Where’s the suggestion box for additional comments, questions, and requests? I have a comment, “Some people should be thankful that I can control my crazy.”

Let me first say the annual fiscal year budget discussions for both city and county governments are not my favorite meetings to sit through. It’s a tedious journey that promises to have very few interesting moments but the majority of the discussions will be long, slow and dull. Hours upon hours of sitting in meetings, followed by even more hours of write-ups.  

I’ve never kept a record of how many hours I’m in government meetings each month or how many meetings are held each month. I’d guesstimate there are between 20 and 25. If they average 90 minutes each, which is probably a good estimate, I’m sitting through up to 37.5 hours. 

How many articles I write is an easier estimate. I write between three to four articles a day. How many I complete is usually based on length of the article and difficulty. When elected officials argue and that argument goes on for any length of time, those are more difficult to write. My attempt to be fair to each side isn’t always appreciated like it should be.

When fiscal year budget discussion time comes around, the number of meetings I attend goes up. 

Right from the get-go there seemed to be a power struggle going on between city Aldermen Everett Brock and Mike Neal. It centered on the Finance Committee’s authority over the budget. Specifically, that committee's ability to make changes to the proposed budgets coming out of departmental committees.

While Brock feels the Finance Committee, of which he is chairman, could make changes, Neal contended that Finance could not make any changes to the budgets and would not be making any those coming from his, as Streets and Sanitation Committee chairman. 

Legal opinion fell on the side of Neal, when he asked for counsel consideration on the existence of a superior committee. 

That prompted Brock and his committee members to generate an Option B or Version B of the city budget. They recommended to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to accept the budget coming out of committees and amend it to match their version of the budget. 

Legal opinion fell on the side of Neal, when he asked for counsel consideration on the legality of Finance submitting a second budget. 

Now that the power struggle has reached its inevitable end, we have to back up and go through committees once again – all of them, including Finance on Aug. 22 to recommend a property tax rate for the upcoming year for the city. 

Notice of meetings: Building and Grounds Committee is meeting on Aug. 20 at 11 a.m., Safety Committee at 5 p.m. that same day, Parks and Recreation Committee on Aug. 22 at 5 p.m. and Finance Committee that same evening at 5:15 p.m. 

Serenity now! Deep breath in, let it out slowly.

Standard reporter Lisa Hobbs can be reached at 473-2191.