And the Merry Go Round Keeps Turning

Just when you think its safe to sit back the city drops a new bomb on us all. I am talking about the YMCA debacle. After weeks of anticipation and hype worthy of a carnival barker, the YMCA committee announced a new site in Danville near the white mill for a new Y. Heralding it as a renaissance for the downtown the required group of dignitaries and publicity prostitutes gathered under a tent and patted each other on the back for such a wonderful decision. Not only would the site revitalize the downtown it would be a nice addition to the white mill site to hopefully attract a new business to the building. All the players saw it as a good thing right?
No, that was not right. A few “movers and shakers” on the Y committee objected to the site from the beginning. They continued to throw monkey wrenches into the machine until it finally broke a gear and ground to a stop. With internal threats and “or else” conversation the committee revered itself and the project imploded. On the surface they claim “higher then expected construction costs” but what real reason lurked behind the surface……politics of course. Several influential members were pushing other sites that had high placed ambassadors.
The committee knew the asking price, they had estimates on site development so the cost should not have been a surprise to anyone. They also claimed that fundraising was not an issue either. So what changed? Nothing changed except that a few influential people got their way….again. All this happened at the expense of the residents of Danville and the surrounding areas.
The committee has been left red faced and shocked by the turn of events. The most shocking has been the general public’s condemnation of the committee’s decision to pull out. These elite individuals are so used to being worshipped that they cannot bear to hear that their reputations are being tarnished. But so goes things in Danville.
Keep swimming in the river kids…..the grown ups have taken their flotation devices and gone home.

On the school front the city council has again caved into the school board’s ridiculous budget without a whimper. After all the hand wringing by the concrete queens the budget not only was passed but increased by $600,000. While other departments suffered through state cuts and local cuts the school board whined its way to more money with threats of massive layoffs. One particular lie was their highly reported budget “cut” of reducing a principal position at Bonner. They claimed they made this gesture to show the public just how frugal they were being. Unfortunately it was all smoke and mirrors. Yes they cut the principal job, then turned around and gave that principal a newly created central office position at a higher salary AND hired another assistant principal for Bonner! Is this the new math they are talking about? If it is we don’t need it! This is just ANOTHER example of how the school board and administration of DPS pulls the wool over the eyes of the city council. Someone is asleep at the wheel. Wake up and see what is happening! Just more of the same…smoke and mirrors folks….smoke and mirrors.