To read the story in the Sun-Telegraph about the window situation in Sioux Villa and to see the picture of these apartments with boarded up windows has gotten under my skin.
The Sidney Housing authority is acting as a prototypical slumlord. The residents are paying whatever rent that pay and are entitled to enjoy the premises as contained in their lease agreement. Natural disaster aside, the housing authority, and by way of extension, the city government should have gotten the ball rolling on getting this mess addressed. People going weeks with darkened homes, requiring additional air conditioning and electricity for lights isn't coming out of the coffers of the city. It comes from the people who have to live there under third-world conditions.
Where is Tammy Nelsen, who normally can't keep her mouth shut on any little issue on one that truly matters? Why, in fact, is there $137,000 of depreciation on a $500,000 claim to begin with. The value of this property is being squandered by those who run it. What does it tell the residents of this complex that the city, in addition to failing to run its streets to an effective end, now is encroaching on the personal lives of the poor who often can ill-afford to move elsewhere.
Shame on the Sidney Housing authority and on the City Manager for failing to provide the responsible oversight on one of his most important duties. Roads matter, but people matter more and when the city allowed people to live under its care, it has a responsibility to them just like every other landlord in Nebraska.
City Councilmen, especially Mark Nienhueser, who is all about the beauty of the town, and Gary Person: Get off the stick! Get off your asses and tell your Housing Authority to put at least one window in each place, pending the final outcome of the insurance process. Don't make these people suffer unnecessarily.
I believe that stick pony belongs to Brad Craig..HE should have ordered glass the next day. Oh..he resigned without ever having ordered glass. Apparently your handler/owner/big daddy didn't inform you that very few residents from the storm have windows replaced yet.. like my house, my neighbors on both sides and across the street. Yep I have boards on 3 windows and so do my neighbors. This is my insurance and the fact that it's hard to find someone to do the work once the materials come in. They also neglected to tell you that it isn't the City Council or the City Manager who is to blame here.. that would be Brad Craig. Oh I forgot he resigned last week didn't he?
ReplyDeleteI am not giving Brad Craig a pass.. he is the director, but all members are equally responsible for not taking action sooner.
ReplyDeleteLet's be honest, shall we? The fact that private homeowners have boards up because they are waiting on their insurance company and don't want to shell out the money first is a choice THEY make. The people who are being victimized by the city housing authority don't get to make the choice you are making.
Even if the problem is that the insurance (as messed up as that industry is) hasn't processed claims, the city certainly knows that whether insurance pays or not, they are liable for the damage and MUST repair it for these properties to be suitable for habitation.
As for my Handler/owner or Big Daddy not telling me what I should be doing, you may be assured that this is MY thought about THAT situation. Don't you think you should come clean as to who you are and what your motivations are? I am interested in the people in Sioux Villa. What are you interested in Tammy?
Just a question. Why such interest from ATL what's the real reason, why are you so motivated by anger? is your life so boring, unfulfilled that you must lash out even from thousand miles away. When do you just move on, focus on you, your life. Rather your right or not, justified or not, I still don't understand the reasons behind hanging onto a community you hated from your first day here, are you hanging on because you have a platform? I have been your friend for years but don't see the reasons for all this, it's hurtful and at the end of the day what does it accomplish, you win, you moved away from all this drama... right, move on now and stay in contact with friends, they are the ones who suffer here from all this you realize that don't you... think about it.
ReplyDeleteListen to yourself... You claim to be my friend of years, yet you don't reach out with a personal email or even put your name on your message.
ReplyDeleteMy friends know that I do not hate Sidney or Cheyenne County in the slightest. I am bothered by the politics embraced by certain people, including the vitriol of their supporters. I fight back, because I can, because I do not believe that exposing the kind of corruption in practice or deed by whomsoever is perpetuating it is harming anyone. For you to say that my not, "moving on" is harming the friends I have in Sidney further demonstrates your lack of understanding who I really am. I am saddened and somewhat concerned that you seem ok with the fact that some people have to suffer. Who has the better character, someone who fights for the average person, or someone like you, who seems to be ok with turning your back on the problem because it doesn't affect you directly? Mull that item over.
