Coffey suckles at cash cow's teat as crowd adjourns for a soda and some popcorn.

In fairness, the 1st district's Dan "Copperhead Lift Station" Coffey vowed to return to his outspoken (badly spoken) ways once he relinquished the council presidency and returned to his familiar rock outcropping, so pity the current chair, John Gonder, for attempting a response approximating reason at a time of acrimony and panic. The Tribune's Daniel Suddeath spies the theatrical production from the mezzanine and reports here: No rate increase on Monday’s New Albany City Council docket.

Since the sewer board manages the utility’s operations, Gonder said it’s practical to let its members form a plan before the council weighs the matter. The council has to OK a rate increase before it takes effect. “It may be premature to meet to talk about it until they’ve decided what their stance is going to be,” Gonder said.

But Councilman Dan Coffey isn’t interested in waiting. He said he doesn’t trust the sewer board and wants a private review of the utility. “The sewer is nothing more than a cash cow and we need a full blown audit to see where this money has went,” he said.