My 3rd District councilman provided this gem of levity during a grueling council session last night:“I’m never political … the difference between me and others is that I think differently financially … has anyone ever tried it my way?”
Sure they have, Mr. Price.
Go to Mississippi ... or North Korea ... and see for yourself.
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Let’s keep the meeting recap simple.
The 1st District’s Dan Coffey pulled out every stop to make tonight’s city council meeting all about him.
And, fittingly, it was all about him … just not in the way he intended for it to be all about him … which means, in the end, that it indeed was all about him.
In the sense of abject failure, that is.
Councilman Mark Seabrook sensibly talked CM Coffey down from the ledge on the resolution to pour $2.5 million into the sewer utility, and the council unanimously approved placing the jail bond money into a non-reverting fund where it can’t be touched without council approval.
Just like the many other non-reverting funds dotting the budgetary landscape.
By the time that CM Coffey’s “drive a stake/through Scribner Place” resolution was introduced, many from the large pro-Scribner Place crowd had sensed that his proposed act of cultural vandalism was on shaky ground.
Both Mayor James Garner and council attorney Jerry Ulrich already had warned that CM Coffey’s attempted anti-pointy-head raspberry probably was illegal, and might well obligate the city to pay back Caesar’s and the EPA for expenses already incurred.
Fellow councilmen Jack Messer (“If nobody dreams, we’re dead”) and Donnie Blevins (“we need to move this city forward”) spoke at length about what it means to do the right thing.
Numerous pro-Scribner Place speakers marched forward to repeat the same things they’ve been forced to repeat countless times, through each of the Gang of Four’s gyrations over a period of years.
Faced with hardship and probable defeat, CM Coffey did what demagogues usually do. He tucked tail and ran, unceremoniously tabling an already gutless resolution, and naturally making a final feeble rhetorical effort to convince the crowd that he knows more about the art of the deal than Donald Trump, has a better grasp of finance than Alan Greenspan, and can do that little lip pout thing more effectively than Mick Jagger.Once again, amid hoots of derision from the gallery, Toto drew the curtain away from the Wizard, and the Westsider was revealed to be little more than a small-timing schoolyard boor.
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We’ll leave it to the comments section to cover the other occurrences last night.
Keep ‘em decent, eh?
10 comments:
What was the official tally of CM Coffey references to his "businesses" downtown.
I really enjoyed the meeting last night - different than what I'm used to though. I was surprised to see such a small room set aside for the meeting, but reckoned there must not be much attendance at these events over time to justify more space. I hope that changes. Also - what was the tiff between Randy(all4wprd) and Blevins about...couln't figure out what was going on - ?
Two or three, Matt.
The first and second times, CM Coffey’s business ownership (three locations in less than a year for his, uh, “antique” shop?) came up in the context of his labored denial that local developers blame the council for inconsistency. Shortly thereafter, he tossed in a reference to “business people who come in my place” and succeed because they have a work ethic, and can’t do any more than they’re doing.
Or, in Coffey’s own case, any less.
The third time came as the Wizard tabled his anti-revitalization hatchet resolution in the face of certain defeat and commensurate illegality, and promptly launched into a rambling recitation of all the things he just can’t grasp about the Scribner Place debate – prompting fear on the part of onlookers that a discussion of what Coffey doesn’t understand might drag on through the “Today Show” on Tuesday morning.
This is the part beginning with his denunciation of a “small vocal group,” none of whom ever come into his store (hmm, wonder why?), while all the people he sees – downtown business owners included – are against Scribner Place and will confide in the Wizard, but change their stories when speaking publicly.
Self-aggrandizement, pontification, alleged expertise in matters large and small, conspiratorial gobbledygook – when it comes down to it, my choosing Sen. Joseph McCarthy political gyrations as a parallel for Coffey’s proclivities turns out to be increasingly apt with each passing day.
Maybe Dan Coffey should check the list of donors to the Y's capital campaign and see how many downtown business people have made donations.
I don't have the list handy but I know that 2 of the first few donations that were made when the campaign began were from downtown businesses. One of them was for $100,000 and the other for $50,000.
