Here's a wonderful idea to solve this problem. The company that supplies these containers can paint them with wonderful scenes from around the nation, which can blend into the landscape of the city of Springfield. The City Council will be happy so they can still continue to IGNORE the ordinance that they passed. The whiners that complain about the storage containers won't realize they are storage containers because they blend in with the landscape. The owner of the storage container company will have BEAUTIFUL containers which can have historic scenery painted on the sides or different places from around the country and (s)he can charge a little extra for the cost of the container beautification. All of this WITHOUT GOVERNMENT intervention, a proper Libertarian solution.
Permits to stop for six months, but staff say it will make little difference.
Jenny Fillmer
jfillmer@news-leader.com
The Springfield City Council voted Monday to stop issuing permits for on-site storage containers for the next six months, so it can review regulation of the units.
City staff members say the vote doesn't really change anything, because nobody ever asked for a permit in the first place, leaving thousands of the containers, on-site storage trailers and temporary storage units in the city out of compliance.
Containers the size of the trailer portion of a tractor-trailer rig often are placed near businesses to store extra merchandise on site, especially while stockpiling for the holiday season.
The permit suspension forces storage container owners who had neglected to obtain permits to either continue operating illegally or stop renting out units in the city.
But Mayor Tom Carlson said the six-month suspension isn't intended to put anyone out of business."If they're getting away with it, they're going to continue getting away with it."
Councilman Gary Deaver said widespread disregard for the law was why he asked the council to review it.
"Six years ago the council passed a law, but (no unit owners) have gone through the process and been approved," said Deaver.
Based on a consultant's recommendation, the council during its six-month review of the law also will consider environmental and aesthetic issues related to the containers, as well as how they affect neighboring property values.
The suspension rattled Brenda Teeslink, owner of Springfield-based Mobile Storage Solutions. Her company rents containers to local retailers.
"I don't have a problem with a study being done, but to say we can't rent trailers for six months, I might as well shut my doors," said Teeslink.
"Why do we need to stop us doing business for 180 days if you're just trying to determine if there's a detriment to the land values?" asked Teeslink.
Councilwoman Mary Collette pointed out a provision in the ordinance allowing for written appeal in certain instances. But neither council members nor city staff offered Teeslink additional guidance for operating her business legally during the next six months.
However, city staff said, unless someone files a complaint about a particular container, the city probably won't do anything about them.
"I don't know that we'd be enforcing (the law), because it would be hard to keep up," said city planning director Ralph Rognstad. "We don't have inspectors looking at every property every day."
Make your VOTE count.
VOTE third party candidates and scare the bejesus out of the monopoly parties
Tom Martz
candidate 139th district
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Report: Missing court funds top $1 million
I wonder if our esteemed City Council still believes it is a waste of money for the citizens of Springfield to see the city get a REAL AUDIT.
I guess we should also demand a refund from KPMG since there auditing procedures didn't catch this missing cash. I wonder if KPMG also audits the Springfield Government School System as well?? After all our government school system misplaced over five million dollars a few years back, and when the voters said NO to a tax increase for the schools this five million was found hiding under a desk drawer some where in the administration office.
To those of you that don't believe the city should be audited, well if this was YOUR million dollars you want it back wouldn't you??
http://www.sbj.net/db/docs/municipalcourtreport.pdf
Report: Missing court funds top $1 million
Funds missing from SpringfieldÂ’s Municipal Court are now estimated at $1 million or more.
The new figure — more than double previous estimates — was announced this afternoon in a report released by the city manager’s office.
The report summarizes the cityÂ’s monthlong administrative investigation of the suspected embezzlement, which was discovered in mid-June.
The investigation included the services of a certified forensics examiner, who audited the courtÂ’s financial records dating from Jan. 1, 2000, to June 13 of this year. The new estimate comes from this examinerÂ’s findings. The city has now asked the examiner to expand the scope of the investigation to Jan. 1, 1997.
“The discredit this has caused, and will continue to cause the Court and the City of Springfield, is enormous,” the report reads. “It will be extremely difficult to repair the damage that has been caused from this incident, as well as mend the public trust.”
A criminal investigation, led by the Springfield Police Department, is ongoing, aided by the forensics examiner. A former court employee was arrested and released June 23 on suspicion of felony stealing. No charges have been filed.
To change the monolopy of American politics
VOTE LIBERTARIAN
Tom Martz
district 139 candidate
I guess we should also demand a refund from KPMG since there auditing procedures didn't catch this missing cash. I wonder if KPMG also audits the Springfield Government School System as well?? After all our government school system misplaced over five million dollars a few years back, and when the voters said NO to a tax increase for the schools this five million was found hiding under a desk drawer some where in the administration office.
To those of you that don't believe the city should be audited, well if this was YOUR million dollars you want it back wouldn't you??
http://www.sbj.net/db/docs/municipalcourtreport.pdf
Report: Missing court funds top $1 million
Funds missing from SpringfieldÂ’s Municipal Court are now estimated at $1 million or more.
The new figure — more than double previous estimates — was announced this afternoon in a report released by the city manager’s office.
The report summarizes the cityÂ’s monthlong administrative investigation of the suspected embezzlement, which was discovered in mid-June.
