Colonial Manor listening? Yesterday Gahan, Dickey and the DemoDisneyDixiecrats displayed with unmistakable clarity just how little integrity they have left in the tank.

A portrait in hemorrhoids?

It was great to hear from "the" Democrat at the Colonial Manor listening session -- the one, single, solitary Democratic political figure willing to speak for attribution.

The lone Democratic political type to so much as dare making comments at last evening's Colonial Manor listening session was at-large council candidate Maury Goldberg, and he's to be applauded for doing so.

To be sure, the event's grassroots organizers have been consistent in minimizing politics during the course of their neighborhood advocacy. This is understandable, and even commendable.

Unfortunately, it's a election year; politics is about distributing power, and this fact lurks in the background whether desired or not. As such, three of the four currently declared mayoral candidates were present at last night's Colonial Manor chat (White, Seabrook and Coffey).

Aspiring mayor for life Jeff Gahan skipped the meeting, having launched his own petulant #MyNA broadside earlier in the afternoon.

Let's focus on Jeff Gahan's breathtakingly brazen string of fake facts and outright lies about Colonial Manor.

Of the four city council persons voting in favor of Gahan’s and Adam Dickey's more-of-the-usual-boilerplate redevelopment fix, only 5th district representative Matt Nash attended a meeting held in his own district. Perhaps exhausted by the necessity of fluffing Dear Leader round-the-clock, councilmen Bob Caesar, Greg Phipps and Pat McLaughlin did not show their faces, and not unexpectedly, Silent Nash said absolutely nothing -- not even so much as an introduction or the re-assurance that he was there to listen and would take listening seriously.

You're entitled to my opinion, so here it is: the listening session was another in a series of horridly disconnected and non-responsive showings by local Democrats, who are too busy smugly power-brokering behind closed doors to even attempt engaging with the community's stakeholders.

But before summarizing, I want to allow chief organizer Kathy Copas her say. I greatly admire what she's trying to do.

Now that we're all safely home and settling in for the night, a million thanks once again from our Colonial Manor Redevelopment Citizens Coalition for a wonderful evening of listening, reflection, connection, and fun. Independents, Democrats, and Republicans all together in one room for an evening, all being courteous and respectful of one another's ideas, words, and presence. Everyone who was there should just feel incredibly proud. And thanks so much to the Facebook Live viewers and watch parties, too, that added to our experience of being connected. If we can manage to regularly use structured listening techniques---coupled with real-time technology---to talk about challenging issues, there's just no end to what we can accomplish. So many people volunteered tonight and helped with everything from door prizes to registration to set up and technology. Without the risk of leaving someone out, thanks again to ALL of you for all you do to make New Albany a better and stronger community. We're just getting started! #colonialmanorrising

I can't say enough positive things about the attitude displayed by Kathy and her associates. They're showing us what grassroots involvement can mean.

And, sadly, local Democrats are responding in the only way they know how, with an equally compelling display of detachment, arrogance and pure spite -- which Gahan's Wednesday afternoon video displayed with sheer, numbing pettiness.

Gahan’s absolute power corrupts, and it corrupts absolutely.

He "plays politics" every minute of every day of his public life, and when someone disagrees with him, they’re accused of ... wait for it ... "playing politics."

Gahan seems to believe that his tenure as mayor and the very practice of politics in New Albany are intertwined, synonymous and inseparable -- that Gahan himself is entitled to a monopoly on political power solely because the press clippings he paid someone else our tax dollars to write depict him in such glowing, infallible terms.

But forget Gahan's giggly, goofy uncle persona. It's his inner bully -- the thug deep down -- that compelled yesterday's video, which was posted for the sole purpose of bullying and humiliating a group of sincere grassroots stakeholders.

Don't forget this image.

AT THIS "PUBLIC" MEETING, GAHAN DIDN'T ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK.

This incessant urge to reassert his primacy is further proof of Gahan's mounting narcissistic imbalance. He has gathered far too much power for one ill-equipped man, and he's not using this power for the community's greater good.

Patronage, propaganda and power trips are not hopeful platforms for progress, are they? Fortunately, we can do something about it: #FireGahan2019

ON THE AVENUES: It's time for a change, and David White understands that change begins with a whole lotta scrubbing.

Just my primary opinion, but on the Democratic side, please consider Christina Estill and Maury Goldberg for city council at-large.

