After a little vacation, I’ll be back tomorrow for the RIG (Readers Input Group) “See Party” finale, 10 a.m. at the Library. We’ve been trying to “see” if there are alternative ways to fund the Library. Related reading material: The City’s first-half numbers, just out: os first half 2010

Good News: Licenses & Permits are at 70% of the budget, on pace to far exceed the conservative $295,000. Convention Center rentals are at $55,000, 61% of the projected $90,000. Self Insurance payments $84,000, 37% of the annual budget of $226,000. Departments that have spent less than 50% of their budget include: Engineering, Legal Service, Municipal Court.

Not-S0-Good News: Legislative (69.3 %), City Hall (64.3% ), Fire Dept. (64%) and Police (56.7 %) all way over 50% of their budgets, at the half-way point.

for those who did not attend; answer to follow

The City of Ocean Shores, through the City Hall budget, pays $20,000 per month, or $240,000 per year, on which of the following?

a) electric hook ups for undeveloped lots that have been foreclosed

b) water stand by costs for the proposed aquarium

c) sewer fees to process waste from Duck Lake

d) Storm Drain charge for the City-owned dune areas.

“Drop your calculators, and come out with your wallets up . . .”

A crowd of around 20 Locals, including one skeptical council member, attended this morning’s”See Party” meeting of RIG the Paper (Readers Input Group). This in response to my “Call to Minds” column, looking for ways to keep the Library going, without a new levy. A half-dozen volunteered to take a cursory look at various department’s non-staffing budget lines, the likes of small tools, supplies, subscriptions, etc. Next week’s RIG (open to all, just like the Community Club but without a membership fee) will come up with Freedom of Information requests, to try to look a little deeper at some of the most “curious” budget lines.

In less than a month, can RIG find $300,000 of fat in the Ocean Shores budget, without the need for an additional levy? If not, will the dubious local Editor make good on his promise, to write a column endorsing the levy?

Or is this just a thinly-disguised plot, as one has suggested, to kill the Library? Stay tuned . . .

“Frankly, your Locals article just seems to muddy the waters at a critical time for the library. It doesn’t harm the Council, they’re just trying to survive. But, it could close the library.
“I’m sure your call to arms (sic, it was a ‘Call to Minds’) will allow some voters who were on the fence to wait and see what the RIG City Audit Committee comes up with – so there goes the library down the tubes in the meantime.”

Hmmm, interesting thoughts . . . Come by the Library from 10 to 11 a.m. this morning and share your conspiracy theories, suspicions — or help try to find what’s what in the budget, with all the cryptic line items. Example: City Hall utilities, $250,000 per year; Library utilities, 2009, $5,000.

“The See Party,” a.k.a. RIG the Budget, meeting soon. (If you can’t make it but want more info, email tscanlon@northcoastnews.com)

Marge McBride, who moved to Ocean Shores way back in 1966, working for the original real estate company before opening her gallery, will be the special guest at tomorrow’s Readers Input Group (“RIG the Paper”). It meets Thursdays at 10 a.m., at the Library. Open to all.

Special guest star for this week’s Readers Input Group (a.k.a. “Rig the Paper“): Dave Creighton, to answer any questions about 2007/the McEachin era of City Council and government. The meeting takes place Thursdays, 10 – 11 a.m., at the Ocean Shores Library.

*Note: As he is a working man, Creighton cannot 100% guarantee he will be there, but is going to do his best.

Readers Input Group (“RIG the Paper“) meets Thursdays at 10 a.m., at the Ocean Shores Library. All are welcome. This week’s topics: What happens April 1? (when the 3-month “stays of execution” end for the Library/Convention Center Interpretive Center); more history of Ocean Shores ideas; “What’s the County doing for us?”; feature ideas, etc.

*Note: Original posting was erroneous, re Convention Center.

The Readers Input Group, a.k.a “RIG the Paper,” meets this week, usual time and place: Thursday at 10 a.m., at the Ocean Shores Library.
This week’s agenda includes a history committee, to help target key dates, figures and stories of Ocean Shores’ first 50 years.
Also: ideas for profiles/features, and “How to Survive Winter on the North Beach.”

Readers Input Group (a.k.a. “RIG the Paper“) meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. at the Ocean Shores Library (!!!). This week’s agenda: “It Happened in 2009.”

Readers Input Group (aka “RIG the Paper) meets Thursdays at 10 a.m. at the Ocean Shore Library. Agenda: Where to meet, once the Library is “mothballed”?; nominees for Ocean Shores/North Beach Person of the Year; “big events of 2010 list”; Christmas/seasonal ideas.