And CM Seabrook was very close behind them, saying he's all for Jack Messer, but he just doesn't like the numbers involved.
Pathetic, all the way around.
Flash: City Council's obstructionist Gang of Four orchestrates the humiliation of CM Jack Messer as a craven "payback" to the administration for Messer's prominent role in the pro-Scribner Place vote, thus depriving the citizens of New Albany of the single best choice to initiate the enforcement position.
And they did it in the least dignified way humanly possible, by refusing even to second a motion to vote on the matter, a vote that would have gone against Messer owing to Seabrook's decision to suddenly become engaged in the police department's budgetary process and CM Bev Crump's absence, but would have forced the Gang of Four to register their chickenheartedness for the sake of posterity -- which is going to judge these four very, very harshly.
Which, in part, is because we at NA Confidential intend to write the history book.
And these four rarely read, much less write.
CM Coffey, refusing to second the motion to vote on Messer's nomination to the post of ordinance enforcement officer, comments, "I'll wait for Bev to come back and do it for him."
There'll be more on this topic, but it is clear that four of our councilmen have forever forfeited credibility following a display of mean-spiritedness unprecedented in recent city history.
They're laughing about it now.
That's how much respect these four have for the citizens of the city, and for the crucially important process of restoring a culture of ordinance enforcement accountability.
More later. Comment if you wish. Time for a beer.
Laughing. Yes, for now.
ReplyDeleteNoble, thy name is Messer.
Craven, thy name is legion...or at least five-headed.
Petty beyond belief was the behavior of the Gang of Five.
The anger I saw afterward was without precedent. They have no idea what forces they have unleashed.
Bye-bye, guys.
And Bev, don't deign to come to their rescue. They've made their pandering beds. Let them learn the consequences.
A marker was laid. They identified themselves with such clarity that they may as well have spent the evening at Asgard, having their foreheads tattooed with the words "lame duck."
A contingent of sanitation workers, their families and friends comported themselves with civility (with only limited exceptions); the Gang of Five covered themselves with ignominy.
Earnest questions and a sense of disbelief characterized the group that came out in support of the sanitation workers' plight.
Cravenness characterized five of their elected representatives.
I hope everyone in attendance took note of who was serious about the future of New Albany. Perhaps the sanitation workers were observant enough to note who their real allies were. A council of progressives would have found a way to preserve these jobs, and long ago. A council composed of cowards would try to fool you into thinking they had "done everything they could" to put New Albany on a sound financial footing, and thus able to continue a long tradition of public employees performing municipal services.