[Lt. Gov. Office] - Following up on Reports - Part 2 [Adder Please]

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

Raliric had, for the last few cycles, been poring over reports, notes and propositions that had circulated through the Governor’s Office (and thus his own) for the last few eras and he was quite frankly surprised by what he found. He was an organized man and thus as he worked his way through the reports he categorized them into departments. Then, going back over those departmental piles, he put them in order of date. What he eventually found was that a great deal of what had been begun had not been followed up on since. He had then made a list, a rather lengthy list, of who to check up on with regards to those reports.
After taking care of the Exchequer the new Lieutenant Governor moved onto the Aedile and her progress with regards to the Avon Row project that was initiated and funded in part by the Governor’s Office. Thus he had asked Regal, his assistant and receptionist, to send for the Aedile and to make sure she brought everything she needed to give Raliric a report on the state of the Avon Row Project and the housing within the city.

Now all Raliric had to do was play the waiting game until the Aedile arrived to give his report and have a discussion with the new Lieutenant Governor.

[Adder]

Avon Row was of course no longer directly reporting to the Governors office, but since the Aedile responsible for that, and the Lieutenant Governors message hadn't specificied which Aedile was to report, knew of him of old, she decided to come along anyway.

A short woman, but tall enough for a sprite came into the room, red hair announcing as much as anything her identity though her wings were unmistakable. Not many of the fae had made it to the top of the government, Governor aside, but this one had her adopted family to help her in a place where her kind were discriminated against, even if not deliberately.

"Serale, Your Excellency. I beleive that you were enquiring after the Avon Row Housing Project?" A smile balanced under the nose of Tytesea Rachtheine, a smile balanced by a glitter in her violet eyes.

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

Regal showed the Aedile straight into the Lieutenant Governor’s Office without needing to check if it was already, she already knew Raliric was waiting and wished for everything to be sorted out as quickly and efficiently as possible. Thus when Tytesea Rachtheine was shown into the Office, Raliric stood and inclined his head toward the sprite. ”Serale Tytesea. Please sit. I do hope your family is faring well? I have heard many good things of your brother and his service to the province. He will, no doubt, be looking at promotion in the coming era, if not sooner if I had my way.” He smiled and sat, opening his vellum log book to the page he had his notes on with regards to the subject at hand.

”I have been reading some reports from my predecessors and stumbled upon a meeting regarding the Avon Row Housing Project, now I do know that this was some time ago that the deal was initiated and I was wondering on the progress. If you would be able to give me a run down on the details of the Project and how it is faring I would be most appreciative.” Another smile and then he sat back to allow the sprite her opening to speak and deliver her report.

[Adder]

She smiled and fluttered her wings as he complimented her family. "Thank you Raliric," she answered, being informal in turn, something that she was comfortable enough with despite the difference in their positions since her social status more than made up for any shortfall.

"My brother will be pleased to hear of your interest I have no doubt. He is always complaining to me about a lack of action and the opportunities of promotion that comes with it." She smiled, "I rather suspect that he misses you being in command. But I'm sure that you don't really want to hear my gossip about my brother, and you were asking about Avon Row." She considered for a moment before continuing.

"If you've read the notes, then you'll understand the basics of it. The previous Governor wanted to expand the Avon Row project, something that you'll understand what with the overcrowding that we'd had previously. She wanted more affordable housing, somewhere that the families who might otherwise be forced into the Hidden City and have their lives ruined by the crime there. So far the project is going well, and I've been working with Rardowia to ensure that the gangs don't get a foothold." She frowned, "though oddly enough only the Shady Men have made the attempt so far of the organised gangs. But anyway, we've bought out a few older properties, torn them down and are rebuilding. And also the clans have donated some of their rental properties in the area which we are refitting."

"I could bore you all brightening with the Project, but was there anything in particular that you wanted to know?"