Yep, it's easy to refute CM Coffey's contention that downtown business people aren't in favor of Scribner Place.
Yep, it's just as easy to dismiss his posturing about the underprivileged being unable to afford the pool, as was made clear (yet again) by the YMCA contingent in attendance.
Yep, it just isn't about the money.
It's about the malevolence.
Having noted this, I'll be reminded that focusing attention on the worldview of the councilman is somehow improper.
Howver, in the absence of a party platform with which to measure performance, we're left with little except the obvious personal vendettas of CM Coffey and his ilk.
Does that "bug" some poeple?
Sorry 'bout that. As Al Gore has noted, truth can be inconvenient.
If there wasn’t a full moon out last night, surely the kool-aid was tainted! Before the meeting began words were being exchange between the Trogs and any one that was with in ear shot. A one eyed, white haired older guy was standing next to me and Mike Ladd, as Mike and I were talking this very rude man kept interjecting comments, to I guess his imaginary friend, because he wasn’t invited into our conversation. Finally someone in his group asked him to leave, at which time he made even more rude remarks to me. I think he exited with the fact that he only had a two word vocabulary, and that I was more educated than he!
Not only was that gentleman rude, another fellow appeared shortly and started touting Tim Deatrick, I believe that’s why that gentleman, and I use the term loosely has been chastised on another blog. Other comments that came from that area of the room are unbelievable, the man who has only been living here for 10 months, who spoke in favor of Scribner Place, a lady remarked he doesn’t matter, hasn’t lived here long enough.
Talking with others in attendance, I agreed that Shirley Baird should be commended for coming to the meeting and standing to speak with a broken leg. That’s commitment.
As far as the rest of the night, I liked Brenda Scharlows enthusiasm, and commitment to the city. Glad to see the council use common sense to kill off the Daisy Lane project, as one man said, it should have died in planning and zoning, it should have never made it as far as it did. Even though they say it fell in line with the comprehensive plan, and if it did sounds like the comprehensive plan isn’t that comprehensive.
Of course what council meeting would not be complete without the Brambleberry anti-anything stand. Was he the one that used the analogy of the car with new wheels and paint job, with an engine only hitting on three cylinders? Maybe time to check your own cylinders Dave!
Dick Stewart was for the Daisy Lane project, also said he didn’t see the city having both, fixed sewers and Scribner place. Hard to see anything Dick with blinders on isn’t it?
Later in the meeting, Mr. Fifers 50 minute dissertation on the sewers was probably one of most painful events of the evening, when he made the statement that he feels 95% of the sewer problems are fixed, I had to wonder what banana republic engineering school he attended. There is still a lot of problems that need fixed. (You got to give the Trogs credit, the sewers do need more attention). And his response to Cm Crump’s question about 38 checking accounts, “There is more than one! I think that man deserves and Oscar for his acting.
Finally, I think Cm Gahan was the real hero of the night. When he threw Randy (Kojack) Smith out of the assembly room was priceless! Of course short of being handcuffed, Randy’s acting was all that bad either! Two Oscars should award for last nights public display.
Well kiddo’s it was a long evening, and if I have offended anyone, I assure you it was on purpose!
Good day!
Teal?
As in hospital scrubs?
That, my friends, is no lady -- that's Erik.
-a
wow! one day i will make it to one of these spectacles! until then, i'll have to rely on the wit and humor of the NAC!!! thanks for the updates!
It is obvious that the city council meeting has outgrown its venue. Maybe a board should be created to develop a plan and look into the possibility of holding it somewhere else. The crowds, the tempature and the smells are getting out of control. Maybe, in an ironic twist of fate, Scribner Place will have a Multi-purpose room that could be utilized.
I would like to thank the TROG academy for this honor! I also want to thank Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. I would also like to thank all the trogs that voted for me, if it weren’t for you I don't know how I would face the grueling mornings! You guys are so great, gives ones spirit a lift to see so much hatred and venom in one place.
ERR! wrong blog?! Nevermind!
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