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| Constable "Busybody" plagues Marysville |
Having not lived local since they planted dirt here, there be many who feel that MOI is way out of line in his posts and videos about Marysville. How dare this old geezer have anything to say about local happenings. I must be thick as a brick, believing as I do that being engaged is what one does when one cares about the patch of earth called home. Going out of way to tell one and all that opinions shared are mine alone, and everyone has one, it does not stop the tongues from clucking and the doors slamming on, when this old geezer ventures out and about. More's the pity that...
"Marysville - the oldest 'small' city in California" is much used to place a tag on Marysville. Truth be told, if Marysville does not re-invent self, it will soon have a new tag, "Marysville - the oldest 'small' city, DEAD".
Gold brought Marysville into being and for some time, the small city managed to keep head above water and continue to live. It never became as grand as others but there was something special about the place and folks managed to work and live and raise families. There is still something special about Marsyville, just much harder to know what that 'special' is.
This old geezer loves to hear the stories that locals have to tell. Having much time, it is quite easy to walk round Marysville and meet another colourful character and hear another take on why they live here or what brought them her in the first place. Like this old geezer, there be many locals who came from someplace else, felt the charm of Marysville, fell in love with, and hooked into the dream of the place.
For a very long time, things just went along as usual, even he departure of businesses from Downtown and the ever shrinking population did not scare off the folks who loved Marysville. It was the passion displayed by some locals that drew other colourful characters to the city, all wanting to feel special in a 'special' place.
That was before the economy in California and the entire country turned to custard. Property values fell, jobs were lost, services cut and the mean wind of hard times blew through Marysville. There are more shops shuttered on High Street and there be not many who have not had to cut back on things due to fear of economy getting meaner.
The denizens of Silly Hall say that all that can be done to keep the lamps on at Silly Hall is being done. There is no coin in the public purse and belt-tightening is order of the day. Fire Services have been cut back, Police Service are less. Every effort is being made to keep Marysville afloat. I wonder.
When times were good, it was easy to give brilliant pay packets to appointed officials in Marysville. Along with the pay packets, came extras, so many that the true cost is not quite known to taxpayers. One hears that public employees are taking cuts to pay packets, over-time cut and positions left unfilled. One hears that public employees lower on the food chain are asked to give more up than the higher ups.
One hears much if one listens...
At recent city council meeting, this old geezer asked Chief Wallace Fullerton if he would be prepared to depart Police Department, leaving position open, in order to save jobs of sworn officers. "I have a contract", the Chief told this old geezer. Fancy that. A contract is nothing if there be no coin to pay, but that seems not to bother our Chief of Police. I also asked if he, the Chief, would be prepared to give up city provided vehicle, in order to cut expenses. Used the example of elected Sheriff of Yuba County. Chief Fullerton claimed to know nothing of that cost cutting measure.
What bothered most about meeting with Chief Fullerton was his attitude. When asked questions he did not like, he made it very clear that he had every right to NOT provide answers. Mind, last year when this old geezer asked questions of City Manager Casey, he too told this old geezer that he would not provide answers. So much for OPEN local government.
Chatting with locals as I do, one is warned about the petty attitude of Silly Hall denizens when faced with one they do not cotton to. "They will ignore you." "They will freeze you out." Or worse.
My dears, what could Silly Hall do to this old geezer? Run out of town on a rail? Bar from Silly Hall? Refuse requests for public information?
It is not just the attitude of the denizens of Silly Hall that vexes one, it is the attitude of local merchants and the BID. All know that there is trouble in Marysville but none seems to know just what can be done to correct. Much is made of past mistakes, that there is change coming, and there will be a better atmosphere in Marysville. If you listen to folks, one comes away with impression that all of these things have been promised and aid in the past.
Dear reader, round now, there be sore bums and thirst setting in. Pray get a cuppa and if tired, come back to post, as this old geezer has much to say still. When last looked, space is no problem and am going to continue to bang on until all is got off me chest...
As I see it, the problem with many locals is that they have tired of doing battle with Silly Hall. Council meetings are not attended and much of what could be fixed local is left unfixed by the elected and appointed officials in Marysville. The 'old boy' club is alive and well in Marysville.
I wonder about much. What is to do this 4th of July in Marysville. Will National Night Out be a hit. Will BID meeting bring about a new order to Downtown? Will the lamps go out at Silly Hall?
Marysville does not exist in a vacuum. Around Marysville are many examples of elected officials and local governments trying to re-invent selves in these hard times. The question is asked if Marysville bothers to listen to or follow examples round.
Take the example of Supervisor Andy Vasquez. Board of Supervisor member representing Linda, a much put upon community. Spending own coin, prints up a business directory for Linda Business. Puts together a 4th of July event at old mall. An event that will fun , information, cruise to local business, light show and so much more. Not because Supervisor Vasquez has to but because he is passionate about his community and he CARES enough to be totally engaged.
The elected Sheriff of Yuba County, Steve Durfor, caring so much about the community that he will drop off supplies to this old geezer, to give out on National Night Out. Sheriff Durfor is one copper who is passionate in belief that 'crime prevention' is the right thing to do, that the 'broken window' approach to crime works and saves lives and cash. Mind, it also helps to believe that fighting crime is a collaborative effort and not about 'turf protection'.
Take the local merchants who do not allow the small minded attitude of some in Marysville, turn them off to efforts to contribute, even when they know that there be some who write them off due to 'colourful' appearance.
The BID is hosting a meeting of membership tonight. Appeal Democrat wants to believe that a new chapter in its history is being written. Goes so far as to use the 'collegial' word to describe. Not one to let any good opinion go unnoticed, this old geezer had this to say about the editorial;
"collegial"... what a wonder it would be if the BID can grasp the concept. Have oft thought of the BID in terms of "what came first, the chicken or the egg", the BID being an old chicken denuded of plumage of late, while the 'egg' hatched by good intentions has yet to break open and produce real value for effort spent by members of BID.
Seems to this old geezer that BID & denizens of "Silly Hall" are locked in a dance where both want to lead, and stumble over each other, neither hearing that the band is out of tune and all of the other couples have left the floor.
"We've got to help this stupid little town of ours..." should be branded on the bums of all concerned to remind when the 'collegial' atmosphere fails to happen. Mind, this old geezer does not belong to the BID, or have a shop, he just has a bit of lolly to spend in pocketbook, made harder to do as Downtown merchants fail to give opportunity to do so. More's the pity that...
This old geezer does not hide behind a clever sign-in name, all posts on Appeal Democrat bear me legal name. Why hide self if one has an opinion?
I was invited to attend the meeting by a member of the group. Mentioning this to the lovely lady who is running for office of president, was told that invite is not valid. Has the BID heard of the 'Brown Act'? Is this a transparent new beginning of the BID?
My dears, when last looked, this old geezer discovered that one does not have to have a fancy title, hold office, own a business to be engaged in what matters. If one LIVES on a patch of earth, calls it home and is passionate about making that patch of earth more brilliant, all one needs to have is willingness to be part of the solution. To be engaged in the process of making a place a better place to live, work and play.
My dears, this old geezer has the hide of an elephant. Truth be told, they be some who also feel MOI is a big as elephant as well. Be that as it may, whatever poison arrows sling me way will be deflected, am not bloody likely to quite me one man campaign to make Marysville more brilliant.
Having said all of the above, it goes that my opinion is like an arse, we all have one, am just more willing to expose me arse on 'jump street' than most.
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