Here is a list of things from the current city council agenda that make me go hmmmm.

They are hiring another security guard for city hall. Our fatally-conceited leaders already have a few, while many paeons out here have none. Wee wee wee.

The city has a non-revenue water rate of 30%. In English, that means they have a lot of leaky pipes. It is good they address it, though.

The city is going to finish a greenway along my daily commute. That’s fine, but the park areas through which the greenway run are closed after dark, requiring folks to get out in the road during commuting hours, anyway.

The city is considering amending its Land Use Incentives Policy because in four years of its existence, two parties have applied, but no projects have been built. (I think one is on the agenda for tonight, though.) One change will be that developers will no longer be responsible for all legal fees incurred with challenges to grants so received.

The city shall contract for in-house clinical services “for non-critical health needs.” The physician with whom the city shall contract is Dr. Paul Martin, MD, DBA Asheville Addiction Consultants, PA. Now, it would be a stretch these days to assume an expert in addiction can’t treat a broken toe. But if such was the case, one might suggest the city save money by hammering away at the root of the problem, finding out what leaves employees so unfulfilled they are driven to drink and drug.

About a decade ago, former Asheville City Councilman Dr. Carl Mumpower wanted to build bus shelters. Private money and volunteer labor went into putting several up. I participated in the construction of four; two of which have been mowed down for whatever reason. It is therefore with great joy that I read that the city will be constructing five new shelters for about $12,000 apiece. The reason is there is $60,000 in the porkulus transit pot, and bus shelters are the only thing that can be shovel ready before everything has to be built.