29 Aug 2006

Remember the Pecking Order

By Administrator

Now is as good a time as any to remind ourselves of the community issues that still need constant vigilance and nonnegotiable accountability. City Administrator Craig Malin figures prominently in this, as do the city council (both collectively and individually) and department heads.

If a city-related problem exists, there is a general protocol to follow. Contact your alderman so that he or she can delegate it to City Administrator Malin and to the appropriate department head(s). Requests from individual aldermen cannot legitimately be negated, refuted, or denied by the mayor or other aldermen. Each alderman is considered an employer of City Administrator Malin, department heads, and all city staff.

22 Aug 2006

Complacency Is The Worst Failure

By Administrator

On Native Soil made its debut Monday evening, August 21, on Court TV. It is a documentary hosted by Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank on the grassroots efforts of 9/11 victims' families and loved ones to hold the United States government accountable for the tragedy that changed our nation forever.

The film acknowledges in no small measure that Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda are clearly the mass murderers responsible for the deaths of thousands on 9/11. But their evil was perpetrated because of the aggregate failure of our government on many levels, including failed policy and preparedness as reported in the 9/11 Commission's final report, but mostly "a failure of imagination."

15 Aug 2006

Preaching to the Choir

By Todd McGreevy

Most anyone paying attention to urban development in the Quad Cities is familiar with Dan Carmody. Carmody spent 18 years reinventing and re-energizing Rock Island as director of Renaissance Rock Island. He recently accepted a similar position in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (See "The Man Behind Rock Island Renaissance," River Cities' Reader, October 19, 2005.)

Over the years, the Reader has often written about Carmody's projects and ideas, including the most recently published "Vacation Manifesto: Radical Ideas to Grow the Quad Cities" (River Cities' Reader, June 14, 2006).

Davenport's Third Ward alderman, Keith Meyer, upon reading that "manifesto," requested that the city hire Carmody to speak to city leaders regarding his ideas and other important growth issues.

Subsequently, the City of Davenport Design Center hosted a presentation by Carmody, at the Figge Art Museum inside the Deere Auditorium last Monday evening. The event was billed "A Game of Twenty Civic Questions: a lively, interactive session that considers key questions for successful regional development with emphasis on urban core development and global issues."

08 Aug 2006

Paranoid?

By Administrator

The City of Davenport's leadership continues to decline on so many levels that redemption is no longer possible with the current players.

Beyond the complete abdication of the public trust because of a long list of ethically dubious actions - including the fast-tracking of the high-risk, financially inequitable development agreement for the Isle of Capri's casino hotel on our downtown riverfront, the serious cost overruns at Prairies Heights, the RiverCenter scandal with contracted private manager, the attempt to burden taxpayers with the Market District and Crossings proposals that would only benefit private development, John O'Donnell's financial problems, mismanagement of critical deterioration of infrastructure (sewers, roads, etc.), parking-ramp deficits, key personnel layoffs because of budget prioritizing, to name the most recent fiascoes - conditions have potentially entered the criminal arena with the revelation of City Administrator Craig Malin's three self-imposed pay raises in a year's time.

25 Jul 2006

Nowhere to November

By Administrator

In an election year, it is no surprise that the dial is turned up on the political rhetoric. But this year it is different, more exaggerated perhaps, because the stakes are so high.

I would characterize the difference in terms of party hostility. Both parties' participation in name-calling, derision, and personal attacks on opponents seems at an all-time vicious high. More important, however, is the lack of even the simplest debates on issues. The underlying cause is that both parties are in indefensible positions.

20 Jun 2006

Lack of Stewardship Abounds over "Boatel"

By Administrator

Several weeks ago, the City of Davenport's administration saw fit to issue a Floodplain Construction Permit to the Isle of Capri for its planned casino hotel (or "boatel") on downtown Davenport's riverfront. While disappointed, I am not remotely surprised by this complete abdication of stewardship by city officials. 

06 Jun 2006

Donkey in Elephant's Clothing: Chambers' Support of Vilsack's Eminent-Domain Veto Is Disturbing

By Administrator

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack arguably made his poorest political decision last Friday, when he vetoed a bill that would have strengthened the rights of property owners. House File 2351 provided for new restrictions on governments using eminent domain to condemn private property for economic-development projects, whether public or private.

 

06 Jun 2006

How to Use the New Reader Web site

By Administrator

584_website_thumb The River Cities' Reader launched its new Web site last week, and we hope that it's a visual improvement. But we're most interested in it being an interactive improvement. Our goal from the outset with this Web site has been that it will be a space for the community to gather and discuss community and cultural issues.

23 May 2006

Davenport Takes Unnecessary Risk with Construction Permit

By Administrator
In the upcoming weeks, it is my intention to inform readers of the extremely disturbing realities behind the City of Davenport’s uncomprehensive issuance of a Floodplain Construction Permit to the Isle of Capri (IOC) for its proposed 11-story, city-block-wide casino hotel along downtown Davenport’s riverfront.

02 May 2006

The New Reader: Baby Steps to a New Medium

By Administrator
Major changes start with small steps, and big ideas need to be tested and tweaked before they become reality. For the past few months, the staff of the River Cities' Reader has been throwing around big ideas and developing major changes.

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