Blogs about: Justin Shields
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'Vendo' world is not Monica Vernon's idea of an afternoon at the pool; she wants Ellis pool fix to include a concession stand
The City Council pushed ahead Wednesday evening with plans to fix the flood-damaged Ellis Park swimming pool at an estimated cost of $367,000. Bids on the work will be opened on July 16 with work to p… more →
Eye on the Island
'Vendo' world is not Monica Vernon's idea of an afternoon at the pool; she wants Ellis pool fix to include a concession stand
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Rick Smith wrote 4 months ago: The City Council pushed ahead Wednesday evening with plans to fix the flood-damaged Ellis Park swimm … more →
Council rejects push for special new committee in fight for $118.5-million in I-JOBS money; it says established flood-recovery committee is already there to help
Rick Smith wrote 6 months ago: The business community apparently continues to want to create new entities to try to help the City C … more →
Deadline for news on huge pot of federal buyout money has passed; City Hall upbeat that good news will arrive soon
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Rick Smith wrote 6 months ago: It’s been something of the Great Waiting at City Hall. State officials who have come to Cedar Rapids … more →
Council wrestles over hiring local firm vs. hiring "more responsive" one and sides, 5-4, with the Minneapolis outfit
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Rick Smith wrote 7 months ago: Do you hire a professional firm because it’s a local one with a less expensive proposal even if a Ci … more →
At private-sector's push, City Council launches quest for flood-recovery manager with a job description fit for Superman
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Rick Smith wrote 7 months ago: More than five weeks have passed now since council member Tom Podzimek suggested that an unsuccessfu … more →
Council passes new budget, but not without anti-Prosser theatrics by three of nine council members
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Rick Smith wrote 7 months ago: It is easy to be caught by surprise when the City Council finally gets around to voting on the annua … more →
First post-flood victory for new 'affordable' replacement housing: Cedar Pond Townhouses to go up on a part of what had been Chapman Fun World
Rick Smith wrote 8 months ago: Neighbors out along Wilson Avenue SW near Williams Boulevard and Westdale Mall lost out this week on … more →
Council members Vernon, Shields still frustrated: 'I didn't run to walk in St. Patrick's Day parades,' says Vernon. 'Give me a committee. Give me some policy.'
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Rick Smith wrote 8 months ago: Council members Monica Vernon and Justin Shields stopped by The Gazette on Wednesday to talk to the … more →
The Tycoon closed for St. Pat’s; City Council backs police remediation plan to reform rowdy bars
Rick Smith wrote 8 months ago: The owner of downtown bar The Tycoon managed to convince five council members to put his expedited c … more →
Seeming calm after City Hall storm: Private sector still will help pay for so-called flood CEO no matter who he or she reports to
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Rick Smith wrote 8 months ago: Dust settled Thursday at City Hall after a City Council dispute the night before in which a council … more →
Council majority repels 'overthrow' of city's government; questions remain about possible strings attached to private-sector help
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Rick Smith wrote 8 months ago: City Council member Tom Podzimek last night said he wasn’t going to let three of the nine members of … more →
Recurring theme at the heart of debate on flood CEO: current City Hall can't get it right; needs push from private sector
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Rick Smith wrote 8 months ago: Some in the local business community have been pretty sure they can help City Hall almost since the … more →
Is passage of a local-option sales tax proof that government can work?
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Rick Smith wrote 8 months ago: Listen to citizens who come to council meetings, listen to the news, listen to those outside of loca … more →
Mayor's speech downtown is a reminder that all is not well there
Rick Smith wrote 9 months ago: A mayor’s annual address on the condition of the city is generally an upbeat affair with a focus on … more →
Council ready to take yet another step to assure the distrustful
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Rick Smith wrote 9 months ago: It looks like the City Council is sufficiently eager for voters to pass a local-option sales tax to … more →
City Council aspires to bigger league; was split with smaller-ball Linn County inevitable?
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Rick Smith wrote 9 months ago: On a 3-2 vote, the Linn County Board of Supervisors has decided not to study to see if it makes sens … more →
Distrust of City Hall seems part of the subtext of approaching local-option sales tax vote
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Rick Smith wrote 9 months ago: It’s probably fair to say it couldn’t be otherwise. That is, a distrust of the City Council and City … more →
Council enthused about public process for new 'Community Services Center,' but would council avoid a citizen vote to get it built?
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Rick Smith wrote 9 months ago: Wednesday night, the City Council launched a six-to-ninth-month public participation process aimed t … more →
Shields fumes over what he says are sales-tax vote distortions; Shey quotes Mark Twain
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Rick Smith wrote 9 months ago: Council meetings begin with comments from the public, and last night a couple of citizens suggested … more →
