tuesday we were watching channel 4 the city of alexandria public access tee vee channel. we were waiting to see if that days city council meeting was going to be televised because we werent sure if the meetings were broadcast a week behind or on the same day or live or what. so we found out that the city council meeting is broadcast that day they might broadcast the meeting live and then rebroadcast it immediately after however before the council meeting was televised [which turned out to be that days (01 august 2006) meeting] channel 4 was televising a meeting of alexandria's economic development committee meeting. as it turned out we caught the tail end of the commitee meeting but we were fortunate to see a mr. guillory address the alexandria economic development committee. (then channel 4 showed the city council meeting.)
mr. guillory put on a well thought out and passionate explanation to the committee that alexandria is missing a golden opportunity to spur economic development downtown using the red river as the drawing card. for instance mr. guillory said that if there was a pier boats could pull in and take on fuel - seems like he said that it cost him around $700.00 to fill up. additionally whilst the ships captains were filling up on fuel they could be pumping out their bilges this would generate another fee. and also they could go over into downtown and shop. also there are slip rental fees, dockside services, all kinda things they (the city etc) can do and charge for.
mr. guillory went on to say that since this houseboat controversy came to be that he and some others had been in contact with another city that part was muddled but seems like he said natchitoches - (cane river the way they have it set up downtown is wonderful by the way) and this city said sure they were welcome there and to come on over and they would do whatever they needed to do to make them feel at home.
so how does alexandria respond? see City of Alexandria planning for indoor sports arena
"they need to leave the boats alone until they have a marina i see condo's, i see restaurants, i see walks, i see all the things that would bring the people...iam just hoping that with this election coming that people will see the same thing that i see and theres other people here that see it." ~ chuck finewe see it too mr. fine and mr. guillory; thank you for speaking out.
