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The goal, according to Mayor Yvonne Johnson, is a great quality of life.

That was her message at the annual state of the community forum last week. She wants to support business, and complete the Civil Rights Museum and the urban loop.

"While Greensboro is progressing, we definitely have challenges. We must be vigilant
about improving social capital," she said.

Read her full speech here.

The center city will likely get a close look Tuesday night.

Council will be asked to authorize city funds that will be spent on Downtown Greensboro Incorporated. Council does this every year, and some council members -- including the mayor -- say the money they spend on DGI is well worth it. But this year, various council members have asked to know exactly how the organization is spending the taxpayers' money, and have wondered whether DGI really needs their financial contribution.

DGI, which has the singular mission of making the center city a better place, was allocated $255,000 in this year's city budget. They also receive money from a special tax levied on businesses within the center city. This year, that adds up to $480,000.

In fiscal year 06-07, DGI had a budget of about $880,000, according to that year's annual report. The bulk of the operating budget came from the tax revenue. But the city also contributed $255,000. About $111,000 came from private contributions.

Check out DGI's last annual report to see how that money has been spent.

More council meeting details:What: City Council
When: 5:30 p.m. today
Where: Melvin Municipal Office Building, 300 W. Washington St., Greensboro
On the agenda: Council will hold a hearing on a proposed Kernersville-Greensboro annexation agreement, which sets the future dividing line between the communities.
They will also be asked to accept grants that will pay for surveillance cameras on city buses.
Watch it: Time Warner Channel 13 or www.greensboro-nc.gov/citygovernment/council
How to speak: Sign up before the meeting. Speakers have up to three minutes for nonagenda items. The speakers-from-the-floor section is 30 minutes.

During the recent Greensboro-Guilford County elected official dinner at the swanky O.Henry, the gathered did their usual self-introductions.

They even had the reporters 'fess up. 'Scoop reluctantly agreed, even though it totally blew our cover. We stopped wearing the fedora with the "Press" card years ago.

Well, toward the end of the 20-or-so politicos and county staffers' introductions, Greensboro Councilman Mike Barber made a funny.

"I'm Mike Barber, at large county commissioner," said the commissioner-turned-councilman.

To that, Mayor Yvonne Johnson jabber her thumb at the door.

"Get out," she joked.

"Sorry," Barber chuckled, "had a little flashback there."

They were serving wine at the event, and while nobody got out of hand, we'd like to know of any special spices they used on the roast. Or maybe it was the mushrooms on the salad?

County commissioners last night gave Olympian Caroline Lind a hearty pat on the back with a proclamation before the meeting.

"May this gift be used to hold down all the letters of congratulations," said Commissioner John Parks, handing Lind what Scoop thinks was a fancy paperweight from Guilford County.

The commissioners did their congratulaton thing for Lind's gold medal from the Beijing Olympics, and told her that she set a fine example for kids, especially as they return to school this year.

And the county can claim a couple Olympians for the kids to look up to.

"We've been spoiled in Guilford County with Joey Cheek and Caroline Lind," Chairman Kirk Perkins said about our gold medal winning speed skater and rower.

Lind was all smiles on Thursday as she received her framed copy of the county's proclamation, along with her paperweight. You can even hear her smile though this short audio clip.

Parks, who knows Lind's family, said that earlier he asked her father, Fred, about the pressure her parents faced at the games.

It's nothing compared to the city swim meet, he told Parks.

What : Guilford County commissioners meeting
When : Thursday 5:30 p.m.
Where : Old County Courthouse, 301 W. Market St., Greensboro
On TV: Cable channel 13 in Greensboro and other areas of Guilford County outside High Point; cable channel 8 in High Point.

What's going on? In the only meeting commissioners have this month, the board will handle housekeeping-type business by choosing whether to accept a grant for hand-held translators for the sheriff's office, allowing an architect to design the new social services building for High Point, approving money for a new mobile command center for the Guilford County Sheriff's Office and deciding whether to match Forsyth County's funding level to give $400,000 to Triad Park, among other issues.
There could be some discussion on the construction method the board chose to build the $115 million county jail, which occurred during a work session in which Democrats outnumbered Republicans that were present by a margin of 6 to 1. Though it's an 11-member board, not all members show up at work sessions.

Want to be heard? Speakers can address the board on nonagenda items regarding county business for three minutes at the start of the meeting. A sign up sheet will be available near the lectern. Full agenda and live video.
What's next? The board is likely to only have one more meeting in September, and will also set a work session date.

For those who can't get enough of City Council, you're in luck. It now meets four times a month.

The council already holds twice-monthly night meetings. It also holds an early-morning briefing on the third Tuesday of every month.

Now, the council will hold a second briefing session - a more relaxed meeting at which the council will have a chance to talk openly with staff. This will happen on the second Tuesday afternoon.

The council has had more issues than time to resolve them as a group, some council members say.

Councilwoman Trudy Wade asked for the second briefing session so they could get caught up on things they missed because of meetings canceled earlier this year or agendas too packed too complete.

Have any of you been stuck with late fees after paying your taxes to Guilford County this year? We're looking at the issue in the next few days and would like to hear your war stories (if you have them).

This question pertains mostly to just the most recent county tax bills, but if you have any other concerns, drop me an email.