I’ve been away, so let me get the Demo reshuffle straight.
Marcey Wisman replaces the departing Randy Stumler as Floyd County Democratic Party chairman. That’s good … and even progressive.
Ted Heavrin is appointed to Stumler’s county council seat. That’s Neanderthal, and an indication that the party’s traditional Luddite instincts haven’t been purged entirely. In effect, the functionaries have reversed the will of the electorate in 2006.
The bummer in all this is that Suellen Wilkinson lost out, and with her loss, a chance to become something truly progressive is tossed out the party’s window in favor of the tried, true and unimaginative. A former high ranking state Demo chair in Wisconsin, or a previously rejected local lifer? Depressing, indeed.
And, finally, Brad Striegel will run for the at-large seat. He’s an unknown quantity, and so that one’s a wash.
In the end, the Demo’s game of musical chairs is an improvement over Dan Coffey’s platform of innuendo, fabrication and barbecued bologna. Now, all we need to be convinced is a stated party platform of progressive principles and ideals.
I’ll be hopeful, but not at all holding my breath. The local Democratic Party functions as Lucy Van Pelt, leading us to believe that we'll be kicking the football before yanking it away at the last moment.
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19 comments:
Wonder if Ted is one of those "Hellraisers for Hilary" who will threaten, maybe even vote, for McCain over Obama? The instinct to self-sabotage being born here, I haven't noticed much Obama enthusiasm in the crumbling local psyche.
Heavrin is the one who announced that downtown was dead to a bunch of business leaders at an event specifically aimed at promoting it - while he was downtown's county representative.
He and Larry McAllister are bosom buddies. Getting rid of that duo via the ballot box would, by itself, advance the county a decade or two.
One the more disappointing aspects of Suellen Wilkinson not being selected is that she has both the intelligence and the will to challenge those two.
I very much hope the same can be said for Mr. Striegel.
I've been trying to do some additional research on him. Should I be scared that C-TEK, his communications firm, doesn't show up in Google searches of the company name, even when paired with his name and/or New Albany?
If I were Larry Summers, I'd be encouraged.
I never thought I'd be considering putting three Republican signs right next to the Obama sign, but it's working out that way so far.
Would you like a sign? I could get you one today. :)
I am very encouraged. I offer this county the best chance at progress. Everybody I talk to, Republican, Democrat, Independent and Undecided has given me the encouragement to achieve the goals that this county has longed and deserved to achieve.
the floyd county democrat candidates this fall are a total joke. I will be voting republican locally and democrat for governor and congress, nader for president.
lets see if Marcy Wisman can undo the damage from the Stumler coup de farce, of course she was his lt. so i dont expect much
one correction , i do like carol shope, she seems like someone who thinks through issues
larry summers - "given me the encouragement to achieve the goals..." I'd like to hear more specifics about those "goals". Do you have a blog?
Bluegill - maybe we could honor Ted and Larry's attitude with a "TED AND LARRY" downtown is dead - award, given annually to an urban pioneer who invests in and moves downtown forward.
I have a blog (www.friendsoflarrymsummers.blogspot.com), a website (www.larrysummers.info) and a myspace account (www.myspace.com/friendsoflarrymsummers).
Warrior, please attend a county council meeting to see the current council members in action. It would give you an idea of the incumbents are truly like; then look into the newcomers via their websites/blogs, if they have them.
Carol Shope, when her rezoning request was turned down by the city council, was overheard to say, "Well, maybe I'll just put a junkyard in and see how my neighbors like that!"
Now, I understand that she lost out on a chance to make a pile of money. To be disappointed is natural but she should not have been surprised. The neighbors turned out in force and were very organized in their opposition. If she did not know about and understand the concerns of her own neighbors, how can she represent the entire county?
I'm sure she would like to pass off her comment as just a "reaction" but my point is, Carol Shope should not have been surprised. If she was aware, her comment is even more mean spirited. It's called being prepared.
This "all about me" attitude is not a quality for elected office.