Jeopardy! answer: "Reaching for the gin at 10:00 a.m."

Jeopardy! question: "What happens when you begin the day with WNAS primary election videos?"

This morning is was city council at-large candidates. After listening with disgust to David Aebersold's uninformed clueless prattle about the ruination of Spring Street by villainous two-way traffic slowers, I can say with perfect honesty that I would not vote for him for anything, ever, including the important race to be the guy in Communist Hungary sweeping the streets of cigarette butts with a primitive twig broom.

David Barksdale, self-assigned $10 million savior of City Hall's inhumanely housed white collar workers, those unfortunates doomed to lonely servitude in a heated and air-conditioned building with hot and cold running water and elevators that actually work?

Nope. Don't think so. He mourns buildings, not people; woodenly reads a prepared statement for his video; contradicts himself numerous times therein; and yet again, infuriatingly, gives himself credit for downtown revitalization.

But allow me to be perfectly serious without a trace of sarcasm when I say that among the Democratic Party's five aspirants for city council at-large -- it's a contested race, folks -- Christina Estill's video for WNAS is the best, hands down. It begins at 27:03.

She speaks personally and personably about social issues and housing, sincerely and directly. It's impressive because she's real and utterly without pretense. Estill has my vote. She's exactly the sort of citizen we need seated at the council table.

I'll also vote for Maury Goldberg, who also is comfortable being himself, and rightly reminds viewers that he served five terms as a councilman (ending in 2003). He rambles a bit in his video, but rallies and touches on several important points, including up-front support for indie business entrepreneurs, union and mass transit. Has anyone else talked about these? His video begins at 32:26.

I'm not going to hold Jason Applegate's video against him, because I know just how hard it is to face the camera and make one's points. Maybe it was an "off" day. But at least Applegate made a video. I like both Sam Charbonneau and Chris Fitzgerald as individuals, but neither of them heeded the call from WNAS.

Can we be honest?

The Democratic Party's hierarchy desperately wants a fall slate of Charbonneau, Fitzgerald and Applegate. These three were handpicked, weren't they?

Chairman Adam "Tricky" Dickey does not want to see either Estill or Goldberg on that ticket. It's another fix by the master of the dark arts, and my problem with this is okay, fine, the fix is in, but at the very least it's good form to pretend to give a damn even when you're aware you've been anointed by the party's coolest kids.

Applegate is trying, and he gets credit for doing a video and getting those signs out. Unfortunately he also gets demerits for having done nothing to update his official non-Facebook web site, which still features 2018 commissioners' race data.

As it stands (albeit pre-primary), if it were November and I had to pick three candidates from all the at-large candidates currently declared, they'd be Estill, Goldberg and Al Knable. Naturally this equation might change given the outcome of the primary.

The preceding are my opinions, and my opinions alone. I'm happy to discuss them further; just let me know via the usual channels.

Opening tip: "Do all City Council races need a Third Party Candidate?"

Former 3rd district councilman Maury Goldberg, who was narrowly defeated by the incumbent (and fellow Democrat) Steve Price in the recent primary election (another Democratic candidate, Charlie Harshfield, was close behind in third place), ruminated on a hot topic last Friday at his New Albany Today blog.

Maury's original posting follows. After it are my comments, Maury's responses and a parting thought by Bluegill, my colleague here at NA Confidential.

Readers, what's your take?

---

Friday, May 18, 2007: Third Party Candidate(s)? Updated, posted by Maury K. Goldberg at 5/18/2007 10:44:00 PM.

Let’s talk about the Third District City Council race to illustrate a point I want to make. The Democrat Party's nominee for the Third District City Council District is Mr. Steve Price. As of this date of May 18, 2007, the Floyd County Republican Party has not chosen a candidate, but will do so at a later date. An Independent Party Candidate files for the Third District City Council seat. On November 6, 2007, the Third District voters have 3 candidates to vote for.

When one looks at the Third District Democrat Primary in 2003 Mr. Price won his race in a three man field as he did in 2007. The General Election was a Democrat sweep plus Mr. Price was a political unknown at the time does not factor in to the political equation. Of the 3 election contest with Mr. Price, two have been with two opponents and one with one opponent. Mr. Price has been able to hold his own.

