How Many Different "SPINS" Can a Spinmaster SPIN?

24 Hours to Go
Until Question
& Answer Meet
@7 PM
Thurs. 3/30/06! Now is time to plan Key Ques-
tions! Browse previous blog posts to get best
questions!!

Attention all local residents & voters this is the
best opportunity you will have between now and
the fall election to ask important questions and
expect to get serious answers. Let's not "blow"
this golden opportunity. Forget "spring/break",
etc. this is far more important for you and your
neighbors.

What's the answer to our headline? How many
different "SPINS" can a Spinmaster Spin? No
telling...but here's what to watch for if you listen
closely you'll know the spin machine has been
turned on. Typical "spin master" responses to
your questions:

1." Well to answer your question it is a little too
early to really know what will happen until we
have the Planning Commission study it."
This is code for..."let's just kick the can down the
road and wait and see if anybody really notices?"
(This is the favorite response of town attorney.)

2. "We can't really answer your question until
we know what the county commission is going
to do about it."
This is code for..."always refer everything you
can to the county they are the "bad boys" and
little old Nolensville can't really do anything."

3."Before I answer your question...let me just
say how much "misinformation is out there
about "PUDs" and most people are unable to
really understand how wonderful "PUDs" are!"
This is code for..."do whatever is necessary to
confuse and cloud the PUD concepts since we
have already approved too many of them to
stop or turnback now."

4. "The answer to your question about how
many dollars the town gets for each new
home depends on the total square feet in
each home and there is a wide variety of
different size homes."
This is code for..."our budget is built on the
strategy of getting as many PUDs as we can
get approved and permits issued as possible
since we get about $2,000 on average per
house. This also means we can estimate
how many dollars the town can get from
future approvals and include them in the
budget despite the fact that future approvals
may not happen. Can you say "budget fiction?"

5. "That's a very good question about impact
fees that the town can put into place for each
new home development and we are beginning
to study how to go about putting those in place."
This is code for...."previous mayor's majority
team refused to consider impact fees and now
we are "stuck" with how to do it for all future
developments without getting sued."

6. "The answer to your question about what is
going to happen to Silver Stream development
is very difficult since the developer Mr. Moon
seems to be going back and forth between our
town and the county looking for the best deal."
This is code for..." we don't have the slightest
idea of what to do about Mr. Moon and what
he wants. He has threaten to sue city and we
want to avoid that at all costs."

7. "Your question about board meetings taking
place with developers without public knowledge
is something we absolutely do not do. But we
are aware of a fringe element in our community
that says these meetings are taking place."
This is code for..."continue to deny and deny and
deny that such takes place...and if you do it often
enough and long enough people will begin to
believe you..even though leaks do say it is true."

We could go on and on, but you get the idea of
what to look for in answers that begin to
"wobble" and fall apart very quickly. Remem-
ber you may very well be considered "outcasts"
for questions that some will say aren't civil and
polite and in good taste. That's called don't rock
the boat..why can't you just go along with the
"status quo" and stop making so much trouble?
Another favorite from some on various boards/
commissions is "well you never come to any
town hall meetings so it is your fault if things
are in a mess." Don't buy it for one minute..
these people were elected and/or appointed to
their positions and they have a serious respons-
ibilty to do the very best job possible. Their per-
formance is not dependent on how many people
attend their meetings.

Let's together ever so gently slide their respective
feet toward the fire and hold that position until
we get some answers. Warmed over answers that
too many times insult one's intelligence must
stop. Don't forget how "magicians" work...they
hold up their hand and point over your head to
the left you follow their hand and keep looking
to the left. All the while on the right side they
complete their "trick" and you can't understand
how they do it?

24 hours to go before launch time...don't be late!

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