Comments

Rex in Wasilla wrote on Mar 5, 2009 6:13 PM:

" WOW Houston-julia that was a very detailed breakdown on the FIRE dept, but the issue was the Mayor playing Cops and Speeders, If ya wanna convince me, give us a breakdown on how much Roggy has cost the city by way of this farce. If this information was not availanle at the meetings where did you get it? "




houston-julia wrote on Feb 28, 2009 11:05 AM:

" The problem now is there's no one to do oversight on Roger's spending since the Council (most of them) approve his buying a $45,000 vehicle for Fire Chief Hood, yeah, the one who stuffed rumor mail against the Big Lake fire chief in Federal mail boxes last election. They're also fine with paying for him to drive to Anchorage and Palmer for meetings. His gas and per diems alone exceed $200 every month, not including a trip to Juneau. Not bringing spending to public meetings is a violation of the Open Meeting Act. "




houston gramma wrote on Feb 25, 2009 3:27 PM:

" yes Valleyman you are right - go Rog, go Rog, right on out the door, down the road and out of our city, valley, the further the better. "




Valleyman wrote on Feb 24, 2009 11:38 PM:

" Great work Houston! Cleaning up years of bad management is finally moving the city forward. Anybody who thinks differently is uninformed or associated with the past leadership. I, for one, feel safe enough to frequent Houston regularly again. Go Rog, Go Rog, Go Rog! "




houston gramma wrote on Feb 24, 2009 1:58 PM:

" Rex in Wasilla - the council (Purcell's council) voted to disallow any public input on the matter of background checks. They then voted the matter down. You are right, something is rotten in the state of Denmark. "




Rex in Wasilla wrote on Feb 23, 2009 10:14 PM:

" Houston residents-
Why does the COH not require thorough background and fingerprint checks?
Why does the city not adhere to the requirements of the Safe Workplace Act? You know, the one that requires drug tests pre-employment, and randomly every year for ALL city employees? Hmmmm who is hiding what? "




Earth-Calling wrote on Feb 21, 2009 6:00 PM:

" Dear FromTheMinutes,
Excellent Idea! Please read the minutes carefully!
On April 12th 2008, the council unanimously approved an agreement with the Chamber to supply electricity, telephone, water, internet, and a portable toilet for a 4 month period from May through Labor Day. The Chamber, in return, would supply staffing for the VisitorCenter. No Winter, No heat, no monthly income for the Chamber.
The Chamber never showed up and never kept their end of the agreement. When the City locked the VisitorCenter in September, Purcell squealed like a pig.
Give a little and he TAKES-TAKES-TAKES-TAKES. That's PROGRESSIVE! "




jularthr wrote on Feb 21, 2009 1:48 PM:

" Background checks are required by AK code for all persons in public service unless the local government decides to exempt their commnity from this requirement. Houston, years ago, with the vote of less than 50 voters did that, and the current mayor has opposed putting that to a new vote. So..., we ask more of the vendors than the council members. I'd support that process for both vendors and council members, including the Mayor. "




Houston Voter wrote on Feb 21, 2009 12:05 PM:

" As is, Houston's vendor code, which mirrors Wasilla's, is discriminatory and unenforceable. Permits are to be denied to any vendor personnel ever convicted of a felony or crime involving fraud, dishonesty, deception, or child molestation, or related crime. This means anything other than a minor traffic offense = no permit to work. It doesn't matter if the person's time was served or not. Background checks for everyone in contact with the public? What about a major event like the Governor's picnic? Booth volunteers came and went with no checks. "




houston gramma wrote on Feb 21, 2009 11:55 AM:

" to cmh:

my point is that Houston is incapable of running itself. The people currently handling city business are doing it for the wrong reasons (with 1 exception). My point is Houston isn't big enough to be a city. And yes, had you done your homework, the Big Lake idea isn't that farfetched. And overall, we would be better off under the borough, and not at the mercy of predators such as Purcell. "




Boo wrote on Feb 21, 2009 9:39 AM:

" A background check for vendors? This is crazy, no where in Alaska is this done except for Houston, they must be the Alaskan Capital of sex offenders! "




jularthr wrote on Feb 21, 2009 7:14 AM:

" To cmh, So sorry. I meand to direct my comment to "FromTheMinutes." Anyway, go to www.HoustonHoller.org and you'll see no such approval. "




jularthr wrote on Feb 21, 2009 7:12 AM:

" To cmh, And some people are pathological liars. Read the HoustonHoller for all the past meetings, then read the minutes of the meetings, and you will find NO approval of money to the Chamber. "




SET wrote on Feb 20, 2009 8:31 PM:

" Basically it boils down to this....If you don't live or work in Houston..it ain't your business.... "




cmh wrote on Feb 20, 2009 4:01 PM:

" Houston is one of the oldest cities in Alaska, and provides fire service and police powers at a cost WELL below what the Borough would charge for less fire service and no police powers. With a fire department that averages double digits in responders, and a police department that has dramatically cut back on speeders and crime (100% murder convicions and violent crimes convictions). I feel safer living in Houston, than I did outside. Does it mean local politics? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. The Borough safety services are nothing. "




FromTheMinutes wrote on Feb 20, 2009 2:59 PM:

" It is so interesting that the very members of the previous council who opposed this contract were the ones in office hwo voted approval of this contract while in office in 2008. Some people will do anything to destroy that which is positive and progressive.. "




cmh wrote on Feb 20, 2009 2:58 PM:

" HoustonGramma: be annexed by Big Lake? How, pray tell, does a chartered city incorporated in the State of Alaska under its constitution, be annexed by an unincorporated community? Maybe their Lions' Club would annex Houston? Just curious if you actually have a meaning, or does your diatribe have no point but to enflame? "




jp wrote on Feb 20, 2009 1:37 PM:

" get annexed by big lake, and make me mayor !!!

i won't give a bailout to anybody!!! "




houston gramma wrote on Feb 20, 2009 10:11 AM:

" I think the reason houston city government is so dysfunctional is because Houston doesn't have a big enough pool of qualified people to draw from. The people who are presently in the government are there for the most part because of their personal agenda, not because they truly want to help the city. Yes, it's sad, no it isn't funny. These are our tax dollars being managed, and not very well. It is time to dissolve the city charter and return to the borough, or be annexed by Big Lake. "




37 year Alaskan wrote on Feb 20, 2009 12:21 AM:

" WHY is Houston so disfunctional? It is a sub Mayberry type town built around a 45 mph speed trap run by Barney Fife and company. The place is eager to expand it's borders to a larger area that wants none of the drama,rules or extra taxes. Houston should lose it's city status and get off the backs of the serfs-er' residents who live there. The joke isn't funny anymore! "