unnecessary Businesses

[Whale of a Wash]

Our city asked unnecessary businesses to close today for our cities 2nd yr in a row flood fight. It produces some strange thoughts and ideas in some people that were marginally sane in the first place. Last year got a nasty call from a woman from the city about that. Most businesses don't like to be beaten up with those thoughts with our rough economy, rough winter and our high taxes(Property and sales tax on wash cycles) We should be OK this year for the most part. If interested here is a link to our newspaper. By the way our washes wash alot of flood equipment.

http://www.inforum.com/

 

[pitzerwm]

On the surface, it sounds like another governmental fiascoes. What does closing a business have to do with a flood? I think that I'd tell them to get a court order if they wanted you closed and that you would be glad to see them in court.

 

[bigleo48]

Do you get to skip paying city related taxes & fees for those days?

 

[rph9168]

Maybe the city should eliminate unnecessary jobs and programs and it seems like this one would be a good start. It almost sounds like an April Fool's joke.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I am saying to heck with it and driving tomorrow to Des Moines, Iowa for the Heartland Car wash get together. If you click on the link to our paper today there is a poll-- should businesses close down, the people want business to close. There are semi trucks hauling sandbags getting the Full lights and siren escort(also a pic in paper). Today my daughter got out of school to help and the school buses got the police escort. The truth about floods is a lot of people will be reimbursed with your federal dollars. All this overtime for the police, fire , truck drivers, and construction personnel. A lot of scamming on the federal dollar. all While they want us to close. Last year for the last flood we had Minneapolis police cars(250 mi), and dump trucks from 100's of miles. A lot of people smelled the money. In the meantime you feel like Joe McCarthy is alive and well (If you aren't helping us you must be a commie)

 

[Greg Pack]

In the meantime you feel like Joe McCarthy is alive and well (If you aren't helping us you must be a commie)

Actually I thought if you weren't helping you must be an evil money-grubbing capitalist. Sounds like a no win. I would just probably shut down and enjoy the peace and quiet for a day or two.

 

[Red Baron]

In the meantime you feel like Joe McCarthy is alive and well (If you aren't helping us you must be a commie)

About like charity washes around here. Sometimes I wanna tell them: You're already getting $500 from me indirectly on this pretty Saturday that my car wash depends on so much.

 

[Waxman]

I say do what you want to do. You're a small business owner and you decide your hours of operation, not the city.

Lots of people and companies bilk the hell out of 'emergencies'. Governments have proven over and over that they're not very good at making money. Why should they get to dictate open hours to 'unnecessary businesses'? They should not. They can poll people all they want but what does that even matter as well? Many folks simply get to a job every day and do the minimum required. If they had to run a business the majority of them would cry like a little girl. Yes this is more pessimistic than I usually am but I too have had my battles (albeit small ones) with the city lately.

"Get up, stand up. Stand up for your rights."

 

[keniniowa]

Yea man, cuz in a time of natural disaster there's nothing more important than a clean freaking car!

My wash and family business were both in the flood of 08'. Couple things I learned; The severity of the situation depends on whether or not it's your stuff in the water and people don't forget who did or did not help out.

May be a more prudent business decision to at least pretend you're part of the community. Two years later and I still don't do business with the guys that had your attitude. I project that over the course of our lives that will cost them much more than they saved by not doing their part. Sure hope so anyway....

Maybe I'm just biased because appearently I did it wrong. Keep hearing how flood's are such potential profit centers. Myself and everyone I know lost our a$$es.

 

[Reds]

I had 5 feet of water in my IBA & SS bays in '06. And 3 feet in my equipment room (it's elevated 2'). Cost me 40k in repairs and replacement, not including lost income from being shut down for almost 3 weeks. Highest water ever since they began recording flood levels in 1913. I own my biz and nobody tells me when or why to shut down. If I were in your shoes I would make my own decision based on my own judgement. Who decides what's necessary and what is that based on? The national guard told me they would arrest me if I went to my carwash property in '06. I put a canoe in the water, paddled past them, and paddled right into my equipment room. They drove by in a hummer and just waved to me. If it's not a necessary business then no one will use your facility and your being open will have zero impact on anything. Heavy equipment that is mucked up needs to kept clean on a regular basis. Ever seen a big payloader with a rubber gathering blade running in 6" of flood muck/debris? Chucking mud 6' in the air behind its tires? Sorry for rambling.

 

[Mr. Clean]

Sounds like a request for all hands on deck to fill sand bags and try to stem the tide, as it were. Not sure that giving employees the day off would motivate them to volunteer, but it surely could be a condition.
MC

 

[Whale of a Wash]

The city admin must have had alot of complaints as they changed their ideas fairly quickly. Our city would have been fine at the predicted crest but it was even better at 2 feet lower. Everything is pretty much back to normal.