<HTML dir=ltr><HEAD><TITLE>RE: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 8-3-08</TITLE>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>What the mayor has requested is that the council make requests like "we want a conservation staff person" sometime before February so those things can be incorporated into the executive budget. I think this year will go a lot better than last since we will be doing strategic planning. First quarter of this year it was hard to think past the next subdivision.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>bob</FONT></DIV>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> Jim McGrath [mailto:jmcgrath@missoulahousing.org]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thu 9/4/2008 9:02 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Bob Jaffe; missoulagov@cmslists.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 8-3-08<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">“What choice do I have?” you ask twice. And you express frustration with the budget process.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Bob, in general I agree that you should have staff in place that you trust and allow them to make recommendations that you have some confidence in following. But you always have a choice. If you are pinching pennies, the staff’s recommendation that new cars are needed might be balanced out with the need to stretch funding – perhaps cycle the replacements over more years. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Whatever. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I also usually prefer the council to advise the administration on its direction (we should have a conservation staff person) and have them come back with the recommended approach (permanent or contract etc.) but to say that the mayor’s direction to you makes it out of your control is not something I agree with – but it does explain why you might be frustrated during budget discussions. </SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Bob Jaffe [mailto:BJaffe@ci.missoula.mt.us] <BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Thursday, September 04, 2008 8:25 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> Jim McGrath; missoulagov@cmslists.com<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> RE: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 8-3-08</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">A majority on council are very receptive to the recommendations of this committee at this time. The council was more or less talked out of the idea for the conservation coordinator by the Mayor. My understanding is that he is supportive of this idea but wants it to be planned out a little better. Is this going to be a long term position, full time or part time, what will they do? Would it be more effective to just contract this job? If this is pushed as a priority while he is putting together the executive budget this year I would hope that it will be included. </SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Of course these things could have been figured out and implemented this year but I thought he made it clear this wasn't the way he wanted to do it and we don't really have any control over that sort of thing.</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Regarding police cars and the like; if the administration and department heads and maintenance department tell us the cars are worn out and need to be replaced to maintain basic public safety, efficiency, and employee safety what choice do we have? I'm not a mechanic. To a large extent we have to trust our staff on most decisions. We also have to hope the administration is doing its best to ensure we have the best staff possible working for the city so they make the right recommendations. In general this is an area I feel pretty good about.</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">bob</SPAN></FONT> </P></DIV></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Jim McGrath [mailto:jmcgrath@missoulahousing.org]<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Wed 9/3/2008 10:37 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> Bob Jaffe; missoulagov@cmslists.com<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> RE: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 8-3-08</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
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<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Bob and all,</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Nancy</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> is a great choice. And the committee is an important one-- perhaps the most important one nowadays, if it's advice is followed by the city. Having served on this committee and others, as well as your body, and having seen citizens burn their candles in vain serving on volunteer committees, can you perhaps speak to your sense of how the advice or recommendations of this body is currently likely to received and what folks can do to change (improve) that if they so wish? For example the city was able in a budget crunch to buy several hundred thousand dollars worth of police cars but couldn't "afford" a self-supporting staffer to save on energy costs. </SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-----Original Message-----</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From: missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com on behalf of Bob Jaffe</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sent: Wed 9/3/2008 10:14 PM</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">To: missoulagov@cmslists.com</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Subject: [MissoulaGov] Committee Update 8-3-08</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Greetings,</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">We had a short committee day today. Just conservation and A&F.</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In conservation we voted to put Nancy Wilson on the Greenhouse Gas and</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Energy Conservation Team as the representative from the transportation</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">community. I don't remember what her title is but she works for</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">transportation issues for ASUM. She helped in setting up the various park</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">and rides and the current bus programs at the U. She spoke of how there is</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">much low hanging fruit for conservation efforts to be found in</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">transportation. She also talked about how a lot of people don't connect with</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">global warming, the environment, and saving the planet for future</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">generations. But they do understand that it is costing a fortune to keep</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">filling their tank. The economics of conservation are ultimately where we</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">can make the most progress. As an outspoken member of the conspiracy I had</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">some doubts about how the vote would go but her application was approved by</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">everyone but Dick. Lynn, John H. and Stacy were absent.</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In A&F we approved the taxing for the downtown business improvement</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">district. We also approved a three year contract for union Park's employees.</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">As with most things that deal was already done before we heard about it. For</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">a number of reasons it's probably best we stay out of such things but it</SPAN></FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">pushes my relevancy button when it comes before us for a rubber stamp. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">That was about it for committees. More next week.</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Thanks for your interest,</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Bob Jaffe</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Missoula</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> City Council, Ward 3</SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <<A href="mailto:bjaffe@ci.missoula.mt.us">mailto:bjaffe@ci.missoula.mt.us</A>> bjaffe@ci.missoula.mt.us</SPAN></FONT> </P>
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