Enter a Third Party Candidate and Mr. Price faces the same challenges he has encountered in 2003 and 2007 Primary Election contests. Names I have heard for such a candidacy are too litigious. Further, why would the Republican Party choose a Democrat or anyone not affiliated with the Republican Party? Local political history has shown the Republican office holders are more cohesive in supporting Republican Mayor's than the Democrats towards their own Mayor's.

Mr. Price would hope for a Third Party candidate, which helps him with the job of retaining the Third District City Council seat for the Democrats. This bring up the question of what is the goal of a Third Party candidate? To defeat a political party nominee? Is it a personal hatred for a political party's candidate? To further your own political agenda? Such questions have to be confronted in laying the basis for such a candidacy. The point being made is "Do all City Council races need a Third Party Candidate."

Let ask the question about the possibility of one or several Independent Candidates could win. The voters could be confronted with the possibility of a 4-4 split City Council with a Independent party candidate holding the balance of power. What about possibility of a majority of Independents on the City Council? How would such a majority of Independents work with whoever is elected Mayor this coming November, 2007? How would policy be decided? Will we have political grid lock as we have now?

One has a right to run and offer themselves as a Third Party candidate. The aforementioned list question need to be answered before the voting public is to vote for you. So if a Third Party candidate runs in the Third City Council District or any other City Council District or as an At large City Council Candidate one has to explain their candidacy. For hatred of a Political Party's nominee is not justification for running.

---


On 5/19/2007 at 9:07 AM, The New Albanian said...

When there's time, I'll be elevating this discussion to the marquee at NA Confidential so that a broader audience can participate. Until then …

Names I have heard for such a candidacy are too litigious.

Really? I'm aware of one lawsuit pending, but it isn't clear how this applies to independent candidates in the 3rd district -- unless, of course, you refer to the aspect of the word that implies “argumentative." Which do you mean to be used in this case?

Further, why would the Republican Party choose a Democrat or anyone not affiliated with the Republican Party?

Indeed, but I wasn't aware that the GOP was considering such a strategy. Do you know somthing the rest of us don't?

Mr. Price would hope for a Third Party candidate, which helps him with the job of retaining the Third District City Council seat for the Democrats.

Just like he hoped for two Democrats to run against him in May. That one turned out nicely, didn't it?

This bring up the question of what is the goal of a Third Party candidate?

Many possible answers to this one, but the most obvious would be in a situation where, as is so often the case, both major parties in the American duopoly fail to offer viable policy alternatives. Are you suggesting that with 63% of the 3rd's voters choosing one of two progressive platforms in the primary, that these voters are undeserving of the chance to advance the platform again?

How would such a majority of Independents work with whoever is elected Mayor this coming November, 2007? How would policy be decided? Will we have political grid lock as we have now?

Your point here is growing ever more elusive. My counter: Can a council that includes independents be any more gridlocked than the present one with eight Democrats (come of them profoundly non-Democratic?)

And, given the non-Democratic voting patterns therein and the failure of the local party structure to enforce discipline or even to advocate a coherent platform, are you suggesting that independent voices would be more untrustworthy when it comes to voters of a progressive mindset?

So if a Third Party candidate runs in the Third City Council District or any other City Council District or as an At large City Council Candidate one has to explain their candidacy.

Precisely, and in the same manner as major party council candidates ... and surely if certain of them had been more forthcoming last winter when the time was opportune and stepped forward to discuss platforms and ideas when we were fairly begging for such a public exchange to occur, we might not have labored through the politics-as-usual split that resulted in Steve Price being re-nominated in May.

For hatred of a Political Party's nominee is not justification for running.

That's a faulty conclusion, and one based on a handful of faulty premises.

It needn't be hatred of a nominee, and so far as I can tell, it isn't. I've not heard the "h" word used until now. Rather, it is disgruntlement with the nominee's platform planks and ideas, and a desire to offer an alternative. Specifically, in the context of the 3rd district, this notion of offering alternatives is better pursued in a unified fashion than fragmented.

In fact, I'm entirely unaware of any better rationale for an independent candidate than offering powerful ideas, educating people about them, and doing so in a manner designed to achieve unity rather than guarantee fragmentation.

I concede that nesting comfortably in the bosom of the two-party system is a veritable New Albany birthright, but if we are to speak of "local political history," then we must be willing to speak truthfully as to the rate of success of such a strategy.