So, the housing authority was supposed to spend money they didn't have? According to the paper, there is $500K in damage and they got $137K less than that. It is too bad it is delaying repairs, but I don't know if they had a choice.
ReplyDeleteAlso, like the first one to comment above pointed out, the housing authority is not managed by the city. Person and Nienhueser, or that matter Van Vleet and Wiederspoon, don't have the power to direct the housing board to do anything. To call it one of the city manager's most important duties is not only incorrect, it is laughable that you were not aware of this.
Yes.. the Housing Authority should start making progress on the windows. They presently know that they are going to receive at least $300+K in insurance and they can float a loan against the incoming payment. As for the depreciation value, that has to be corrected by law. Landlords must provide adequate maintenance for the property they rent or be in violation of state statutes.
ReplyDeleteThe Housing Authority is appointed by city council, usually with recommendation (though not always) from the City Manager. While they do not work for City Council per se, they are accountable for budget matters and status reports.
I called it one of his most important duties because these people are dependent on his bullypulpit to force activity. No one on City council, nor in city management, nor Housing Authority management has done anything to fix this problem or even address short term needs of those affected.
Note from my comment above, that they Housing Authority should be able to at least get started on repairs so people without air conditioning can put window fans in. Isn't that a reasonable request? You don't mean to suggest because the housing authority doesn't have the money that they shouldn't try and take affirmative action to remediate the poor condition brought about by the hailstorm?
Is it because these people live on the north side and that they typically don't vote that it is OK to put them on the back burner?
vitriol : bitter criticism: extreme bitterness and hatred toward somebody or something, or an expression of this feeling in speech or writing.
ReplyDelete(Sounds to me like the person with the vitriol problem is you.)
What corruption have you exposed? In reading your posts about city and county matters, it seems you defend many rule-breakers and attack those who would hold them accountable.
It would seem that you would have better things to do with your time. Enjoy your girlfriend's company - cherish her because she must be a special lady for tolerating you. Work on being the man she knows you can be. Go run through a sprinkler with your dog, smell a few roses, enjoy a home-grown tomato.
Your friend posted above that you hated Sidney from your first day here, why don't you make this the last day you spend any energy on it, good or bad?
Nice...Normally I would have left this one in the dump, but I thought that people might want to know the definition. I also thought that it is important to understand where people are coming from when they make their comments.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to comment on the story.. please do. If you want to give advice.. start your own forum.
With respect to Sidney, show me one time that I ever hated Sidney. I have railed on policies not property.
Know the difference and you will begin to know why I do what I do. You can also choose not to read.
This comment will close this thread. Calling me names isn't an answer to the question. I hold the City Manager, City Council and the Sidney Housing Authority accountable for not doing anything to take care of the people of Sioux Villa.
ReplyDeleteWhile I appreciate the nuances of how the insurance industry works, it should be clear that something could be done to improve the lives of residents who live on government property. Nothing has been done, nor has an explanation or ETA been given other than.. wait.
The person who insists on making this about me rather than the issue at hand. I do not and never did hate Sidney. In fact I went to great lengths to cover in a very fair way the events leading up to the last primary elections.
I will keep helping where I can and it doesn't have to be any particular reader's view that matches my view. Believe me or not. Challenge me with facts, or not. You can attack me all you want, but please bring something along with it that stimulates the conversation.
Tami Nelson wanted to order windows the next day. The board wanted to get all the information from the insurance company which was slow in coming, before repairs were ordered. Sounds like good fiscal management. I also believe the city purchasing policy requires board or council approval for any purchase over $20,000. Between the goverment red tape and un-informed people such as yourself, no wonder Craig is leaving. Maybe you should apply for the job since you have all the answers.
