Systemic Failure

After almost 10 months.. we finally got our approval. 

We signed the contract in January...  Only find it'll take until March to get the engineering done.  And the queue to have a "over the counter" approval via Zoom was out till June.  Which then led to a technical review that lasts anywhere from 2.5 - 3 months.  No guarantees. 

Blew my mind how broken our city's system is.  I called the city numerous times.. to no avail.  "We're at a skeleton crew due to COVID."  Well.. can I pay an expedite fee?? Nope.

I do a bunch of research to see who else is impacting... and realize this city is not just understaffed... they can't hire, they can't afford to keep talent, can't train fast enough.  

Was this close to marching up to the City Council meeting to complain during Open Mic but opted for utilizing the system first.  Sent an email to my City Council Member - had not heard back.  Continued to call the city's Permit Office and was lucky enough to find an administrator that gave me one name and one email.  Better than nothing.  I started emailing and emailing.  2 weeks of waiting and the person tells me I got the wrong dude.  So I found the right person with the same first and last name... who tells me I gotta contact his boss.  I did... and cc'ed his director.  More waiting... more waiting... and finally... I get an email saying it's now in Issuance.  Which is now in Finance's hands.  2 more weeks of waiting and I do a bunch of searching to find the finance guy's name.  Again... I send an email begging for status and / or expediting.  

It shouldn't be this way.  First of all... my contractor is the one that should be chasing people down, not me.  Secondly... the system is broken.  Yes... my city is big.  But all the neighboring cities don't have the same issue.  WTH!??!?  Do I really have to run for public office to right the wrong?