Which is my question to you: Are any of the points you've raised here really persuasive when it comes to the argument against an independent candidate in the 3rd?

---


On 5/19/2007 at 4:32 PM), maury k goldberg said...

Dear Roger,

I will answer your questions.

1) Yes,I mean argumentative.
2) No, I only was mentioning what the GOP would do.
3) We learn from the past.
4) No, Whoever is the Third
5) Party Candidate has to state their platform. I cannot make an assumption that the Third Party candidate will be a "Progressive."
6) Again, until we know the "Independent Candidate(s) are, one is making an assumption such a candidate will be progressive. The questions will have to be answered once the Third Party candidate is known.
7) Roger, you do not understand the point I was making. The Third District City Council race was used to make the point "Do all City Council races need a Third Party Candidate?" I do not make any arguments against Third Party Candidate(s) nor do I assume that they will be a "progressive" in any City Council race.


---

On 5/20/2007 at 12:29 AM) bluegill said...

This argument would be much more interesting if any of the current or former candidates could explain how they came to recognize themselves as members of either side of the presiding duopoly in the absence of any substantive platforms with which to identify.

When and if the various designations begin to have meaning born of shared policy goals rather than the choosing of one electoral machine over the other, discriminating voters will have legitimate decisions to make where party affiliation is concerned.

Until then, all the candidates are ultimately running as independents.

NAC’s Primary Primer: 3rd council district (D) endorsement.

By The New Albanian.

First the case against the incumbent, then an alternative.
----

Council (D) 3rd District

The New Albanian (NA):
With each passing day, it becomes clearer that for New Albany to succeed, it must become smarter. 3rd district incumbent Steve Price’s consistent response to this obvious imperative is to become noticeably dumber, prone to substituting folksy hokum and mindless minstrelsy for thoughtful dialogue on issues of extreme gravity, and all the while insisting that a steady stream of “no” votes while on the city council is merited under the aegis of “fiscal responsibility.”

And yet economic, social and civic progress is the ultimate manifestation of fiscal responsibility, because making the city’s overall pie larger through economic growth and the willingness of homeowners to invest in their neighborhoods benefits everyone who lives here. The problem remains that the people and ideas best positioned to assist in New Albany’s revival are precisely those that Price doesn’t understand, and remain the ones towards which he feels outright and palpable hostility on cultural grounds.

Price’s sole political selling point is that he’ll watch the nickels and dimes, but he has yet to propose a single strategy for transforming the pocket change into larger sums, and as a result, he must be regarded as espousing the very epitome of a penny-wise, future-foolish approach to governance. It’s an approach that we don’t need.

(NA) - Endorsement:
Two opponents are vying to unseat Price: Maury Goldberg, who served as the 3rd district’s councilman for more than two decades prior to Price’s election in 2003 (when Goldberg unsuccessfully ran for mayor), and Charlie Harshfield, a neighborhood activist, accountant and political newcomer. The New Albanian is unable to offer an endorsement beyond the necessity of opposing Price’s brand of urban decay management.

Learn why here: Thanks, but no thanks – I’ve no conscionable choice except to sit this one out.

----

Bluegill (BG) - Endorsement:

I certainly wish the 3rd district nomination process had been more cooperative. As is, the incumbent stands a better chance of reelection and I’m forced to fill in the arrow for only one of two men I consider friends. The election of either would signal a positive shift in support of redevelopment and the future of our community but a choice is unavoidable.

I appreciate Maury Goldberg. A relative who attended high school with Maury asked recently if he was still a character. I happily replied that he is. His enthusiasm for and continued involvement in 3rd district affairs is well noted, both in and outside the confines of elected office.

With that said, however, my pen will draw the line for Charlie Harshfield.

Regardless of Maury’s good intentions, his past council service has been unfortunately and perhaps even unfairly tied to the battles of the past and the allegiances those battles required, often with some of the less than acceptable council members that remain.

While his institutional knowledge could undoubtedly be a valuable asset in an advisory role, there’s a nagging possibility that old weapons would be taken up and old wounds reopened. Even the appearance or suspicion of such digression could have a chilling affect on the necessary continuance of collaborative development. Depending on the outcomes of other district races, that’s too great a risk to take during such a pivotal time.

I’ll gladly work with Maury. I’d just prefer that he wasn’t sitting across the table from the old gang at the time.

