that I'm not the only one bent out of shape about grafffiti. Ken Wickenheiser and Brian Beneteau were gnashing about it and I sympathize with them.
How's this for an idea -- the Main Street/DDA/downtown business network and others throw down a little cash and put up a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction. Then, get a conviction and make the perp a graffiti cleaner for six months. You could have a rotating crew of chumps supplied by their greedy little stoolie friends.
What member of council will run with this one?

I'm all for July 4, but ...

Is anyone else just a little bothered that a FIREWORKS FACTORY OUTLET store has opened on Jones Ave. in the city on the fringe of a residential area?

It's probably all legal and such, but if our zoning code allows this, I think there's something wrong with it.

Can you believe it?

The buzz around city hall about the "assessment" is so loud, you practically can hear it on Hellenberg island.
Apparently, a copy has been making the rounds in advance of a public unveiling and it's shaking up a lot of people.
I've just picked up bits and pieces and I don't know if any of it's true, but it sounds like -

The fire department is going to lose some people.
The police department will lose at least one officer post.
The assistant city manager job will cease to exist.
The clerk/treasurer spot discontinued (can they really do that?)
The receptionist is out the door again.
A planner post is being cut.
Some merging of departments is planned.
Some DPS jobs will be privatized.
The city council will be dissolved.

I'm told these are just a few ideas. Are any of them good?

Is there more money in the bank?

I was on one of my early morning strolls the other day and started wondering about the new Monroe Bank & Trust building. Does anyone have any opinions or hard evidence of what effect the new bank building has had on downtown.
Good or bad, can anyone say what's it has done or hasn't done for Monroe?

Totally unrelated, does anyone know the story behind the young girl they found unconscious in St. Mary's Park early last Friday morning? Apparently she was around 15 and surrounded by pills and was laying near the picnic shelter. Does anyone know the circumstances and if she's okay?

A few questions to ponder & a request

Hopefully, we can set aside some of the anger and hostility and ponder some issues a little more deeply and a little less like juveniles.
I would be interested to hear perspectives on these three questions:
1. Did it ever occur to anyone that a Monroe Transfer lawsuit was inspired by people in the city who wanted to see this company come in but didn't have the political guts to say so publicly? And that Monroe Transfer was advised that the most expedient means to their end would be a lawsuit?
2. Did it ever occur to anyone that the difference between Monroe Transfer and R&M is that R&M isn't smack in the middle of a neighborhood on a site that has a lot of bad memories for many people?
3. And did it every occur to fans of personal attacks that the stalking case involving Mr. Smith and Ms. Compora had absolutely no winners? No one was vindicated and a lot was damaged?

One other thing: I've mentioned this before and I'll say it again -- you have the right to your opinion and the right to post it here. But let's try to clean it up a little. I'm not going to waste my time censoring birdbrains, but the birdbrains really have the power to ruin this forum for everyone. I am considering blocking posters who don't have the intelligence to make their points without language you wouldn't want your granddaughter to read. Even anonymously, I don't want to be an enabler for such people. Maybe I'll start moderating the comments. Don't say I didn't tell you. Then you'll just have to watch while the rest of us slander you.

A worthwhile topic

In case you missed it, one of the commenters on this blog put up this post, which might provide fodder for lively discussion. Here's the post from ALACAJUN:

Don't want to change the topic of the thread or try and direct the Observers Blog but I am just curious about something.

On June 14th Monroe Transfer, LLC followed out on there threat to file a lawsuit against the City of Monroe (http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-miedce/case_no-2:2007cv12549/case_id-221844/). Guess that I am curious how people feel. I don't have access to the Justia (federal court web host) for further information so I have not read the filing petition and have no idea what the premise of the suit is. If there is someone that does please let me know.

What do you think? Is this cool because we have liability insurance to cover the cost? Is this bad because it may send a message to employers that we are not welcoming? Is this going to make the folks who have put four by four signs in there yard on Railroad Street happy? (Side note; does "Joe" know about these signs? Are these things legal? Has Dave Smith posted them yet on Historic Monroe.org?).

I guess that we can find out if Monroe Transfer LLC is even wanting to be deal with the City by there response (or lack of) to the Citizen's Planning Commission.

What does everyone think? Good thing, bad thing, doesn't matter thing?

The Who Gets the Boot Game

Let's play it!
The city is talking about putting a wheel lock on parkers who ignore parking tickets.
Step right up and try your luck. Guess who gets the boot first.
I'm guessing it won't be one of the major ticket offenders. It will probably be a lesser known repetitive offender. Some small potato just to make an example of.
But let's guess anyway.
The person who guesses right gets a guest shot on the ticket validation committee or a voucher for a free tow.

I'm not getting nervous, but ...

Okay, everybody who thinks George Brown is a decent city manager, raise your hand.
That's what I thought. Most people I've talked to think that he treads a pretty fine tightrope and tries to handle things as expeditiously as possible.
But I worry.
There was a blurb a little while ago in the Monroe Snooze that said he asked for an extension of the time required to take up residence in the city. The reason was he couldn't find a house.
THAT"S REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE given the housing market around here.
I blogged about his lack of residency before. Now I left wondering what game is being played here.
I figure:
a) He can't sell his existing home.
b) He wanted to wait till the school year was out.
c) He's fearful about losing his job.
d) He or his family really don't like Monroe.
e) He or his family are just way too entrenched in Adrian.
f) He thinks prices here are too high or the homes are too crummmy.
g) All of the above.
After some reflection and not doubting at all that he really is committed to Monroe, I have a suggestion: Don't make him move here at all.
What's the point?
Or maybe here's a better suggestion: Make him live within the city as soon as every other city employee is required to live in the city.
Good idea or bad?

Okay, I'll bite

There were various comments amid the postings below that talked about what doesn't work downtown.

Okay, so can anyone with any credibility tell me what does bring people to downtown Monroe and help business? I suspect attorneys and staffing places don't care how many people come downtown.

So answer me this: What works to bring people downtown to retail businesses -- food places as well as places like Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Martin's Shoe House, the Book Nook, and other places. I'd like to hear from the people who actually have to rely on foot traffic for their business.

I have a theory about this, but I'd like to hear it from the horses' mouths.

Chamber of horrors?

Can someone please explain to me what the deal is with the chamber of commerce?
I bring up the question because I saw a flier for their carnival out at Frenchtown mall.
Is there still bad blood between city merchants -- some who I presume are still members of the chamber -- and the chamber bosses? If I remember right, the chamber upset a lot of people by offering to run the parking validation program in place of the downtown business network.
If I remember right, the chamber upset a lot of people by letting the carnival set up in the parking lot across from St. Mary's Park.
If I remember right, the chamber used to be on Front St. downtown, then it moved to Front St. near the railroad track and now it's out on N. Dixie across I-75 in Frenchtown.
Has the chamber been run out of town or are they a bit too slow to understand that a chamber of commerce should have a very visible location on a main drag in a downtown area that's close to where new businesses might visit attorneys, accountants, courts, staffing agencies and other business oriented services?
Am I missing the big picture on this? Someone educate me.

Budgeted demolition?

It's great to see the old Monroe Paper Co. coming down to make way for what might be our historic River Raisin battlefield park. Man, do you see how much re-rod is in that building?
Anyway, did I read correctly that the city is advancing money from a water fund because the state grant for this work is being held up.
Did I miss council action on this or was it an administrative decision? Regardless, does this make anyone else just a little bit nervous?