Hick's mouth is wanting to write checks that his rumpus can't cash!
You may recall that Hick has taken a job overseeing the maintenance of the apartments for the elderlies who live above the Senior Center. Somebody told him he must be doing something right, because the resident elderlies have been speaking highly of him. Mainly because he's doing SOMETHING.
Of course these accolades are not enough for Hick. He wants to get to the bottom of things he sees as questionable. Nothing that concerns the welfare of the elderlies. Just the way things are run.
"I noticed that the city owns the building, but the Senior Center pays for the insurance. But the beneficiary on the insurance is the city!"
That sounds odd, but I'm sure there are probably state or federal grants involved that might have something to do with that set-up.
"Oh, and the Senior Center is supposed to pay for having that strip of grass there mowed. But the city owns the property. At our next meeting, I want to ask them about that. It's a meeting for us who work there, and people on a board. The city administrator comes. If grass gets too high at a house in the city, the owner gets a notice to clean it up, or gets a fine. I want to ask the city administrator what happens if the Senior Center doesn't have money to get the grass mowed? Is the city going to send itself a letter to clean it up? And if they don't, is the city going to fine itself?"
"You need to watch it. My sister's husband hasn't been the mayor for a while now. You're going to make enemies in city government, and they'll give you a hard time from then on."
"Heh, heh! They might fire me from my new job!"
"They might..."
"Oh, well. I just want to know how they can justify the insurance and the mowing, when it's THEIR property, but we're supposed to pay. One of my buddies says he thinks we only pay liability insurance. So I could understand that."
I really hope Hick does not bring up these issues at their meeting. A job is a temporary thing, but enemies are forever. The Pony's house is in that city. It's still in our name.
Good on Hick! But it's like our lawns - if we park on the lawn, we get a ticket but the homeowners take care of / maintain the lawn!
ReplyDeleteHick thinks the people living in the house are responsible for maintaining the lawn. Not legally, probably. But that's how Hick sees it, comparing it to an owner renting out the property, leaving yard maintenance to the renter. He thinks the person who makes the decision of not maintaining the yard should be the one getting the legal notice and ticket. That's why he wants to question if the city would follow their "ownership" policy for themselves.
DeleteOf course I wouldn't be expecting any of the elderlies to be out there with an old-fashioned push mower! It's a building with multiple residents, like an apartment complex, so I can understand the entity operating the building to be responsible. I'll make that point to Hick. He would not expect apartment residents to be mowing the lawn.
It is admirable that Hick is trying to make sure the elderly folks are being treated fairly but I wouldn't want to see Pony get trouble down the road from the politicians. Hick may need to rephrase how he presents his concerns so no feathers get ruffled.
ReplyDeleteI agree. All it takes is one petty politician to look up properties that Hick owns. It's public record. They could send someone by The Pony's house to measure the grass every week, and send a notice if Hick doesn't get it mowed in time. It wouldn't affect our flips, because they are in the adjacent town. Hick and Old Buddy are pretty busy in the summer, keeping the yards mowed.
DeleteTricky ground I think. We have "maintenance" gardeners who come around one a month or so and cut the lawns and trim shrubs that are hanging over the footpath, also any shrubs that have become very overgrown get a slashing too. But the automatic watering system is iffy, sometimes it gets turned on most times it doesn't. I do think Hick is right about the city having to do the maintenance though, they are the owners. Unless there is a clause in the paperwork that says otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI guess Hick needs to review the paperwork again to see if there is such a clause. Especially before he starts running his mouth at a meeting!
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