Charlie Harshfield, on the other hand, represents the ability without the loaded backpack. Since I’ve been involved in city affairs, I’ve known Charlie. In that time, I’ve become acquainted with a man with a head for finance, an adventuresome but practical approach to neighborhood situations, and an inclusive spirit that I both admire and would do well to better emulate.

As Charlie himself noted during the recent question and answer session, his natural inclination is to work behind the scenes and I can vouch that he has done so consistently and humbly, often providing a calming voice of reason in otherwise heated affairs. Resolute in his commitment to revitalization, I’ve sometimes found myself wishing he’d make a little more noise, particularly during this election cycle.

Leadership doesn’t have to be loud, though, and I trust that if elected Charlie will continue his active listening and learning, traits that are disproportionately underrepresented in current council chambers. With Charlie, there are no credibility issues or political issues; just issues and the will to seek fact-based, cooperative solutions for them.

Isn’t that what we’ve been asking for?

3rd District Candidate Q & A , Video Post 5

The following are the fifth and final installments of the 3rd district candidate Q & A held on May 1. The debate will be offered in chronological order, sans comment and unedited, generally five to ten minutes at a time. For quick reference, the excerpts will be collated in the box to the right.

The moderator is Ted Fulmore, president of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association, who, along with the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association, produced the event.


Development Atmosphere





Development Atmosphere Cont'd and Rebuttal




Priorities and Final Statements

3rd District Candidate Q & A , Video Post 4

The following are the fourth installments of the 3rd district candidate Q & A held on May 1. The debate will be offered in chronological order, sans comment and unedited, generally five to ten minutes at a time. For quick reference, the excerpts will be collated in the box to the right.

The moderator is Ted Fulmore, president of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association, who, along with the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association, produced the event.


Rental Property





Rental Property Cont'd and Rebuttal





City/County Merger

3rd District Candidate Q & A , Video Post 3

The following are the third installments of the 3rd district candidate Q & A held on May 1. The debate will be offered in chronological order, sans comment and unedited, generally five to ten minutes at a time. For quick reference, the excerpts will be collated in the box to the right.

The moderator is Ted Fulmore, president of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association, who, along with the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association, produced the event.


Candidate Accomplishments





Accomplishments Rebuttal





New Albany: Positive and Negative

Editor's Note: About a minute and half of Maury Goldberg's answer to this question is missing from the segment, owing solely to the need to change tapes during the event. Apologies to Maury. He just happened to be the candidate speaking when the first tape ran out.





New Albany: Positive and Negative Rebuttal

3rd District Candidate Q & A , Video Post 2

The following are the second installments of the 3rd district candidate Q & A held on May 1. The debate will be offered in chronological order, sans comment and unedited, generally five to ten minutes at a time. For quick reference, the excerpts will be collated in the box to the right.

The moderator is Ted Fulmore, president of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association, who, along with the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association, produced the event.


Candidate Qualifications





Qualifications Rebuttal




Two-Way Streets

3rd district candidate Q & A , Video Post 1

The following are the first installments of the 3rd district candidate Q & A held on May 1. The debate will be offered in chronological order, sans comment and unedited, generally five to ten minutes at a time. For quick reference, the excerpts will be collated in the box to the right.

The moderator is Ted Fulmore, president of the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association, who, along with the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association, produced the event.


Introduction and Maury Golberg opening statement





Charlie Harshfield opening statement





Steve Price opening statement

Challengers strong, incumbent prone to nonsensical babbling as 3rd district council hopefuls debate.

Bluegill will be here on Wednesday with commentary on tonight's 3rd district council debate, but until then -- and whether or not experience has been the teacher -- sleep well knowing that the best students in attendance learned something that most already knew: We have two excellent, qualified, crackerjack challengers ... and an anti-intellectual train wreck of a one-chord incumbent who predicted "some kind of rebellion" staged by "empty people selling their houses," and other familiar catechisms, homilies, clichés, repetitions, and regurgitations, and whose highly selective memory with respect to his own persistently obstructionist role in recent municipal history was glaringly in evidence throughout the evening.

The event sponsors are to be commended for a professional and informative session. With luck, perhaps both adjectives can be applied to the next 3rd district councilman. Take it away, Jeff ...

