Ok, it's not that we make mistakes that irks me off to no end, it's that we don't learn from our mistakes, you know the ones that we make over and over again. It's almost as if some people in this town believe that if I bury my head deep enough in the sand the problem will go away, and JB Wells is one of those problems!
One of the simplest things I've mentioned to help control the bleeding at JB Wells is to make sure that there are no more swimming pools put up by private citizens. It is unreasonable that for $20 (or less) anyone could fill up a pool, and have unlimited electricity. You and I can't do it as private citizens living in this town, why are this visitor getting this privilege?
I have asked 2 owners of RV parks that are my friends if they would allow an RV camper to put up such a pool in their park, and surprisingly enough, oh wait that's with NO surprise, they both said "no way, it would kill us financially." DUH!
So why is it that even after the city was notified of this shortcoming do we still have 3500 - 7000 gallon pools being put up at JB Wells? It's insane. It's also another incident of the city manager not taking care of business in this town! Will SOMEONE at the city office please do something about this? I'm tired of hearing that my taxes need to go up and my utility bills need to go up when there is total waste going on!
God Bless,
Dennis Nesser
Have you ever thought your taxes go up due to the incresed wants list that people could hear from places like this.
ReplyDeleteNot to long ago the blog admin. wanted the city to help with keeping the downtown area businesses open. If the City is going to do that then they need help. It is not a one man show. How does the city pay for this??? raising taxes, I would think. With that being said you can't blame all the tax increase on just the JB Wells park. I feel that a person actions speak louder than words. If people are doing a bad job then they need to be replaced. I am not saing that the Gonzales city manger needs to be replaced. However if the admin. of this blog thinks they can do a better job then I say jump in feet first and do it.
I am a big supporter of the Arena and i feel it has done some great things for out town. If a person would go and see some other arena complex's and what they can do for the area you (the admin of the blog) would be a supporter of it 100%.
I am the admin of this blog. My name is Dennis Nesser and have not hidden behind anything anonymous posting, false names, or anything else. I go to the city council meetings, and I work with out city councilmen with ideas to make this town better.
ReplyDeleteI have though pointed out that this administration has allow to many simple things to pass right under their nose without taking any action. This is what is disturbing to me! There are some simple business principals that business owners, like myself, MUST use to get the most for their investment. When the city spends money they are spending your and my money, and we should demand nothing less than 100% accountability and the best return for our investment (our taxes).
Contrary to popular belief I am NOT against JB Wells. First I'm for the ORIGINAL plan that would of made it a park for the entire community! Second I'm for bringing visitor from out of our community to Gonzales.
Those things being said, I dislike the mismanagement that is taking place costing anyone who is a taxpayer in this community money. I would at least like to see where there is SOME forward progress in that arena. Progress to stop the bleeding that is right before us. You know, start with the simple stuff!
I think that the arena could be run from either profitably or at least not losing money if properly managed. I've stated that in a previous blog how to do that, very clearly at NO cost to the city!
As far as stepping up and being city manager, I'm smart enough to know to look for someone to do that job. They would have a strong grants background to bring money into this community. They would have great people skills. They would have strong project management skills, and they would not of had several jobs city manager jobs within 3 years prior to coming to run our town. Mr. Huseman would of never even made my short list just on that red flag alone. As someone who hires and fires people that's what I personally would be looking for.
God Bless,
Dennis Nesser
I have really enjoyed reading your outdoor chalkboard. I have agreed with many of your chalkboard comments. However, it seems that more of them are so negative! Do you ever look at the bright side of life? I am proud that many people spent alot of energy and time to make J. B. Wells Park a reality. Maybe, instead of complaining about the pools, we should be happy that the many families have traveled to our city and enjoyed our community.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Gonzales and many things in it. And if you go through my blog you'll note that every month I've had a 'positive' posting about a celebration we are having (like Graduation), an event (like Relay for Life), and/or a holiday that is dear to me (like Easter). All of these things (and more) have made it to my board since I've had it in March.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately keeping things in the public view so we can deal with them sometimes appears negative (and truthfully they are) but in most of my criticism you'll note that I'm not against the event or action, but the way we are going about doing it.
JB Wells is not properly managed. The pool, the commissary, the not charging posted fees, the lying to you and I about what those slot cost to put in are all things I have problems with. These are things that could easily, with common business practices bring JB Wells into a situation where it is not bleeding the tax payers dry.
That doesn't even start to mention that JB Wells was suppose to be a family park with more than just a rodeo arena in it when it was sold to the citizens of Gonzales.
Things like the flags flying at the old Quality place are not only disrespectful, not only an eyesore, they are what those visitors we brought to Gonzales see as they drive to Walmart and Tractor Supply.
The golf course, which is absolutely needed in this town, needs to get in line with others in the area. No where can I get 4-5 hours of entertainment for my family for less than $2 a week. It's unreasonable for us to continue to bare the tax burden when raising the dues and fees to a reasonable annual rate would at least assist those who are already burdened enough (the tax payer if there is any questions as to who). The golf course itself though is a fantastic thing for this community and I wish there were more things like it for people to do here.
