apathy
In school, information was passed out like candy. Want more information? Everyone will help you find it.
In life? Ha!
This morning, I dropped the kids off with Grandma and Grandpa and took myself to the Town of Brookhaven offices to discuss what permits/departments/zoning boards I would need to deal with in order to open a new business in the town of Brookhaven.
The security guard at the front door was polite and friendly, and pointed me to the town clerk's office. That's where the nice and polite portion of my experience ended.
I am waved to the reception desk, where a rather sour looking older lady asked what she could help me with...
I explained that I would like to speak with someone about what applications would be required in order to start the permit process to open a new business. She slowly shook her head, got up from her chair, and walked over to a lady in a cubicle, not twenty feet from me. The two of them talked quietly as I stood there watching. I muttered to myself that it would be nice if the lady could just get up and come talk to me directly. That didn't happen. After they both shook their heads and looked perplexed, the older lady came back to me and told me to contact the Small Business Association and handed me a flyer with the County Clerk's office information located out in Riverhead. She told me to call them. I inquired if there was anything that would need to be done that is specific to opening in the Town of Brookhaven, and she shook her head again, and told me to just talk to the County Clerk. I asked if they had anyone that could serve as a type of guidance counselor for this -- and I got more head shaking.
I left that office and went over to the Receiver of Taxes office to see if I could get a copy of the tax rate schedule for the town. I wanted to see what the rates were for residential vs. industrial vs. retail, etc...learn about the different types of zoning. There was a line of three people in front of me, and only one person working the front desk. There was a room full of other people quietly working at their cubicles. I stood for a few minutes and realized that I wasn't going to waste my time standing in line after I saw a sign on their wall that listed the fees for a tax schedule. It wasn't a real fee list -- it was a snarky one meant to be a joke. $3.00 for a schedule, $5.00 for a schedule if you don't ask nicely, etc...
At this point I was irritated enough I decided to just walk out and use the web and the phone instead to see how much information I could glean.
It's frustrating to hear through the media and through mailings that our town is excited for new businesses to open, and they want to attract new, small business. Politicians tote how important small businesses are, and how our government should do whatever they can to support those who want to go into business.
I call bullshit. I am peeking my head into a bureacratic nightmare. I wonder how many amazing businesses have been thwarted because of the bullshit bureacacy that drained them of money, time, and the will to keep trying.
Oh great interwebs -- is there a magic guidance counselor for this type of endeavor? Will the Small Business Association have help to offer? Or am I going to have to pay some sort of dues and get mediocre help? What will it be?
I guess I'll have to put my pitbull pants on and find out....
In life? Ha!
This morning, I dropped the kids off with Grandma and Grandpa and took myself to the Town of Brookhaven offices to discuss what permits/departments/zoning boards I would need to deal with in order to open a new business in the town of Brookhaven.
The security guard at the front door was polite and friendly, and pointed me to the town clerk's office. That's where the nice and polite portion of my experience ended.
I am waved to the reception desk, where a rather sour looking older lady asked what she could help me with...
I explained that I would like to speak with someone about what applications would be required in order to start the permit process to open a new business. She slowly shook her head, got up from her chair, and walked over to a lady in a cubicle, not twenty feet from me. The two of them talked quietly as I stood there watching. I muttered to myself that it would be nice if the lady could just get up and come talk to me directly. That didn't happen. After they both shook their heads and looked perplexed, the older lady came back to me and told me to contact the Small Business Association and handed me a flyer with the County Clerk's office information located out in Riverhead. She told me to call them. I inquired if there was anything that would need to be done that is specific to opening in the Town of Brookhaven, and she shook her head again, and told me to just talk to the County Clerk. I asked if they had anyone that could serve as a type of guidance counselor for this -- and I got more head shaking.
I left that office and went over to the Receiver of Taxes office to see if I could get a copy of the tax rate schedule for the town. I wanted to see what the rates were for residential vs. industrial vs. retail, etc...learn about the different types of zoning. There was a line of three people in front of me, and only one person working the front desk. There was a room full of other people quietly working at their cubicles. I stood for a few minutes and realized that I wasn't going to waste my time standing in line after I saw a sign on their wall that listed the fees for a tax schedule. It wasn't a real fee list -- it was a snarky one meant to be a joke. $3.00 for a schedule, $5.00 for a schedule if you don't ask nicely, etc...
At this point I was irritated enough I decided to just walk out and use the web and the phone instead to see how much information I could glean.
It's frustrating to hear through the media and through mailings that our town is excited for new businesses to open, and they want to attract new, small business. Politicians tote how important small businesses are, and how our government should do whatever they can to support those who want to go into business.
I call bullshit. I am peeking my head into a bureacratic nightmare. I wonder how many amazing businesses have been thwarted because of the bullshit bureacacy that drained them of money, time, and the will to keep trying.
Oh great interwebs -- is there a magic guidance counselor for this type of endeavor? Will the Small Business Association have help to offer? Or am I going to have to pay some sort of dues and get mediocre help? What will it be?
I guess I'll have to put my pitbull pants on and find out....