Photo: Charlie Harshfield (upper left) and Maury Goldberg (upper right); Steve Price (bottom left) and S. Ellen Jones School's official "May Day" ideological signage (bottom right).

May 2 update: Maury Goldberg is posting his answers to the questions submitted the candidates prior to the debate. Go here: Candidate Questions.

3rd district candidate Q & A tonight: Steve's pickin' but no one else except Erika is grinnin'.

Tonight the S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association and the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association will be hosting a question and answer session with the three candidates vying for New Albany's 3rd district city council seat. As most readers know by now, the candidates are:

Steve Price (D) Incumbent
Maury Goldberg (D) Challenger
Charlie Harshfield (D) Challenger

The session will run from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of the S. Ellen Jones Elementary School, 600 East 11th Street, New Albany, Indiana.

(It is unclear whether CM Price's current televised minstrelsy act will be sanctioned as applicable to the q & a session, especially if he attempts to answer serious questions via his well worn harmonica).

According to the organizers, each candidate will have ten minutes to introduce himself to attendees (30 minutes total), followed by questions and answers (60 minutes). A moderator will read questions aloud and each candidate will have three minutes to respond, and candidate rebuttals of one minute will be allowed. If submitted questions are exhausted, the moderator will facilitate questions from the audience, and because time is limited, there is no guarantee that all submitted questions will be asked.

For more information, please call 812.941.0466, e-mail at SEllenJonesNA(at)msn.com (replace "at" with @) or visit www.SEllenJones.org.

Here are a few of the questions that NAC submitted:

Do you agree or disagree with nationally syndicated columnist Thomas Friedman that in the future, green will be the next red, white and blue? What are the practical consequences of this for cities like New Albany?

How can we achieve “progress by design” through implementing the principles of Smart Growth and New Urbanism in our core neighborhoods?

Do you agree that the unregistered and unregulated proliferation of rental properties in the 3rd District, many absentee-owned, is a grave threat to a properly functioning core neighborhood?

Do you support traffic calming measure and the retrofitting of city streets back to their intended two-way usage?

Do you agree or disagree with this statement: “Progress is the ultimate manifestation of fiscal responsibility, because making the economic pie larger benefits everyone?”

Given that there is a good chance that the winner of this race will win the primary with less than a majority, as councilman, are you prepared to listen to all of your constituents, and not just the ones who voted for you?

How important is decorum and professionalism with regard to our city council, and by extension, has the last council’s antics and non-professional demeanor sent the wrong message to the world at large?

As councilman, will you fund the city’s ordinance enforcement program to succeed, rather than starving it to fail?

Questions needed for 3rd district candidate Q & A session on Tuesday, May 1.

The 3rd district candidate Q & A session described in the press release below takes place one week from tomorrow (May 1, 2007).

What questions would you like to see asked? Here's an example:

How can we achieve progress by design through implementing the principles of New Urbanism in our core neighborhoods?

Please pass along your questions in the comments here, e-mail the senior editor privately (see the profile for address) or forward to the organizers by the method outlined below.

Good questions can make or break such a forum ... and NAC will be there to record the answers.

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The S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association and the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association are proud to host a Question and Answer Session with the three candidates vying to represent the 3rd District of New Albany. The candidates are:

Steve Price (D) Incumbent
Maury Goldberg (D) Challenger
Charlie Harshfield (D) Challenger

When: Tuesday, May 1st – 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Where: S. Ellen Jones Elementary School, 600 East 11th Street, New Albany, Indiana
(Meeting to take place in the cafeteria)

Format/Agenda:

§ Each Candidate will have 10 minutes to introduce himself to attendees (30 minutes)

§ Questions and Answers (60 minutes)

§ Resident Questions are to be submitted prior to the meeting*

§ Email Questions to SEllenJonesNA(at)msn.com (replace "at" with @) or call 812-941-0466 and leave a voice mail

§ A Moderator will read questions aloud and each candidate will have 3 minutes to respond

§ Candidate rebuttals of 1 minute will be allowed

§ If submitted questions are exhausted then the Moderator will facilitate questions from the audience

*Because time is limited, there is no guarantee that all submitted questions will be asked.

For more information, please call 812.941.0466, email at SEllenJonesNA(at)msn.com (replace "at" with @) or visit www.SEllenJones.org.

S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association to Host 3rd District City Council Candidates in Question and Answer Session, May 1.

