Link: Governing: Water/May 2008
This makes me glad I live in a small community where we are primary users of a mountain source, i.e. we flush our toilets and they drink it in Montanna. Raises an interesting point that few people ponder: Many communities have sources that include effluent from their own or other communities. It's all a question of time and distance from toilet to glass.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
My rear end is falling asleep
In local government there are few things more painful than budget hearings during an election year. Everyone wants to appear both simultaneously generous to special interests, and fiscally responsible to the average voter. The result would be entertaining if it didn't involve hours of meetings.
I've actually gotten of the hook easy this year. I was out of town with mom when the division budget was presented, so a member of my staff made the pitch (and did a good job too). Our budget is straightforward enough that we escaped without too many questions. The Council is also changing as the city grows and the budget becomes more complicated. There are a lot fewer line item questions ("Mr. Briggs, do you really need $6,000 dollars a year for office supplies?" "No, I suppose we could go back to stealing pens from the bank again."), and a lot more programmatic and policy questions. There is also a lot of collaboration with the Treasurer's office in
As a manager the most painful part is the slash. We were a little more than three million short in requested allocations versus revenue this year. After the tally is made, all of the departments and divisions are asked to trim. Every manager slides in a little slush (cushion, conservative estimate, Cayman island fund... whatever your little heart wants to call it) into the division budget. Part of these contingencies are practical and ethical. Bids rarely match estimates, emergencies happen, and unforeseen opportunities emerge. What kills is murdering darlings. Realizing that your pet project or piece of equipment may be really cool, but does it really outweigh replacing the 1978 Ford that some poor guy in the Utilities division has had to drive?
Still you do have to reward your division from time to time.
I've actually gotten of the hook easy this year. I was out of town with mom when the division budget was presented, so a member of my staff made the pitch (and did a good job too). Our budget is straightforward enough that we escaped without too many questions. The Council is also changing as the city grows and the budget becomes more complicated. There are a lot fewer line item questions ("Mr. Briggs, do you really need $6,000 dollars a year for office supplies?" "No, I suppose we could go back to stealing pens from the bank again."), and a lot more programmatic and policy questions. There is also a lot of collaboration with the Treasurer's office in
As a manager the most painful part is the slash. We were a little more than three million short in requested allocations versus revenue this year. After the tally is made, all of the departments and divisions are asked to trim. Every manager slides in a little slush (cushion, conservative estimate, Cayman island fund... whatever your little heart wants to call it) into the division budget. Part of these contingencies are practical and ethical. Bids rarely match estimates, emergencies happen, and unforeseen opportunities emerge. What kills is murdering darlings. Realizing that your pet project or piece of equipment may be really cool, but does it really outweigh replacing the 1978 Ford that some poor guy in the Utilities division has had to drive?
Still you do have to reward your division from time to time.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Not Forgotten
No I haven't abandoned my blog already, just trying to get back to the grind at work. Spring has finally made it to northern Wyoming, and the construction season is heating up. That means the planning director may not get a break until the hell or northern Wyoming freezes over again.
Wyoming's housing market, with the exception of Cheyenne and a couple of other locations, is still in pretty good shape, and by good shape I mean completely schizoid crazy. The energy and natural resource extraction industry plays a big part of it, as well as the "just because you were a stockbroker or doctor doesn't mean that you can't try to be a rancher as well" crowd. The sad thing is that the prices have gotten nuts all across the board. In the town we live in this is partially because of nice vistas of the mountains, good schools, and recreational opportunities. The other part is we built all of three and a half homes in the late eighties.
Right now just about everyone dabbles in real estate. A joke one of my friends tells is that there are two questions of the Wyoming real estate license exam:
1. What is 5% of $100
2. What is 5% of $1,000
Truth be told, I know some pretty nice real estate agents (including a couple that work very hard to try to match people with housing they can really afford), but it doesn't help the insanity much. Keep in mind that this was a community where in 2000, $150,000 could get you a pretty decent pad. Now it can't even get you into many of the subsidized "affordable housing" projects popping up around town. Believe it or not the three bedroom house in the picture (on a 6,150 square foot lot) is listed for $310,000. No, you don't get the ranch, horse, or view of the mountains with that...
