Trump's victory encourages women to run for office. Let's hope they do so right here in New Albany, in spite of the Democratic Party's Gahanesque 2015 outrages.

It's instructive for New Albanians to recall the 2015 election season.

In close cooperation with Democratic Party chairman Adam Dickey, Mayor Jeff Gahan targeted 5th district councilwoman Diane Benedetti for kneecapping in the primary; she lost, but winner Dustin Collins was forced to withdraw from the race owing to health issues, and substitute Matt Nash managed to keep the seat Democratic in November.

Meanwhile, again with the enthusiastic help of a forever shameless Dickey, Gahan set about crippling incumbent at-large councilman John Gonder's re-election chances -- and succeeded, though at the cost of collateral damage by flushing Democratic council rubber stamp Shirley Baird's bid to serve another term, resulting in a sweep of at-large seats by Republicans.

Gahan's self-serving back alley machinations brought about an all-male council (until 2020 at the earliest, all-white and with an average age in the mid-to-late fifties) where two women had been seated previously.

Let's not forget Gahan's petty conniving in 2015, although I'm sure Greg Phipps and Bob Caesar already have.

Trump victory spurs women to run for office across US: 'Our time is coming', by Joanna Walters (The Guardian)

Organizations report surging numbers of women mulling campaigns as potential candidates describe motivations: ‘Trump pushed me over the edge’

... (Victoria Oliver) is part of a surge of women across the country who are rushing to run for office in the aftermath of the election – women disappointed that Hillary Clinton lost and disgusted with the sexist and racist rhetoric of Trump’s campaign and the ultra-conservative credentials of his proposed cabinet.

“We are a force to be reckoned with,” said Oliver. “Our time is coming.”

VoteRunLead (VRL), an organization that trains future female politicians, normally receives between 30 and 80 applicants for each of its regular webinars.

“In a 48-hour period after the election, we had 1,100 women sign up for our next webinar and we had to close it and start a wait list,” said Erin Vilardi, executive director of VoteRunLead.

“Most women said they woke up on November 9 and realized they could no longer just spectate or click on online petitions, they wanted to know how to run for office, whether it’s the school board, the city council, state or national representation,” she added.

Planned Parenthood, primary endorsements, Ayatollah Coffey, and Feeling the Bern.

Before Christmas, as some new variety of Neanderthal right-wing offensive against Planned Parenthood seemed to be mounting (I tend to lose track of them), a friend announced that she'd match donations to PP up to a maximum amount.

We had skipped a year or two, and so I tithed ... freely and happily.

Then, as so often occurs, New Albany's city council offered black comic relief. With funding for Blessings in a Backback in the fanny pack, and her legislative "legacy" complete, departing at-large council person Shirley Baird seemed ready to insert a benign resolution into the agenda in support of PP.

Dan Coffey, at the time still clinging to a Vietnamese-rice-paper-thin allegiance to the Democratic Party, readied to unleash the legions of the pious.

The Ayatollah Coffey sharpens his knives for a Thursday evening orgy of ward-heeling religious ecstasy.

Courageous to the last inning, Baird promptly pulled the offensive resolution, perhaps having been told by Adam Disney that keeping Coffey happy would ensure many bountiful returns during the next cemetery registration drive.

Planned Parenthood resolution pulled from Thursday council agenda, so I guess the Coffey spontaneous combustion is off, too.

But there is no rest for progressives in this squalid town. No sooner than we had made our donation to PP, the organization goes and does this.

online-backlash-after-planned-parenthood-endorses-hillary-clinton/">Massive Online Backlash After Planned Parenthood Endorses Hillary Clinton

In a historic move yesterday, Planned Parenthood endorsed Hillary Clinton for President – its first endorsement in a presidential primary in the nonprofit’s 100-year existence.

(Slaps head) ... if we'd wanted to donate to Hillary, it would have been money handed directly to her campaign. This may or may not yet occur, depending on the autumn threat posed by the fascists, with the point being that PP offers this endorsement in the primary, not the general election.