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

He smiled as he listened for what she told him was exactly what he wanted to hear, that everything was going nicely at the moment. ”I am pleased that things at moving along. There is nothing specific I wanted to know, just simply how the Project was faring since Alicia asked about it. If the Project is in need of any more funding then I am sure we could spare a few hundred thousand crowns to invest.” He looked down at the parchments on his desk, took a moment to shuffle them around until he found the one he was looking for.

”Are you aware of the status of housing in the rest of the city, Tytesea? Do we still have space for citizens or are we in need of expansion?” Some very important questions that may bode an active future for Primus Gaudeo in expanding further into the countryside.

[Adder]

She dimpled a smile at Raliric. "Since when did a project ever have too much funding Raliric? I've been trying to balance the books as best as I can, but anything that you can spare will be most gratefully received and will allow us to speed up the project a little, though I think it will be many era's before we can make a real difference to the problems of the Hidden City. As many families as we lure away from there, they are replaced by people from the countryside seeking their fortunes and without any skills of use in a city."

She sucked on a thumbnail for a moment as she considered his second question. "The housing situation has eased from what it was an era or two ago, what with the refugees from Zerdargia shifting back out now it looks like there will be no further fighting. As you will know only too well, the city has a wall round it and that limits the possibilities of building. The initiative in Avon Row is scratching at the surface of the problem, but on the whole I'd say that we aren't far off reaching a critical point where something has got to give."

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

He chuckled, ”I agree, too much funding is obviously no obstacle, however sometimes it allows for a lack of efficiency. I am unaware of exactly how much the province could increase your funding by, however what I will propose is this: keep the current funding that the province and city gives to you and if you require an increase to that funding to be used in particular areas then submit a proposal to me and the exchequer. This will allow us to keep abreast of the progress of the project as well as having a distinct record for the funding and the additions of whatever sum we authorize for you. In those proposals you'll need to give us a brief of what the money will be used for as well as the ideal amount of money you would like authorized.”

”How does that sound?” He paused to see if that was acceptable for the Avon Row project, before continuing on the issue of the availability of housing in Primus Gaudeo.

”If that is the case then perhaps we should begin the planning and implementation phase of extending the city? It is quite true that we have walls around Primus Gaudeo, however that does not mean we can not build an outer wall. The land immediately around Primus Gaudeo's walls I would assume to be still owned by Primus Gaudeo for defensive purposes, so in order to extend that we would simply need to purchase more land from the current land owners so that we can build an Outer Wall and then have a defensive ring of cleared land around that wall. Then between the Inner and Outer Walls we will have the freedom to expand the city. Perhaps by building more Insulae buildings rather than actual housing districts in order to supply the maximum amount of housing and shop fronts, though it might be nice to have a new district specifically dedicated to elite housing.”

It seemed, in the great scheme of things, that Raliric was going to be a Builder, a leader who focused more on infrastructure. He has a great many plans for Centripax and each of its cities, but for the moment he needed to return Primus Gaudeo to its glory.

[Adder]

She nodded, wings flashing as she smiled. Throwing money at something did tend to make it work on the whole, but rarely in any efficient way. The solution was to deal with the bottlenecks and often the real trick was to recognise what the bottlenecks really were, and very much her job consisted of trying to eliminate them ahead of time, something that greater funding would certainly help.

"That sounds very much what I like to hear. You'll need to give me some time to reorganise things from trying to optimise every silver over to the most efficient way forward, and knowing that you will authorise funds as I need them," she smiled softly, "with justification of course, is going to make my life a lot easier."

She mused for a moment. "Actually there is one course that might work very well. I've got an architect that's been pestering me; he has some big ideas, but so far I've been ignoring him because big ideas normally come with an even bigger price tag attached, but now, he might be just what we both need."

She was quiet for a moment before responding to Raliric. "We can certainly build outside the walls, I don't see too much issue with that, though building new walls and demolishing the old is going to be quite an undertaking." The idea was intriguing and she realised that she had been too accustomed to the city as it was to consider drastic changes to it. "Perhaps though the solution is to try and encourage some of the population to leave the city? Your new fortress must surely still need more citizens in that town around it, and perhaps we could expand the towns around us. It might be cheaper overall to encourage people out of the city rather than rebuilding it?"