I think it's fantastic that the citizens of Gonzales county have submitted a partition to make a change to our laws without going through the elected officials. It shows that we care enough to move forward, and to discuss the issues needed to make change. I'm looking forward to getting to vote on liquor by the drink here in Gonzales.
The problem though gets that no one wants to open the discussion. No one wants to be the bad guy and point out the ugly blemishes. I've just decided that I would so that we could start talking and making changes. Trust me, it comes at a price, but it's one I have willingly accepted and will continue to do so. And honestly if anyone has had a discussion with me and disagreed, you'll find out I don't get upset because as long as we're talking about it there's a hope that we, together can make things better for all here in Gonzales. It's when we ignore the issues, bury our head in the sand that the problems only get worst.
Thanks for the great comments!
God Bless
Dennis Nesser
So way isnt the JB Wells arena not considerd a park. I see it as a way for families to get together and go do something together that they like to do and in most cases love to do. There are quite a few people that grew up traving with their family going to rodeos, cattle shows, swine shows, and lamb & goat shows. This to them is considerd family time. To some it may seem carzy to sit in a truck for hours on end just to compete for maybe 30 min. and then head back to the house and wait to do it again next weekend. The JB Wells Park is a place for families that have the same intrest to get together and enjoy each others company. So to some it up I and many others probly feel that the JB Wells arena is a park. I know I do.
ReplyDeleteAs for the discouted rates think about the way hotel room blocks work. For the avg. joe the room is a larger amount. But if you are going to use 50 rooms you have some leverage to use for a cheaper rate. I do not know for a fact if this is happing. However, it would make sense for this to be happing. So in my mind this would be a good business dealing tring to promote the area. Then again the is my honest opinon.
If you are a cowboy there is plenty to do at JB Wells. But not everyone is a cowboy.
ReplyDeleteNo one is saying that rodeo-ing is not family time. The question is: Is JB Wells being used as it was intended from when the ORIGINAL plan was presented to the city? From the original plans I saw, there were to be new volleyball courts and another number of things that have yet to be developed. So in my opinion, it is not being used as the "park" that is was originally intended. Yes, hotels do give discounts for multiple rooms, however, I highly doubt they do that if their hotel was LOSING money. Right now, JB Wells is LOSING money. No one is asking for this to be a gold mine and bring in money hand over fist, we are just asking that it at least break even. Giving discounts when you are not profitable is NOT good business. I have been to many events at JB Wells, some rodeos and some others, the facility is nice but mismanagement of it is going to break the city and we will have nothing left to be proud of.
ReplyDeleteThe original plans did have volleyball courts, walking trails and much more for the ENTIRE community. It was NOT just a rodeo arena. But somewhere that's what JB Wells has become.
ReplyDeleteAnd the last person said it best. We're not looking to make a dime here, but with proper management we should at least break even, and even hotels are not in the business of giving away rooms at such a discounted rate as to lose money (like we are when we allow discounted rates and all 3,000-7,000 gallon pools to be filled up without a surcharge).
This cost YOU AND I MONEY! Directly out of pocket. Why wouldn't you care about that?
God Bless,
Dennis
I think there is a walking trail out there. Correct me if I am wrong.
ReplyDeleteI have a question for Mr. Nesser. How are people to know how a Equine Facitlity is ran correctly? and that is what is out there now. In my public school educated mind you must have a working knolege of hows thigs work with different types of events. I am refering to the talk about the discounting of stall fees for large events. Do anybody know the entire contract or bill that was issued to the organizaltion for the use of the facility at any time? this could be helpfu
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of people that know the entire contract. And for clarification, we're not talking about any place that horses are kept, that fees we're talking about are the fees for camping out there, the RV stalls. These fees are posted on the city website for all to see at $20/day.
ReplyDeleteOriginally we were charging for the 2 days it takes to prep the arena for cutting horse events. Doc Graham had his guys do it a couple of times so that they wouldn't be charge, and then gave it back to the city. Somewhere along the way those fees got dropped permanently.
We pay these rodeos just over $150,000 to come visit our town. That's part of the contract. We pay them for every RV and trailer that stays on the lot. That's part of the contract.
It doesn't matter what your education (mine and my children are both public schools), there are somethings that apply.
First you can't spend more than you can take in. If you do there is this little thing call bankruptcy that follows.
Second you look after what is yours. In business world that's called inventory.
Third, when you get sold a diamond ring and wind up with a Cracker Jack prize you should be able to spot the difference. The citizens of Gonzales were promised a park for the entire community, a master plan with blue prints were drawn up and the arena was going to be stage one. It has become a haven for the rodeo crowd, but sadly the rest of use have our plastic prize. Again, the arena is important and I'm not against what we have, but where is the rest?
As for the walking trails, the plan called for several walking trails, and if there are any they aren't anything like the plan. But the only walking I've seen done is along that road there up to the river and back. There is one beaten path I've seen a bit back from the road, but it's not much of a path. If there are others I'm unaware of them.
But to get back for a moment to this blogs topic, when it would cost a citizen of this town anywhere from $40-80 to fill up their own above ground pool, and these visitor can pull up, plop down $20 and fill up their 7000 gallon pool PLUS have unlimited electricity and water for the day, something is wrong! Easy fix, you either ban them or you surcharge them. You want a pool fine, pay for it.
God Bless,
Dennis Nesser