The text of the press release is as follows. NA Confidential promises to be there.

----

Correction 04/16/07: The East Spring Street Neighborhood Association will be a co-sponsor of this event.

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The S. Ellen Jones Neighborhood Association is proud to host a Question and Answer Session with the three candidates vying to represent the 3rd District of New Albany. The candidates are:

Steve Price (D) Incumbent
Maury Goldberg (D) Challenger
Charlie Harshfield (D) Challenger

When: Tuesday, May 1st – 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Where: S. Ellen Jones Elementary School, 600 East 11th Street, New Albany, Indiana
(Meeting to take place in the cafeteria)

Format/Agenda:

§ Each Candidate will have 10 minutes to introduce himself to attendees (30 minutes)

§ Questions and Answers (60 minutes)

§ Resident Questions are to be submitted prior to the meeting*

§ Email Questions to SEllenJonesNA(at)msn.com (replace "at" with @) or call 812-941-0466 and leave a voice mail

§ A Moderator will read questions aloud and each candidate will have 3 minutes to respond

§ Candidate rebuttals of 1 minute will be allowed

§ If submitted questions are exhausted then the Moderator will facilitate questions from the audience

*Because time is limited, there is no guarantee that all submitted questions will be asked.

For more information, please call 812.941.0466, email at SEllenJonesNA(at)msn.com (replace "at" with @) or visit www.SEllenJones.org.

Electronic trench warfare paralyzes 3rd district council e-campaigns.

Excuse this bit of admitted backfilling. Not wanting the interrupt the cadence of today’s main post, and yet seeking to add this to the archival record for posterity’s sake, I’m inserting it using an earlier time stamp … RAB)

There’ll be much more to say at another time about the abject failure of local political culture to adapt to the electronic age, but for now, I’ll confine my survey to the 3rd council district, where all three Democratic candidates have blogs, but usage varies considerably.

By choosing not to permit comments from readers, incumbent councilman Steve Price served notice from the beginning that he remains disinterested in any genuine discussion of real issues; now, apparently having reached the pragmatic conclusion that any words he publishes on-line probably will be read only by the literate segment of the populace that already vigorously opposes him, Price has published absolutely nothing since March 6.

So much wisdom waiting to be pulled from grandma’s cigar box, and so little time to put the cart behind the horse before the Nazis come to take the VFW’s video poker machines.

Price’s silence, while in keeping with his stance of aloof detachment from any topic outside his narrow comfort zone, would seem provide a perfect opportunity for the two remaining candidates to define themselves. Such self-definition became even more crucial to the district after Charlie Harshfield’s late candidacy split the anti-Price vote.

In March, one-time councilman and current challenger Maury Goldberg offered three substantive postings, one each on the drug problem in neighborhoods, rental property inspections and tax abatements. These are much appreciated, and yet Maury continues to visible display signs of discomfort with the blogging format’s chief virtues of timeliness, flexibility and immediacy. It’s a fluid, adaptable medium, and it demands to be deployed in like fashion.

Charlie Harshfield – the last-minute, surprise candidate, and of the three, the one with the toughest of all name recognition nuts to crack – has oddly opted for silence in the blogosphere. A March 12 posting listed seven solid if briefly sketched platform goals, and generated a spirited discussion, but little else has followed. It is not unfair to suggest that Charlie needs 100% of the 3rd district’s progressives to have a chance of winning. Is this the way to find and retain them?

While Price’s muzzle is understandable – he’s comically prone to colossal linguistic gaffes and mutilates facts in the same fashion as psychotic cats torture mice – it defies our expectations of “reform” candidates to witness their bizarre hesitancy to regularly use some of the best tools available (i.e., the Internet) to articulate the need for reform.

All over town, “opposition” candidates are making the critical mistake of playing by “old school” rules. If these challengers wait too long to step outside the box, the results are going to be ugly, indeed.

As of the morning of April 2, 2007, here’s the rundown:

Days since last activity at Charlie Harshfield’s blog: 16.
Total posts since March 1: 3.

Days since last activity at Maury Goldberg’s blog: 4.
Total posts since March 1: 7.

Days since last activity at Steve Price’s blog: 26.
Total posts since March 1: 1.

Note: Maury Goldberg started his blog in October, 2005. Steve Price’s began in early January, 2007. Charlie Harshfield’s went up in Februart, 2007.