Gavel passed and triumphant Wizard on best behavior as council meets.

The city council performed its duties last night in 50 minutes flat, including electing Dan Coffey as president and Diane Benedetti as vice president, returning Jeff Gahan to an ordinary seat so he can plan further assaults against the Constitution, discussing committee assignments and related appointments, and indulging Steve Price in one of those "the rest of the world is now as fiscally miserable as me" rants that should be on YouTube if we weren't too lazy to film them.

Hey -- NAC gets paid whether or not the council performs. In short, Monday was by the numbers, perhaps mercifully so, with the usual opening day pleasantries and promises to be on the same page.

A subdued Coffey ventured, "This is the best council I’ve sat on," and now, I suppose we'll all see. After the lessons of 2008, what passes for a progressive bloc within the current aggregation is having precious little to do with what undoubtedly is a progressive bloc in the city, which might serve as its natural ally. Consequently, it will be interesting to see how that circle is squared, although one thing is clear: Sit between them and the restroom when both groups are in Studio's, and watch how few of them visit the head.

But heck ... I'm just a cockeyed optimist.