The investigation included the services of a certified forensics examiner, who audited the courtÂ’s financial records dating from Jan. 1, 2000, to June 13 of this year. The new estimate comes from this examinerÂ’s findings. The city has now asked the examiner to expand the scope of the investigation to Jan. 1, 1997.
“The discredit this has caused, and will continue to cause the Court and the City of Springfield, is enormous,” the report reads. “It will be extremely difficult to repair the damage that has been caused from this incident, as well as mend the public trust.”
A criminal investigation, led by the Springfield Police Department, is ongoing, aided by the forensics examiner. A former court employee was arrested and released June 23 on suspicion of felony stealing. No charges have been filed.
To change the monolopy of American politics
VOTE LIBERTARIAN
Tom Martz
district 139 candidate
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Candidate forum
Last night I and several other LP candidates attended a political forum for all candidates hosted by Families for Change, here in Springfield. All three parties were represented by different people in different districts. The web page for this group is www.familiesforchange.com. This group is comprised of concerned citizens that are fed up with the abuses of DFS(department of family services).
The meeting started with a prayer and then on to the introductions. All candidates were invited to participate in this forum, however many didn't show up. There were a few that allowed the moderator to know they couldn't attend the event, the others just blew off this organization of concerned parents.
The introductions seemed destined to pit republicans against democrats in a political bickering contest. Our very own Kevin Craig running in the 7th district against Roy Blunt brought out many failures of the so called conservative legislator.
GREAT JOB Kevin as I believe you woke up a few in attendance.
Many of those in attendance talked about their background and why they decided to run for public office, there were only 3 of us that informed the attendees that we weren't going to continue the bloated government theme.
MediScare was the first topic brought up and I was quite surprised how many in attendance were of the essence that they should be able to rely upon government services for their well being. This topic became a political hot potato(e)(thanks Dan) between the detractors of the two political parties NOW in POWER. The talks of funding cuts of the MediScare program were rampant. All one needs to do is look at the budget for that program over the past decade or two and you won't find any spending cuts. The Democrat hopefuls once again used the tried and true method of scaring our elderly without the facts to back up their claims, but then again the two major political parties have never had to prove anything since they are both destined to have POWER.
We did have one actual current representative on hand and that was Bob Dixon. Bob is a nice enough guy, and it seems his heart is in the right place, but he just like most republicans realize the only way to get re-elected is to bring the bacon back to your own congressional district. This is why many have become addicted to government services.
By the way Bob the states budget isn't balanced, technically you can say it is, however there is a 400 million dollar loan floating around in Jeff City which allowed for you to be able to make that comment last night. Call it a slight of hand, a technicality, or a lie either one you chose would be correct. You can't possibly balance a budget on BORROWED money.
There was one particular person at this event which brought back memories of Hillary to me. Yes he was brash, passionate, and a defender of government programs, but his demeanor will probably cost him the election. The trend of the evening was how some people have helped others since they got involved in the campaign process, I wonder why they don't do that even when they aren't running for political office??
All things being equal I learned much from my first foray into the political world and will use this knowledge to help me when I finally learn who my competition is going to be for the general election.
Vote Libertarian it's the only way to change the government of status quo.
Tom Martz
district 139 candidate
The meeting started with a prayer and then on to the introductions. All candidates were invited to participate in this forum, however many didn't show up. There were a few that allowed the moderator to know they couldn't attend the event, the others just blew off this organization of concerned parents.
The introductions seemed destined to pit republicans against democrats in a political bickering contest. Our very own Kevin Craig running in the 7th district against Roy Blunt brought out many failures of the so called conservative legislator.
GREAT JOB Kevin as I believe you woke up a few in attendance.
Many of those in attendance talked about their background and why they decided to run for public office, there were only 3 of us that informed the attendees that we weren't going to continue the bloated government theme.
MediScare was the first topic brought up and I was quite surprised how many in attendance were of the essence that they should be able to rely upon government services for their well being. This topic became a political hot potato(e)(thanks Dan) between the detractors of the two political parties NOW in POWER. The talks of funding cuts of the MediScare program were rampant. All one needs to do is look at the budget for that program over the past decade or two and you won't find any spending cuts. The Democrat hopefuls once again used the tried and true method of scaring our elderly without the facts to back up their claims, but then again the two major political parties have never had to prove anything since they are both destined to have POWER.
We did have one actual current representative on hand and that was Bob Dixon. Bob is a nice enough guy, and it seems his heart is in the right place, but he just like most republicans realize the only way to get re-elected is to bring the bacon back to your own congressional district. This is why many have become addicted to government services.
By the way Bob the states budget isn't balanced, technically you can say it is, however there is a 400 million dollar loan floating around in Jeff City which allowed for you to be able to make that comment last night. Call it a slight of hand, a technicality, or a lie either one you chose would be correct. You can't possibly balance a budget on BORROWED money.
There was one particular person at this event which brought back memories of Hillary to me. Yes he was brash, passionate, and a defender of government programs, but his demeanor will probably cost him the election. The trend of the evening was how some people have helped others since they got involved in the campaign process, I wonder why they don't do that even when they aren't running for political office??
All things being equal I learned much from my first foray into the political world and will use this knowledge to help me when I finally learn who my competition is going to be for the general election.
Vote Libertarian it's the only way to change the government of status quo.
Tom Martz
district 139 candidate
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