|
|
It’s your call
Does a television restaurant show and one of our local governments have anything in common?
The televison program is Restaurant Makeover. This show takes a rinky-dink nothing, greasy spoon food joint, and makes it a cool eatery. The decor is upgraded. The menu is upgraded. On the way, owners and staff end up with a huge attitude improvement as they learn what good food and professionalism is all about. With this in mind, you be the judge:
Situation 1.
The restaurant ready for a makeover is Brooklyn Billiards. It’s a bowling alley with a eat joint tucked in the back. There is one cook. Her top menu items are tuna salad buns, and another bun thing called a chicken melt.
She whips up a sample chicken melt for the makeover people. Cheese is melted on chicken breast on a bun and served. Help yourself to pepper and salt if you wish. The professional cook takes a chomp and grimaces. “Delicious isn’t it?’’ the regular cook says.
The tuna sandwich is made using the uneaten portion of the chicken melt bun, scraping off the cheese before she scoops onto the bun the tuna mix. “No reason to waste anthing.’’ The sandwich is very crunchy. “I put lots of carrots and celery in there to make the tuna go far. Good thinking eh?’’ The makeover cook again chokes. The kindest thing he says is, “Yes, big carrots.’’
How does the regular cook like working at the restaurant?
“I really like it,’’ she says. “There isn’t a whole lot of work to do. Not many customers. So I work about an hour and go home.’’ She is obvously convinced she is doing a wonderful job. No need to think about improving the “perfect menu,’’ the “perfect bunwich,’’ or wondering why business is dead.
Situation 2:
High Prairie town council meetings increasingly gets shorter and shorter. Peace River radio, which at times sent two reporters to cover meetings, don’t bother anymore. One time this past winter, they arrived 20 minutes late. The meeting was over.
Town manager Larry Baran says the reason meetings are so short is because council is so efficient. Not only that, he said special meetings at the beginning of the week allow councillors time to ask all those questions that just waste time at regular council meetings. You may wonder why a question asked on Tuesday takes less time than the same question asked Wednesday evening. Further, when HP councillor Len Olson was asked how he liked the early week meetings that resolved issues, he replied, “What meetings? I’ve never been to any meetings.’’
Now, there’s a refreshing bit of honesty for you.
Last week, the regular HP council meeting set a new record. Five, count ‘em, five minutes!
Do the councillors “really like it?’’ Yes they do.
Do they think they are doing a “good’’ job? Yes ma’am.
And new “customers’’ and new “business.’’ Oh well.
You be the judge. Anything in common with the restaurant?
Jeff Burgar
Copyright © 1999-2005 South Peace News. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.
View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster
|
|
