A Third A Third A Third

While the train carrying the effort to open the K & I Bridge to use by citizens has left the station, and before this metaphorical train goes too far down the track, alphabetically speaking, while we're still in the Cs, let's consider another C. The resolution recently passed by the New Albany Common Council suggested that the effort to open the K & I  pursue "any and all means" to bring about that opening. To be sure, condemnation is one of the strategies which should be considered. But condemnation has an unsavory connotation which could lead to protracted legal entanglements which would not well serve any of the affected parties, neither New Albany and Louisville nor the railroad currently exercising control of the bridge.

Rifling through the kit bag of remedies to this conundrum another C comes to mind. This C would also require the expenditure of  legal energy, possible redefinitions and reinterpretations of property law. But it may offer a less contentious solution which would allow the citizens north and south of the river and the railroad to live amicably as neighbors. Might it be possible to condo the bridge?

Under this alternative, the Norfolk Southern would divide the bridge into ownership units of the eastern automobile deck, the western auto deck and the middle rail bed and tracks. New Albany and Louisville could jointly purchase ownership of the auto decks while the Norfolk Southern would hold ownership of the rail road itself. Just as in a residential condominium a condo association would oversee the maintenance issues surrounding the condo project. Just as in a residential condo the several owners would be responsible for the maintenance on a percentage of occupancy basis. In the case of the bridge, the railroad as the largest unit owner would be responsible for the largest share of the maintenance costs. The condo bylaws would bind the owners of the shared property to certain rules and responsibilities just as those who share ownership in a residential or office condominium.

If this is a possible structure for this project, it might prove to be a quicker path to the goal of re-opening the bridge.

 

Gratuitous Limbaugh Bashing? Why Not?

 

 

The environmentalist wackos over at The Huffington Post displayed this picture as part of a series of stupid, questionable, or laughable bits of graffiti. It was painted on some bridge, somewhere, by some stupid person who couldn't spell "dolphins", and who somehow tried to elevate his own sorry existence to a  level higher than the dolphins he ineptly attempted to disparage. Which calls to mind that fan of dolphinry, the Oxymoron.

 

 I don't know how many years ago the Supreme Ego that is Rush Limbaugh tried to elevate his sorry self above the level of his betters, the far-superior mammalian species he mocked--at least far superior to the Oxymoron*Limbaugh himself-- by stating, and I paraphrase here, "...if dolphins are so wonderful, so intelligent, why don't they have dolphin highways and go to dolphin hospitals. If they don't have them, if they can't take care of themselves, then screw 'em."

 

Perhaps Limbaugh has now wasted down to such a level that sentient beings no longer listen to his inane braying. Perhaps pointing out his past brayings is much ado about no one. But, I somehow think he still has street cred within the once-legitimate Republican party. So until the formerly-respectable party has flushed that particular floater away, he is still in the punch bowl of political discourse, still on the G.O.P.'s guest list and still a target for disparagement.  

 

 

 

*Oxymoron in the sense of one who is a moron due to his use and abuse of Oxycontin, his lack of sympathy for others who have run afoul of the law for drug related crimes and now spend years in prison, and one who forced his hired help to illegally procure drugs for his habit thus insulating his sorry soul from culpability in his crimes; all while holding himself out as a paragon of rightness in its varied meanings.

 

Literally, How About a Yard Sale?

During the 2011 campaign, in this space, I had posted several items which I referred to as a "Nudge List". The ideas were ones I hoped to convince, connive or cajole the Mayor into taking up as his ideas. Admittedly, it's a roundabout process, but a few things are in the works.

So now, in light of the current situation surrounding the County's budget, which isn't good and which is widely covered in the Courier-Journal and The Tribune, I'd like to dust off the nudge list and add another, more timely, item.

Now that the City has staked out its own course on parks, and now that a recent bond issue has begun to take shape for various recreational projects such as a pool, a sports complex, and a soccer venue, and since the County now finds itself a touch short, maybe now the City should offer to take Community Park off the County's hands and in the process help it close the budget deficit it now faces. A good price would be $2.4 million.

All citizens of Floyd County could continue to avail themselves of the park's amenities, and the County would be off the hook for maintenance. The City has demonstrated a greater commitment to the parks throughout the years, so why not buy Community Park and let the County get its financial house in order?