Pick a Side/ or Ducks on the Pond
Government in action (particularly New Albany government) is not always a pretty sight. Coming up with solutions can be damned difficult.
It's even harder to do when, like a duck in the rain, you bury your head beneath your wing and let the water droplets do their worst.
But on rare occasions, government in action can be simply sublime.
Monday night's City Council meeting was a showcase of both the ri(duck)ulous and the sublime, and if you missed it, trust me, you'll be hearing about this night for the next 30 months.
As I watched the proceedings, I caught myself trying out witty turns of phrase to describe it. The one that came most often to mind was from the sweet science and the event it most resembled was the rematch of Ali vs. Frazier. And the single anthem surging in my inner ear went something like this:
"FRAZIER is DOWN! FRAZIER is DOWN!"
The Honorable James E. "Gentleman Jim" Garner, mayor of New Albany, delivered a policy and political knockout blow this evening that will reverberate throughout the city up to November of 2007.
His Honor separated himself from the pack with a sense of resolve, responsibility, and command of the material that no one who feels themselves to be part of New Albany's constituency for progress will have to make a decision on which side to pick.
For James Garner picked a side tonight! The highly visible declaration of principle I felt he simply had to make to restore a threatened incumbency was on full display.
Faced with difficult choices, the mayor's opponents chose to play politics. Big mistake. Because the game tonight wasn't politics - it was policy fisticuffs. The mayor and his administration stepped into the ring and delivered jab after jab, hook after hook, leaving the forces of "no progress at any price" literally reeling.
And there was no cut man, no fight manager to help the gang of (four?) in their attempt to play rope-a-dope.
In the end, it was the regressive fighters who threw in the towel, signaling their defeat by ABSTAINING on the most important fiscal crisis vote this city has seen in decades.
Like ducks on the pond in the midst of a deluge, the mayor's opponents tucked their heads under their wings, hoping to avoid the realities, apparently expecting the sun to be shining when once again they crane their necks to the sky.
The next City Council meeting is much more likely to be an alley fight. Be sure the forces determined to keep New Albany down will try to marshal their own peanut gallery as the key final votes to save the city from a shutdown are cast. Council Member Messer, a man of creativity and enthusiasm, will be absent, leaving no majority either for or against the mayor's proposed budget adjustments.
Garner has presented his best solution. Now it is up to council to authorize the appropriations. A 4-4 vote isn't a real option, so it will be fascinating to see who breaks ranks to save the city from disaster.
My guess is that Council Member Schmitt will justify the faith his constituents invested in him over these many years and vote to approve. Once that becomes known, Mr. Kochert is likely to read the tea leaves and join Mr. Schmitt in approving the mayor's plan. The lone Republican, Mark Seabrook, hasn't really aligned himself with the gang of four, but remains unpredictable when it comes to fiscal matters, but my bet is that once he gathers all the facts, he too will join to approve the mayor's plan.
Weather vanes will be popping up all over the 1st District as Council Member Coffey surveys which way the wind blows. Does abstention (again) or a nay vote set him up as the anti-Garner? Or does it relegate him to political oblivion? And of course, we won't know how Mr. Price will vote. But don't worry. Mr. Coffey's name comes first in the roll call, so all Mr. Price has to do is listen carefully to his instructions from two seats to his right.
Maybe the council could set its next meeting at the riverfront amphitheatre, where fans of progress and the forces determined to make New Albany a third-rate city can square off to watch their champions in action.
Frankly, though, the mayor has done his job. His staff have done theirs. With plans in place to meet either contingency, I would urge the mayor and his staff to take a brief vacation. After all, the City Council meeting is for the City Council, twice a month. The administration is at work every day. Come back the Monday after the vote, Mayor, rested and ready to lead this city to the future it deserves.
It's even harder to do when, like a duck in the rain, you bury your head beneath your wing and let the water droplets do their worst.
But on rare occasions, government in action can be simply sublime.
Monday night's City Council meeting was a showcase of both the ri(duck)ulous and the sublime, and if you missed it, trust me, you'll be hearing about this night for the next 30 months.
As I watched the proceedings, I caught myself trying out witty turns of phrase to describe it. The one that came most often to mind was from the sweet science and the event it most resembled was the rematch of Ali vs. Frazier. And the single anthem surging in my inner ear went something like this:
"FRAZIER is DOWN! FRAZIER is DOWN!"
The Honorable James E. "Gentleman Jim" Garner, mayor of New Albany, delivered a policy and political knockout blow this evening that will reverberate throughout the city up to November of 2007.
His Honor separated himself from the pack with a sense of resolve, responsibility, and command of the material that no one who feels themselves to be part of New Albany's constituency for progress will have to make a decision on which side to pick.
For James Garner picked a side tonight! The highly visible declaration of principle I felt he simply had to make to restore a threatened incumbency was on full display.
Faced with difficult choices, the mayor's opponents chose to play politics. Big mistake. Because the game tonight wasn't politics - it was policy fisticuffs. The mayor and his administration stepped into the ring and delivered jab after jab, hook after hook, leaving the forces of "no progress at any price" literally reeling.
And there was no cut man, no fight manager to help the gang of (four?) in their attempt to play rope-a-dope.
In the end, it was the regressive fighters who threw in the towel, signaling their defeat by ABSTAINING on the most important fiscal crisis vote this city has seen in decades.
Like ducks on the pond in the midst of a deluge, the mayor's opponents tucked their heads under their wings, hoping to avoid the realities, apparently expecting the sun to be shining when once again they crane their necks to the sky.
The next City Council meeting is much more likely to be an alley fight. Be sure the forces determined to keep New Albany down will try to marshal their own peanut gallery as the key final votes to save the city from a shutdown are cast. Council Member Messer, a man of creativity and enthusiasm, will be absent, leaving no majority either for or against the mayor's proposed budget adjustments.
Garner has presented his best solution. Now it is up to council to authorize the appropriations. A 4-4 vote isn't a real option, so it will be fascinating to see who breaks ranks to save the city from disaster.
My guess is that Council Member Schmitt will justify the faith his constituents invested in him over these many years and vote to approve. Once that becomes known, Mr. Kochert is likely to read the tea leaves and join Mr. Schmitt in approving the mayor's plan. The lone Republican, Mark Seabrook, hasn't really aligned himself with the gang of four, but remains unpredictable when it comes to fiscal matters, but my bet is that once he gathers all the facts, he too will join to approve the mayor's plan.
Weather vanes will be popping up all over the 1st District as Council Member Coffey surveys which way the wind blows. Does abstention (again) or a nay vote set him up as the anti-Garner? Or does it relegate him to political oblivion? And of course, we won't know how Mr. Price will vote. But don't worry. Mr. Coffey's name comes first in the roll call, so all Mr. Price has to do is listen carefully to his instructions from two seats to his right.
Maybe the council could set its next meeting at the riverfront amphitheatre, where fans of progress and the forces determined to make New Albany a third-rate city can square off to watch their champions in action.
Frankly, though, the mayor has done his job. His staff have done theirs. With plans in place to meet either contingency, I would urge the mayor and his staff to take a brief vacation. After all, the City Council meeting is for the City Council, twice a month. The administration is at work every day. Come back the Monday after the vote, Mayor, rested and ready to lead this city to the future it deserves.
posted by All4Word at 11:08 PM
3 Comments:
It has been my observation that ducks love rain. I don't know if ducks have emotions but it always seems that they are at their happiest when it is raining.
Same gnat, different room.
SWAAATT.
I love it when Tim starts talking to himself.
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