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Mom's Obituary
I posted a briefer death notice on my facebook page, but here is the obituary I wrote for Mom. It's amazing to think that she passed away on the same day that her father was killed in light plane crash 39 years ago. For those of you who knew my Mom and wish to honor her, information on the Unit Scholoarship Fund is found in the last paragraph of the obit.
Deborah “Debbie” Lynn Briggs
Debbie was born on January 9, 1954 in Ft. Benning, Georgia. Her family moved to Phoenix, AZ where Debbie grew up graduating from Sunnyslope High School in 1972. She attended the University of Arizona, and as the spouse of an Air Force Serviceman had the opportunity to travel extensively. She lived in Izmir, Turkey; Washington D.C.; Glendale, Arizona; Lakenheath, England; Mountain Home, Idaho; and Logan, Utah.
Debbie was a lifelong learner, and in 2006 she graduated magna cum laude from Utah State University with bachelor’s degrees in Education and Geography. She loved reading, travel, photography and scrapbooking her many adventures.
Debbie is preceded in death by her father, Robert Dean Tietjen. She is survived by her mother and stepfather Patricia and Daniel Broderick; by her sons Robert and Daniel Briggs and their wives; her grandchildren Gabriel, Jonathan, and Kathryn; by her siblings Robert Tietjen, Beth Paschal, Daniel Broderick, David Broderick, John Broderick, and Karen Bartholf; and by her niece and nephew Brianna and Brandon Paschal as well as several step nieces and nephews.
At Debbie’s request, no funeral services will be held.
The family would like to thank a number of friends, acquaintances, medical personnel, and hospice workers who made Debbie’s illness easier for her to bear.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Debbie may contribute to the Unit Scholarship Fund; PO Box 43211; Fayetteville, North Carolina 28309-3211. This organization provides funding for the college education of families of military personnel who are killed while in the service.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Made it
My brother and I arrived yesterday, and found my mother and grandmother in good spirits. Mom told us that she has decided to stop chemo. We want her to talk to her doctor before she makes the final decision, but honestly if right now represents the quality of life she will have and she makes an informed decision, it might be for the best. Her oncologist gives her 6-12 weeks is she ceases chemo. I will update more as I know more...
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Kate
We busted it out to get the house a little cleaner for my brother's arrival. Kate came down and was impresed with the results and said, "Now my house is clean... Thank you Daddy," and gave me a big hug. She is such a sweety, and yes she has me wrapped around her finger (Although she has picked up some of my quirks... She loves Hellboy and is as excited for the sequel as I am.).
Fun Times
My brother rolls into town today. The nutter crossed the US is 2.5 days, and I'm pretty sure there is nothing coursing through his veins but Red Bull and sugar. This will be my first real road trip with him. I wish we had time to do more of a linger longer, but mom is not doing well in the hospital. Not sure how our presence is going to change that, but I know that Grandma is worn out and just wants us there.
I think we're going to take the Highway 14 so we can can catch the beautiful view from the top of the mountain (You can see Devil's Tower on a clear day.). I'll have to check though because it might be snowing up top. Extracurricular activities with my brother can be interesting to say the least. He's the type of kid that gets excited by high places, no trespassing signs, and things that go boom. Contrary to what you may have seen on Myth Busters, even though a compressed air cylinder won't explode when you shoot it, a cylinder of pure oxygen when using a metal tipped round will. I must also offer my sincere apologies to a couple of Public Works Directors... I understand now. I truly, truly do.
It's going to be interesting closing out Mom's apartment, if that's what she wants to do. That is the one thing we need from her is a decision. That's probably going to the most difficult part of this trip. I don't think there's going to be a right answer that satisfies everyone, but we can't keep doing this.
I think we're going to take the Highway 14 so we can can catch the beautiful view from the top of the mountain (You can see Devil's Tower on a clear day.). I'll have to check though because it might be snowing up top. Extracurricular activities with my brother can be interesting to say the least. He's the type of kid that gets excited by high places, no trespassing signs, and things that go boom. Contrary to what you may have seen on Myth Busters, even though a compressed air cylinder won't explode when you shoot it, a cylinder of pure oxygen when using a metal tipped round will. I must also offer my sincere apologies to a couple of Public Works Directors... I understand now. I truly, truly do.
It's going to be interesting closing out Mom's apartment, if that's what she wants to do. That is the one thing we need from her is a decision. That's probably going to the most difficult part of this trip. I don't think there's going to be a right answer that satisfies everyone, but we can't keep doing this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
