Monday, January 05, 2009

Wireless library is a reminder of majority's nonsense

From the MRJs Jesse Buchanan:

The public library made free wireless internet access available in the building at 104 Main Street on Monday.

The $5,000-equipment was purchased using money from last year's budget. The installation of the system cost $1,200 but will not require any ongoing user fees.

It's nice that the library has wireless internet. But reading this article also reminds of all the nonsense spewed by the Council majority when they actively opposed enhancing transparency in town government by refusing to add Council video and Council minutes to the town website back in August 2007:

Of course we know that their arguments* about time constraints proved to be pure nonsense when, in October 2008, the state government mandated that the Council put meeting minutes on the Town website. And now their argument about budgetary constraints collapses because $5,000 has been found to offer wireless internet.

Don't get me wrong. It's nice to offer wireless internet. My point isn't about that. It's to show the majority's arguments for what they are - nonsense.

Tim White

* arguments opposing the addition of Council meeting minutes to the town website

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tim, I totally agree withyou, but I think you will have a better argument if you can show the council the decrease in subscribers to Cox Communications due to the added customer base of Direst TV, The Dish Network and ATT U-Verse.
I have not had Cox in 5 years and the only thing I truly miss is the opportunity to see the Council meetings.
Show them the numbers and it becomes a "no brainer"...oops...Freudian slip when talking about some of the council members.

Anonymous said...

The majority has become blatant in its arrogance of power, in its F-you attitude to accountability and to taxpayers.

"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" (Acton).

Anonymous said...

5,000 for equipment and 1,200 for install!?! Who did this work and what did they use? A satellite?

I install wireless networks regularly in my job and can verify that a couple of hundred bucks should have paid for the required APs and labor.

That is ridiculously wasteful. The little things like that all add up.
I bet the High School Computer Lab could have made the install a school project and the labor would have been free making the only cost a couple of $50 access points.

Anonymous said...

If money is being found in different town departments, shouldn't it be used to offset the following year's expenses? Or do we just try to spend it all?? Maybe the library should not be opening on Sundays in an effort to save some money.

Anonymous said...

Perhpas the Library should be open MORE on weekends when people have leisure time and cut back on weekdays, when the school age children have access to school libraries and parents are working. Being open 11 hours M-F can be trimmed back. Perhaps close on Mondays. Open 10a-8pm Tues and Thurs, 11am to 9pm Wed and Fri. That still leaves morning time for pre-schoolers. And before anyone starts complaining that the librarians shouldn't have to work weekends, or that it will require paying them double-time, I work weekends all the time without getting time and a half or double time. It's rotated and that's just the way it is when you serve the public. Also, institute self-checkout and you need a minimum of staff.