Water and Ducks

Tuesday night's Woodstock City Council meeting should be lively. To see your government in action, get there about 6:50PM and get a good seat. Of course, in the small Council chamber, almost any seat is a good seat.

In addition to the flood victims who are likely to show up en masse to complain about years-long flooding issues, the family with the duck problem is expected to attend. You know about this one; right? I will admit when I first read the story in the Northwest Herald (and before I looked at the photo), I thought the issue was about two cute, little duckies. No way! These are full-size ducks. Some would say, about ready for the frying pan. (Sorry.... couldn't pass that one up.)

The City Council is not the right place for the family to submit its request for a zoning variance. There is a procedure (of course there is; Woodstock is a city with a government and a (contracted) city attorney. The family should learn the procedure and follow it. Addressing the City Council is the last stop (well, before court), but it'll be lively and fun for some at Tuesday's meeting.

Will residents really leave their TVs and come to City Hall on Tuesday night and gripe about their flooded basements and sewer back-ups? Let's hope they do. Bring information and documentation and give it to the City in time to be included in the report that is to be ready for the first City Council meeting in September. Bring some evidence, too. You know, those ruined photo albums; smelly, moldy boots; pieces of ruined carpets.

I did that years ago during my first IRS audit. The examiner asked about the smell and what was in the big briefcase I had dragged into his office. "Proof of my flood loss," I replied. I was audited on four points. After the first, he left the office to confer with his supervisor. When he returned, he said there was no problem and that loss would be allowed. On the second point, we discussed it and he left again to confer with his supervisor. Returning quickly, he said again, "No problem."

After we discussed the third point, he said, "I probably don't need to discuss this with my supervisor, but I'll be right back." And he was. Result? Approval. And the fourth? He said, "You've been right on three out of four. I'm not even going to ask my supervisor about this one. Besides, I'm quitting next week!"