Today the Yakima City Council adopted a so called “Priorities of Government” style of budgeting complete with staff recommendations on using 1.5 million dollars of reserves to help the budget shortfall. It took the skill of a real genius to pull this dysfunctional council together. That genius is none other than City Manager, Dick Zais, the man the three amigos and B.S. want to fire.
Zais spelled out in graphic detail the 2009, 2010 budget using the words P.O.G. and arranging his numbers in boxes instead of pie charts, graphs, and bar charts as was done in the past. The council voted 7-0 to accept staff recommendations lock, stock and barrel thereby bailing out Ensey, Lover, Coffey and Cawley out of a black hole.
If you get a chance, go to the city website and find this special meeting on video and watch the last 45 minutes. It’s about 90 minutes long altogether. Watch as Ensey, Cawley, Lover and Coffey get all giddy about seeing staffs numbers in boxes. These are the same numbers (just updated) that they’ve been given several times in the past year but they chose not to listen.
Plunging blindly forward and under the undue influence of a big bag of wind (Guess who) they produced a power play behind the scenes resulting in the resignation of a very good council member, Neil McClure. And now the spinmeister, B.S., has to explain how his minions aren’t staff driven with their vote to accept all of staff’s recommendations. Was it the proper vote to take? It certainly was and Dick Zais deserves all the Kudos for his masterful presentation and his patience with the very council members that want to remove him.
One of the bugaboos was the Smithites lack of understanding of the budget reserves and how they are used. Kathy Coffey had said the reserve should NEVER be used to balance the budget. Bill Lover at one time said there should be NO reserve and we should make cuts after we run out of money! Rick Ensey has said the “priorities of gov’t” model is simple: you fund your top priorities and if there’s no money left then drop that item from the budget! Micah Cawley probably still doesn’t understand what a reserve is and what it is for.
They all voted to use 1.5 million from reserves to help balance the budget. It is exactly why we even have a reserve; to use in situations like we have now. These are words the amigos scorned the city staff for and are now accepting! They should bow down and kiss Dick Zais feet for finding a way to ease them out of their dilemma.This group has wasted a lot of time and now maybe they can get back to the work of the city instead of their shenanigans.
No wonder there’s no responses here…what a non-story. Mr. Bonlender misses his old position, but is wayyyyyy too chicken to run for it.
The only reason the 4 voted for this is their ass is on the line this Nov, whoo hoo! Can’t wait for change, ya know?
This is too perfect to pass up because it clearly shows mainstreeter’s willingness to ignore obvious facts and truths in a headlong dash just to spout off.
The “4 who voted for it” were the same four who brought it up and passed it the FIRST time around ..the same four that triggered the open meetings circus
and so it is no surprise to anyone but mainstreeter that they voted for it again -with the support of the other three- to have the Priorities of Government pass!!
Unbelievable–whoo hoo.
Dave, I can’t see you getting beyond the primary, the voters will crush your nuts. The mayor recommended Sonia in the first place. We cannot fail.
This is amazing…I thought you were against this from the beginning, or at least when “the three amigos and B.S.” tried to bring it up. Now Dick Zais is a “genius” for getting them to vote for it again? Ensey, Lover, Coffey and Cawley all voted for this before, it takes a real genius to convince them to vote for it a second time, considering they are the ones that originally brought it up and voted for it the first go around…simply amazing
Mainstreter…hundred bucks says Dave makes it past the primary. You have any nuts?
I wont need it, KSHit radio doesn’t garner the fan base the DAVE needs.
Nobody here knows what that means, Mainstreter. Name calling doesn’t “Git ‘er done” Want to man up and put your money where your mouth is?
Ron nice gushing and swooning for DICK
The only reason DICK changed up is because he is smart and seen the handwriting on the wall. The old DICK way of doing business in Yakima would come to a close, now DICK still has his hand in the pot so to speak.
Tune into Kshit radio now playing to mainstreet type people in a new and improved easy to understand format
I have to admit, Dick has the council convinced that he is the holy one so perhaps this is what the 4 had to do to outwit him and make him play ball. I hope this empowers the city council somewhat.
I am sorry to hear about Dave’s accident and I hope he recovers well but I hope he doesn’t win the primary. He just doesn’t strike me as being what Yakima needs today.
You know, I have noticed some format changes on Kit radio after our last go around. Perhaps Dave is trying to remain relevant even though he would not admit that his station’s ratings were in question, that is going down…..
Nice post, Hector…Almost makes me sad to take your money next year…Just kidding.
Gee…didn’t take much to shut up Mainstreter for 3 days, did it?