In fairness, IAH, I don't think it's unreasonable for Carol Shope or anyone else to expect elected officials to follow their own comprehensive plan. That is, after all, what she was asking them to do. The planning staff and planning commission found it to fit the plan quite nicely.
Given the council's long ignorance of the comprehensive plan, one that as a governing body they themselves established, I'm actually surprised that no one has sued them over it yet.
Never mind the law, what about them votes? Sound familiar?
Bluegill,
I was not passing judgement on the merits of her rezoning application. As I stated earlier, I understand being disappointed and that we all sometimes say things out of frustration.
However, her comment was NOT directed at the council, as in, "Maybe I'll put in a junkyard and see how the COUNCIL likes that!" It was directed at her neighbors.
Oh, yeah it sounds very familiar.
Also, in case anyone is wondering, I am not one of the neighbors of Carol Shope. I was sitting in the audience at the council meeting that night and heard her comments after the vote.
IAH,
I think you have to consider several factors:
1. Many of the neighbors own or live on property that's already zoned for multi-family residential, the designation that Carol Shope was seeking.
2. Some of the complaints were based on a publicly expressed desire to avoid living next to low-income people.
3. The developments in which many of the neighbors live did the exact same damage to the "rural character" of the area in terms of density and traffic that Ms. Shope's possible development might have. The neighbors all purchased and/or developed those properties anyway with no concern for such things as long as they were getting what they wanted.
4. You'd rarely know it based on Council votes, but the comprehensive plan exists to represent the will of the entire city on development issues. Ms. Shope followed it and played by the rules set forth by her community. In this instance, the neighbors didn't and encouraged the council not to as well.
With their support of a double standard and disparaging of lower income people, I think the neighbors showed more of the "all about me" attitude than did Ms. Shope. Under those circumstances, I think your characterization is somewhat unfair.
Again, I am not debating the legitimacy of her request. I will bow to your superior knowledge of zoning rules and regulations, including the comprehensive plan. I will also stipulate that some of the neighbors may be of despicable character.
I have my doubts about her "awareness". Did she or didn't she know how resolved her neighbors were? And finally, were you surprised by the way council voted?
That's what I thought.
Her comments would not have bothered me at all if she had been a private individual. She is a political person and should know what is going on around her. As a local political office holder, she should have been keenly aware of what the council might do.
If she was not aware of all this, is she qualified to represent the whole county? If she was aware of all this, how does she justify such a statement?
Alright, who kidnapped Mark and started using his screen name?
Funny!! Earlier, I was thinking that, somehow, "The Gary" had hacked bluegill's account.
Hey, it's all good, open, honest debate. Upon re-reading my own comments, what I do find a little unfair is my own feeling of "not voting for her". I stand by earlier comments BUT I should attempt to learn more about her. A one time "overheard" and hearing a couple of less than flattering comments that some people have said about her, should not be enough for me to make a decision.
I don't see awareness as having anything to do with it. Just because someone knows ahead of time that they're probably going to get cheated doesn't mean they have a responsibility to play it cool when it happens, elected official or not.
She had every right to be angry and fired an obviously joking shot back after having been fired upon numerous times.
How does she justify it? By being the only party in the situation (if you count the council whole as one) who was right.
The city has a long history of lambasting those who are factually correct in favor of irrelevant emotionalism and pandering. I guess I don't see much worth in adding to that.
BTW, I'm not campaigning for her. My preferred candidate was passed over by party leadership. Twice.
My only advice for anyone voting for County Council is to do your research. Please attend a meeting and take note of how the meeting proceeds and which members are productive and which are not.
If you feel that you are well represented by the current council, then vote for the incumbents; however, if you would like to change the status quo, then look into the new candidates with fresh insights.
Every person has the right to determine which set of candidates to support. I just hope you look into each candidate thoroughly.
I will represent everyone in this county to the best of my ability,and I will vote for what I believe is best for the community.
I am not afraid to change my viewpoint either if someone can present a logical argument as to why something should change, without pandering to everyone's whim. Again, logic is key--that is the engineer in me.
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