I have heard from a lot of people about the various problems they have with service providers in the City but my evolving experience with Columbia Gas is really taking the cake.  Comcast usually wants a 4 hour window to meet a technician.  Columbia gas demands a 12 hour window to meet a guy to turn your gas back on after they have turned it off due to a leak.  Want to call and talk to someone about it?  I hung up after an hour on hold.  Once I saw their web site (which indicates that it was last updated in 2005) , I knew I was in trouble.  
Has anyone else been run over by this world-class organization or is it just me?  

Well, I’m outta town this week but I would like to report that the Strategic Retreat for the Council at Airlee (sp) was a success.  I thought we made a lot of headway in boiling down our priorities and crystalizing what priorities need to be pursued.  It shouldn’t come as a huge shock that most of our priorities are along the lines of economic development and discerning what path to take there.  We also had an extensive discussion about what we don’t want to do anymore – what to cut – and made some progress there.  There are also some other items that will be moving forward and when I get back I’ll post more info.   

Overall, it was very worthwhile and time well spent.  Of course, the proof will be what happens over the next several months but I know we can make all of this happen or I wouldn’t bother.  I’m optimistic for our collective future and, now more than ever, willing to do more than ever to get it done.