CAMPAIGN TO SNUFF 'LAMP SWITCHOFF' IS A STALE 'BAKE SALE'

My dears, I had done a filmed reportage at "Keep the Light On" event, kicking off the campaign to keep street lamps burning in Marysville.

Sadly, the loud country music being played by CountryFM 103.1 drowned out me voice and made is useless.

Being ever so clever, the above WW11 ditty was found and feeling it apropos to the post have offered it up for you listening pleasure as you read me take on the event.

A bit of background is required...

Having had the great good fortune to have chatted with many Londoners who were in the "Blitz" and can tell you true that however horrid the lack of 'illumination' of road by streetlamps may be, one manages to overcome and survive. Between 5 September 1940 - 10 May 1941, London went dark as many bombs fell on it. At the end of that period, over 23,000 Londoners were dead and over 1,000,000 buildings lay in ruins. With pluck, Londoners carried on, knowing, as the ditty goes, that the lamps would one day come back on.

Local, the war being waged is to keep as many coins in the 'public purse' as possible. The battle being waged is a mean one, hard and mean choices are to be made. One 'bright' idea is to snuff out 50% of the streetlamps in the City of Marysville, in order to save much needed cash. Dark times facing Marysville seem to required dark roads. One could hardly accuse Mr. Lamon of arriving at this plan of action without much consideration.

If we are to believe the good folks who put on the event to 'keep lights on', theirs is a noble and 'grass roots' movement.

Dear reader, pray read on and you be the judge of the nobility of the campaign...

"The campaign is a joint project of Gold Country Bank, the Marysville Business Improvement District and the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce to raise funds to keep the city's streetlights on." So tells the Appeal Democrat story.

This old geezer attended the event, stayed the whole time and saw and heard much. Fancy that.

Entry to the carpark of Gold Country Bank(where event was held) had a CountryFM 103.1 van, loudling playing music to entice folks to come over or in and join the fun. There were two chaps hosting the LIVE broadcast, Dave & Briggs. They be the same duo who host a show daily. Regular pair of tinkers they be. Briggs is right cheeky, was not sure if his image was available to be in a filmed bit, his agent might want payment for use of. Dave on the other hand was a real live wire, he even told that he read me blog(got to love meeting readers) and had no problem with his ample visage being filmed.

What be more 'folksy' than playing country music at an event that wants desperately to come off as 'grass roots' and 'community based'?

Making a 'beeline' to the Gold County Bank 'community booth', this old geezer got to chat with Crystal Bullard, Marketing Officer, of said bank who filled MOI in on why her bank was doing the cook up(the bank was offering FREE food and drink).

Ms. Bullard told that as of 11:15, some $1,000 had been collected to save lamps from being switched off in Marysville. Mind, most of the cash had come from her bank and another local bank. Ms. Bullard was right proud in mentioning that Gold Country Bank wanted one and all to know that they be a 'community based and supporting bank' in Marysville.

Across from and right at entry to carpark was the booth set up by Marysville Business Improvement District. They be the lovely folks who were having a 'bake sale' to raise monies for the campaign to keep lamps switched on in Marysville. Truth be told, the 'baked goods' offered were 'fresh' from a store and still encased in plastic container.

When one of the lovely ladies manning the booth was queried about the bake goods, this old geezer was told that no one had the time to 'bake' these days and besides; "You are so negative, I have nothing to do with you".

So much for 'folksy' and 'grass roots' and it got this old geezer to look more closely at the event.

Earlier reports on Appeal Democrat about this event changed multiple times(almost as if the local newspaper was trying to get the right hook to capture readers attention). The crowd was reported to be over 200. In truth, 100 more like, and the effort of the participants to be 'community based' never got off the ground.

Most of the attendees were from someplace other than Marysville proper, and had been lured into attending by the loud music and FREE food (the 'baked goods' at BID booth were NOT free, even if they were 'donated).

I did get to chat with Gordon Rowntree(not Marysville resident), General Manager for radio station that provided the music. Gordon reminds one of an actor who is best known for his 'warm' aura but the name of that actor escapes MOI. Gordon told that his station was going to sponsor a lamp, which one has not been decided on.

I also got to chat with Laura Nicholson, Yuba Sutter Chamber of Commerce(not a resident of Marysville). Lovely lady and very much interested in showing support for local effort.

I even got to chat with Stephany Jordon and her lovely husband. They be in the advert business and very clever in promoting the local area.(neither are residents of Marysville). Mind, Stephany was once with TOWER RECORDS and if any person knows how to place a 'folksy' spin on the campaign, it be her.

My dears, many tried to tell this old geezer that a break-in at local furniture shop on "High Street" night before, was perfect example of the evils to come if lamps are snuffed out in Marysville. What a lot of tosh. In truth, the lamps were lighted when the break-in happened and more than like would have happened regardless of on or off. The clucking tongues want all to be in fear of the coming darkness.

Were all things right in the world, having many streetlamps lighted would be most excellent. Things are not right in Marysville and folks have to face up to a different approach to budget crisis.

Truth be told, residents have the ability to keep lamps on porches lighted at night. I do, front and back of cottage. Cost almost nothing to do.

However 'grass roots' the campaign to 'keep lights on' appears, is smacks this old geezer as rather elitist. Case of the 'haves' getting their lamps and the 'have nots' doing without. While the City of Marysville has not told exactly where the lamps that will be switched off are, the general location is known.

Good intentions on the part of some local businesses do not make for a perfect solution to the problem faced by local residents. However well meaning the campaign to 'keep the lights on' be, it will serve the interest of the few, rather than the many.

Marysville Business Improvement District is not 'grass roots' community effort. The leadership of the BID wants to keep as many lamps switched on on "High Street" as possible. Mind, most of the businesses close long before total darkness and do not bother to illuminate windows of shops when closed.

My dears, dark days are here. There is no coin in 'public purse'. Of all the causes to champion, why is this more important than others? It is not.

Like the ditty tells, the lamps will come back on, and all will be right in the world again...