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

He nodded, understanding that to appropriately utilize the funds he would need to allocate just a little less than was needed so that they could work hard to make the money stretch that far and not go off on spending sprees. He chuckled at the thought of demolishing the current walls. ”Oh no, we wouldn't be demolishing the current walls. That would be a new kind of foolish. If we were going to expand the city we would need to keep them. Perhaps we would make two more gates within the walls at some points, but that is something to consider should we reach such a conclusion.” He paused and nodded. ”Indeed, Siona is in need a great many citizens to bolster its economy. And I'm sure that other cities around Primus Gaudeo and within the heartlands would also benefit from an increase in population; however the problem here is that if the citizens do not wish to move or add to those localities a place still must be found for them here in Primus Gaudeo. Expansion is a necessity in any case and it is wiser to begin those plans as soon as possible to avoid decades of stressed work later on. As the matter already stands we might be eras late of seeing to a problem that might arise shortly.” He waves his hand absently.

”Who is this architect and what are his big ideas?” He was interested to know, the rest of the matter could come later. New ideas were always welcome with Raliric.

[Adder]

She smiled a little ruefully and smiled. "Truth is that whilst it might be a good idea, and no matter how attractive we might make the offers in order to get people moving out, people will always be drifting into the city thinking that they will find a better life and sometimes I do wonder if the only thing that stops them is not being able to find anywhere to live." She realised that she sounded a little pessimistic and shook herself, smiling as she rolled her eyes.

"The architect, yes, Granth Bradnator is his name. He's been pestering me because of the rebuilding that we've been doing. As you probably know, we've been redeveloping in this area, but mostly we've been just refitting the existing buildings. Granth though has been wanting to build something that sounds as tall as the Concordia, something that will make it's mark on the Southern City and he reckons solve our housing problems in one go."

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

The Lieutenant Governor nodded, listening and absorbing the information before bringing a hand up to rub his chin. ”Solve the city's housing problems and make a mark on the Southern City? As tall as the Concordia? That is quite an idea indeed. Did he tell you any more details regarding the idea? Or where to contact him should you become interested in it? I would like to hear more; even if the idea is ridiculous it may spark ideas that would lead to a better solution.” He was also fond of giving people the chances they wanted. This was a meritocracy after all.

[Adder]

She smiled more openly at the expression on Ralirics face and nodded at him with a smirk.

"Those are his plans indeed. He has explained what he has in mind, but I'll let him explain it to you as I'm sure that I wouldn't do him justice. You can find him over at the Elementalists Guild Hall I believe. But I'm sure that he would be more than willing to come and see you. Shall I send word for him?"

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

”Well, I am here now, so we might as well see if we can get him over here to tell us of his idea and see what we can do about it. Aye send for him.” The Lieutenant Governor had the rest of the brightening to see to this particular issue and thus was not worried about waiting a little longer. He stood up from his chair and moved over to the refreshments, pouring two goblets of water before returning and setting one down for the Aedile. ”While we wait for him to arrive, are you at all hungry?”

[Adder]

She nodded at him and waved for him to wait for a moment whilst she went over and had a word with the other clerk who worked in the office. A moment later she was back.

"I've sent for him, though it will be a while before we hear if he is there or for him to arrive since it'll take a while to get up to the Guildhall and back." She glanced around her desk and decided that there was nothing urgent that needed to see to.

She took a sip from the goblet, nodding her thanks as she picked it up. "Actually, yes, something to eat might be good. Perhaps we can go out, I've spent too much time in this office recently and some fresh air would clear my head."

[Raliric Ered`Gard]

He smiled and nodded, standing once more and draining the goblet. ”A stroll will indeed do us good. Do you have any preference of food? No doubt there is a little tavern or something nearby to accommodate our needs.” He motioned for her to leave first, being the gentleman, and then he would follow her out, closing the door behind him. The walk would indeed do him some good, and it would also help to, whilst they were on the topic of housing, give him another view of his beloved city and the state it was in.