Let there be no misunderstandings about Planned Parenthood. We support it, but the next donation of equal or greater amount is going to Bernie Sanders. As one compelled to suffer through the clownish cerebral decline of the local Democratic Party, I have no desire to finance the ethos of "Let's Out-Republican the GOP."

Fuck a bunch of Dickeyism. Rather, "Feel the Bern."

Meanwhile ... PP reminds us that in One Party Indiana, the spirit of Generalissimo Franco and the Inquisition live on. ‬

Just one week in to Indiana’s legislative session, anti-woman politicians have proposed five bills opposing access to safe, legal abortion – with more likely to follow. It’s time to speak out against extreme restrictions and gross misinformation.

• SB 144 (Sen. Banks)/HB 1122 (Rep. Nisly) would restrict a woman's access to safe, legal abortion on pregnancies as early as 6 weeks - long before most women even know they are pregnant. If enacted, these bills would result in an effective ban on abortion in Indiana.

• SB 374 (Sen. Waltz) more than doubles the waiting period between the time a woman receives counseling and the abortion procedure to 48 hours. It also increases penalties on abortion providers. If enacted, this bill could strain the resources of women who access abortion – many of whom already face significant barriers to high-quality health care.

• SB 313 (Sen. Holdman) distorts the lived experiences of women facing unexpected and difficult decisions during their pregnancy. If enacted, it would force doctors to speculate on a woman’s motives at a time when the urgent need is non-judgmental care and support.

• SB 314 (Sen. Brown) continues the dangerous rhetoric of anti-abortion extremists. In doing so, it contributes to a hostile climate for health care providers and patients.

These bills make clear that some of our legislators have no respect for Hoosier women and their families or privacy for health care decision-making.

Pledge to take action now to stop these dangerous measures in their tracks.

In solidarity,

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana and Kentucky

Planned Parenthood resolution pulled from Thursday council agenda, so I guess the Coffey spontaneous combustion is off, too.

It just isn't fair. I had a meme ready, and shit.

If it helps, NA Confidential resolves to support Planned Parenthood. So do I. In fact, my household just made a donation a couple weeks back.

The Ayatollah Coffey sharpens his knives for a Thursday evening orgy of ward-heeling religious ecstasy.

The Ayatollah Coffey sharpens his knives for a Thursday evening orgy of ward-heeling religious ecstasy.

There is a special city council meeting tonight for the sole purpose of deciding how much to tithe to the Floyd County Solid Waste District.

The newspaper explains it here.

INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES:                   READING

A-15-09 Ordinance for Appropriation of EDIT        Coffey 3
Money for Floyd County Solid Waste

Speaking of wastes, the final council conclave of the year takes place on Thursday night. There are several agenda items worthy of examination, including City Hall's proposal to shift 168K from a lighting project Duke Energy will fund instead, to a downtown Wi-Fi project no one knew existed.

The agenda does not make clear what any of this means, and as usual, we're reduced to gauging the spectrum of Kool-Aid colored smoke plumes emanating from somewhere behind the circled wagons.

HOWEVER ...

Even Team Gahan's belated discovery of contemporary communications technology (tin cans and string?)  pales by comparison with Shirley Baird's final legislative proposal on Thursday night.

It's a perfectly reasonable resolution in support of Planned Parenthood.

There's nothing radical in it, but there's something bloviating ON the council, and I suspect he's not going to like this one.

Briefly peruse these three recent "shares" on Dan Coffey's page at Facebook ...

... and understand how entertaining his tantrum on Thursday night stands to be.

I can't miss this one. It should be a filibuster for the ages. If Coffey packed the room for his various prayer bludgeonings, surely he'll fill it on Thursday.

We need to film this one, guys.

Then we can take the film to the Wunderkind, and ask: "Adam, can you explain again how Coffey is a Democrat?"

