A City Betrayed.

First Ward candidate Chuck Tobrock addressed the City Council Tuesday evening just before the Council passed ordinances adopting the updated 2000 building construction and maintenance codes.

"My name is Chuck Tobrock. I live at 831 Prospect. About everybody here knows me, or has heard about me because of flyers we have sent out recently.

"I have two pages tonight sir, so it will be short.

"Most of you know who I am, or at least know my feelings about the BOCA (Building Officials/Code Administrators) Code and the manner in which they are enforced. I want it known that I am not against all property codes, just these BOCA codes and the manner in which they are enforced.

"You know, I’ve been threatened by elected City officials for speaking my opinion as well as speaking against the administration position of the BOCA code. I have even been accused of being the cause of the problem. This is fine. I don’t care, it don’t bother me. But I will always be against a code that hurts as many people as this code has hurt.

"I’m sure, that if adopted, the BOCA code discussion will be before the City Council again, and believe me, I‘ll be there.

"You know, maybe next time, there will be one of you people on this side, pleading your case. And maybe some of us out here, will be back here (motioning to the Council), you never know.

"For some of you, this will be a final vote - final meeting - elections coming up, so the others will be returning to teach new members of the City Council. But one thing is for sure, should you vote in favor of and pass these codes as written, and without restrictions and controls, you can each be very proud of one thing. Because not only will you have disgraced the city in which you live, but the office that you hold. Thus you will have betrayed the trust of the people of this city."

The six Council members voting in favor of the disputed Property Maintenance portion of the codes and thus shamed by Tobrock include H.J. Johnson, Larry Ross, Bill Fortune, J.D. Whitledge, Jim McPheeters, and Don Stearnes. Members Charlie Bastin, Art Dunaway, Lujene Clark voted against. Jackie Boyer was absent due to an illness in the family.

An ordinance requires a majority of the elected Council (six or more) to pass.

Thirty Gardeners Complete Training.

news release University Outreach

Thirty area residents have completed the University Outreach and Extension Master Gardener training in Carthage. The Master Gardener program is for people who may or may not have gardening experience, but are eager to acquire knowledge and share it with others.

They have completed approximately 30 hours of training including topics such as vegetable and fruit production, insects, lawn care, trees and plant diseases. At the end of the training, they are asked to provide 30 hours of volunteer service to their communities during the coming year. The program is sponsored locally by Jasper County University Outreach and Extension Council.

Those completing the 2001 training program are Bobby Duke, Jess and Peggy Kessinger, Barbara Montague, Dan Mortimer, Diana Porter, Lee Elliff Pound, and Jim and Marthalee Sapp, Carthage; Stuart and Marcy Hooker, Kristy Nagle, Gayle Navarro, Mary Perrin, Millie Quigg, and Kitty Ward, Joplin; Susan Ball, Shirley Mitchell and Donna Whitehead, Seneca; Deidra Ogle, David Surgi and Charles Surgi, Webb City; Linda Lea Goodman and R. Lewis Phillips, Oronogo; Brenda Beck, Cassville; Stan and Janet Bell, Wentworth; Deborah Pisoni, Neosho; George Rantz, Carl Junction; and Amy Swinson, Reeds.

Additional information about the program can be obtained by contacting the Jasper County University Outreach and Extension Center in Carthage at 417-358-2158.

The Council is still tryin’ to figure out where to measure the 300 feet required between a business sellin’ intoxicatin’ beverages and a church, park, school, or hospital.

There was the first readin’ of an ordinance at the Council meetin’ which would establish property lines as the guide. A motion was made to send it back to committee, but it failed.

The property line guide would be the most restrictive allowed by state statute. There is some support for a lesser restriction of usin’ the main entrance of any buildings involved.

Since the motion to move back to committee failed, the ordinance will appear again in second readin’ at the next meetin’ on April 10. One last serious discussion for the old Council before new members are sworn in.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray

I did a front-end brake job on my ’89 Dodge Ram 150 truck. I took the front rotors off and had them turned at a local shop. I put in new pads and put everything back together correctly.

I drove away the next day and experience a slight vibration that had the sound of a low hum, like big, off-road tires on payment. It only occurs when applying the brakes firmly.

I checked to be sure everything is tightened correctly, but I still have the hum. What could be causing this?-Phil

Ray: What’s causing this? The guy at the local shop that turned your rotors, Phil.

Tom: He did a lousy job. He did, what we call in the trade, a "record cut" because the rotor looks like an old 33 rpm record, but with deeper grooves in it.

Ray: Ideally, the rotors should be perfectly smooth. You put the rotor on the lathe, and as the rotor spins, you move the blade from the inside to the outside. But if you move the blade too quickly across the spinning rotor, cut too deeply, or use a dull cutting tip, you’ll end up with grooves. And when the brake pads press up against the grooved rotor, you get that hum.

Tom: So you can either wait until the metallic particles in your brake pads wear down the grooves and smooth them out or you can go back and ask them to redo the rotors- assuming you have enough thickness left in the rotor to cut it again. Good luck, Phil