St. Marys DDA revolving loan programs first project, the Riverview Hotel renovation, nearly complete.

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2009-09-27/story/rooms_named_after_the_famous_at_st_marys_riverview_hotel This looks like it was a good loan on a worthy project. Another is in the works to renovate the building where Kyle Lewis had his hardware store for some kind of a psychological counseling practice. So much for downtown, but how about the "unhistoric" hinterlands where the other relatively politically feckless 99% of us live? Speaking of Kyle Lewis, Kyle is the current chair of a moribund development authority for said hinterlands. It is called "The Development Authority of St. Marys." You can see who the other members are by going to this link: http://www.ci.st-marys.ga.us/pubdocs/authorities.boards.commissions.committees%20lists/Authorities%20Boards%20Commissions%20%20Committees%209.17.09.pdf When is the last time you ever (if ever) heard of some good news (or any news) coming from this authority? Why do they not have a revolving loan fund for the rest of the city? You know, the more I see of all of these citizen boards and authorities, the more I wonder how it is that Kingsland seems to be moving right along, arguably outpacing St. Marys, with NO such entities. Their mayor and council handle all of the functions assigned to boards in St. Marys. Perhaps what we should do is encourage city council to take the following action (after the election, of course): 1. Announce that effective midnight, 31 December 09, all appointments to all unelected boards be vacated. This would not apply to authorities. 2. From January 1 to the second city council meeting in February, 2010, the newly seated mayor and council would seriously reconsider the need (if, at all) for each board. 3. For such boards as whose very existence made the cut in step 2, the council should take a serious look at and revise where necessary the council's charge to these boards. 4. The members of the newly reconstituted boards will be 7 in number with 6 being appointed by one of the six councilmen and one by the mayor. There would be no more instances of 9 stepping forward, without one-on-one council sponsorship, and all 9 being seated. 5. There would be an inaugural meeting of each board at which the mayor and the entire council would attend for the purpose of making 100% certain that the new members understood just exactly what their mission was and the strictly advisory nature of their service as a subservient creature of the elected council.. 6. All board appointments would be for 2 years. 7. All members would be limited to two terms. 8. All appointments would be staggered with 1/2 of the members coming up for relpacement or re-appointment every two years Now, as to authorities, I see no need for appointments longer than 4 years. Again, with 4-year appointments, you would have staggered replacement or re-appointment of 1/2 of the authoity members every two years with a two term limit per member. Rather than call for the termination of all current terms on a date certain (i.e., 31 Dec. 09) just let the current terms expire. All but one will expire no later than 31 Dec, 2011. Oh, and one more thing, now that I think about it. In order to be elected to office in St. Marys, you must be a citizen of St. Marys for one year AND you must first be a citizen of the United States as well. I think that those two prerequisites should apply to membership on city boards and authorities as well. At present, we have one foreign national serving on the Citizens' Advisory Board. He/she who is not eligible to vote in city elections should not be eligible to influence city policy until such time as he/she is, it would seem to me.