GVCA Journal for 04/17/05
Summary:

I did make it to the GVCA meeting this week, as well as meetings last week
and our candidate briefing, but I'm short on time this morning.

Our candidate briefing went well, and hopefully some people saw it on cable.
We ended up with eight of the 11 candidates attending. Bill Nesbitt and
Perry Anderson had already made other commitments for the morning and
weren't able to attend. Ken Medina also wasn't present, but Rick Miller,
Jarral Ryter, Joy Hart, Judy Klinker, Ellen Harriman, John Taliaferro, Ray
Moore and Jim Pike all attended.

Wendy Hanson and Diane Lothamer did an excellent job of introducing them not
only to the fiscal impact study and design standards, but also to other
budgeting and planning concerns.

Mark Collins stepped in for Stu Ferguson, who was out of town due to a
family matter, and highlighted other issues the council will be asked to
look at. I have notes and when I get to the journal will mention some of
these, because they'll impact us all as citizens.

Richard Karas served quite capably as moderator, and he and Narcissa are to
be commended for getting this pulled together so quickly and successfully.
As for me, my charge was to distribute all the muffins -- and I like to
think I did quite well at that.

Tonight all the candidates should be on hand for the Times' forum, which
will be at the Field House (multipurpose building), I think at 7 p.m. The
candidates will be given four minutes apiece to address questions sent to
them in advance by the Times, and then there will be a period in which
audience members can ask questions. Hopefully each candidate will get at
least one question, rather than all the audience questions being directed
toward one candidate. Or, given the giant field, maybe one question will be
asked and all 11 will take a crack at it.

The GVCA's primary concern during this campaign is encouraging voters to
become informed on the issues and the candidates' stances. This appears to
be the only scheduled forum of the short campaign season. If you live within
the city limits, your mail-in ballot could arrive as early as Wednesday. You
have until May 10 to return it.

If you live in the city and don't receive a ballot, you may still be
eligible to vote, but you'll need to take the initiative to check with the
city clerk. I believe you're considered "active" if you voted in November.
If you didn't, you may still be eligible, but you won't receive a ballot in
the mail.

So please spread the word about the forum, and about reading the newspaper,
which will publish all candidates' responses to a set of questions that
covers a fair amount of ground. And above all, if you live within the city
limits, please VOTE.

TL