ReplyDeleteSince when have you been for more government? You are starting to flipflop more thatn Ben Nelson. Sounds like this was a natural disaster. If people don't like the property provided by their landlord, they should move or buy their own property and enjoy the benefits of home ownership. Maybe they would quit whining about a broken window and enjoy watching their taxes being spent on buses going in circles, city swamp land downtown and those amazing bulb outs.
ReplyDeleteAND where in the hell is our promised path to nowhere?
ReplyDeleteThe logistics of getting something done cannot be the excuse for not having tried it. To my knowledge, no motion was called to recommend that city council try to expedite the repairs, even after they were aware that money would be coming back.
ReplyDeleteRepairing a portion of the windows with monies reasonably expected to be recompensed by insurance isn't growing government you moron. Making a crass statement that if they don't like it they can leave (the residents) is also bullshit. It is a fair question to say whether or not the city should be in the housing market at all, but the fact that they are doesn't alleviate their landlord responsibilities. All I hear out of city council is whining about the 137,000 dollars of depreciation. Frankly, where is that money? Depreciation is an asset used to pay for the long term repairs on the property. The city can't just pretend that they don't have the money. The spent the money on other things (or more properly, the housing authority did).
As for the path to nowhere... who knows..where that project currently sits.
One thing you have in common with the radio and newspaper is your ignorance is in writing. Most property is insured with replacement coverage. Garys friend, Rob the insurance agent, insured the Sioux Villa property because it is old with depreciated value coverage. If the roofs are 15 years old and there are 30 year shingles, then you get half. Another fine city fiscal policy. I agree with you that maybe the city shouldn't be in housing. Sell the property to someone private and see what happens with Sioux Villa. Just what we need, another Cheyene Villa or Sioux Medows. Your research is usually better than this story shows. Don't rely on the newspaper and radio for your facts. Surely your friends, if you have any in Sidney, can find out the truth.
ReplyDeleteLet me see if I can properly address your concern. When your business owns property and it depreciates, proper business practices encourage that money be set aside to pay for that depreciation. Homeowners call that repairs. By not maintaining the property to the tune of at least 137,000 dollars as an offset to the 500,000 damage estimated, the housing authority has failed in its responsibility to properly maintain the premises.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing ignorant about the basis of the story, to get people talking about the need to get some relief to the people who live in darkened homes not because they choose to as others mentioned, but at the failure of government to provide that which they are legally required to do.
I will tell you that I did appreciate your comment, right up until the last sentence. This isn't about me.. it's about the residents of Sioux Villa. It is about trying to get something expedited to provide for these residents what they are legally owed. Don't you agree on that point?
And who has been on the housing board for years and years who failed to properly maintain it?
ReplyDeleteBlaming those who have been in power, "for years," isn't fixing the problem now. That old saw has been used on street repairs with the same result. There will be time for accountability on who is to blame for failing to maintain the proprty, but now is the time for action on remediating the hail damage.
ReplyDeleteYour Words:
ReplyDelete"Why, in fact, is there $137,000 of depreciation on a $500,000 claim to begin with. The value of this property is being squandered by those who run it. "
"By not maintaining the property to the tune of at least 137,000 dollars as an offset to the 500,000 damage estimated, the housing authority has failed in its responsibility to properly maintain the premises."
I suppose this is Nelsen's fault, since she's been on the board for six months, and not Fillsinger's fault, who was on for years.
And seriously, don't you think you crossed the line by saying Brad Craig considered commiting suicide to get away from Nelsen, considering a recent suicide in Sidney?
It is the responsibility of all of them with no preference for my so-called friends. Just because I know and like Marv doesn't mean I give him a pass. He knows this regarding his property and also his tenure on housing...
ReplyDeleteIf you are dumb enough not to be able to tell the difference between a joke and reality, then you are too stupid to participate in discussiins.
No
ReplyDelete