Finding solutions to a region's heroin epidemic.

At last week's League of Women Voters debate, incumbent at-large council representative Shirley Baird made an earnest effort to address Southern Indiana's drug problem, but I'm not sure her reference came out as intended. She framed it as a law enforcement issue, and of course that's true, but as most of us realize, it's far more than that.

As this community action plan from Ohio illustrates ...

The Heroin and Opioid Epidemic -- Our Community’s Action Plan

Summary

On Nov. 21, 2013, many of Northern Ohio’s leading institutions gathered for a daylong summit in an effort to find solutions to the region’s heroin epidemic. A Community Action Plan was formulated over the course of several planning meetings and finalized during the summit. The purpose of this document is to serve as a guiding master plan as we move forward as a community. The Action Plan is divided into four specific areas: Prevention and Education, Healthcare Policy, Law Enforcement and Treatment. Inevitably, there is some overlap among each of these areas.

A few disclaimers: this document is a working draft and not written in stone. Some of these items are immediately actionable while others will take more time, research and effort. Some of these items have unanimous support among the planners, others do not. Although certain action items cannot be implemented without new legislation, some of the partnering agencies are forbidden from taking a position on pending or potential legislation. The hope is that this Action Plan will serve as a road map and tie together our various efforts toward the same goals – preventing people from using heroin, helping treat those who have become addicted, choking off both the supply of and demand for heroin in Northern Ohio, and working collaboratively to make our region healthier, safer and stronger ...

Yard signs beach blanket bingo.

Last night at the NAHA forum, I asked incumbent at-large councilperson Shirley Baird (D) whether it was legal to plant political yard signs in the road verge, which is the (usually) grassy area between sidewalk and street.

"No, it isn't. But try telling that to my husband."

Think about this as the scene shifts to the corner of Bank and Main.

You'll recall that after a crazed ragpicker posing as a city employee made terroristic threats to a downtown shopkeeper about a Baylor for Mayor sign in the treet well by her store, she laughed out loud and declined to remove it.

The county clerk then called to inform me that a complaint had been made, and eventually the sign was forcibly uprooted, presumably by the street department.

Fine.

But doesn't the same standard apply to Al Knable's sign on the verge a couple blocks east on Main?

Or, is the offense illegal only when someone like Dan Coffey complains  about it?

What of this sign on Plaza Drive?

CM Blair owns the property, but who governs the verge? Me thinks it's the city, and as Blair's colleague readily acknowledges, it's illegal to plant a sign there.

True, I don't care all that much about yard signs ... but incompetent and inefficient ordinance enforcement is the bane of the city.

Consistency, anyone?

What they're saying: A correction. Shirley Baird is in opposition to RFRA.

Thanks to the Bookseller for offering this correction. At-large council incumbent Shirley Baird (Democrat) expressed opposition to RFRA at her personal Fb page on March 31:

"I have commented on other people's posts about the Religion Freedom Reform Act but not on my own page. I want to go on record that I am vehemently opposed to this law. Gov. Pence has set Indiana back by 100 years and will cost this state countless of millions in lost revenue. Why? To prove a point? To cozy up to the GOP?

"He needs to be removed from office and never be allowed to run again.

"And YES I have read the SB/HB 101."

NA council: The at-large scrum of nine contestants for three jobs.

For the Democrats, it's six contestants, three jobs.

Standalone web sites are linked by candidate name; Facebook (or other) links follow. I have tried to find a source of information for each candidate, whether or not is it an "official" campaign site.

I hope to hear more from all of them, but until then, here's what we have.

---

CITY OF NEW ALBANY COUNCIL MEMBER AT-LARGE
(Precincts New Albany 1,3,5,7,9,10,11,13,14,16,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,40,41,42,43,44)

R David C Barksdale 614 Terrace Court (Fb profile)
R Bob Hornung 513 Hollary Dr (Fb campaign page)
R Al Knable Jr 1301 Riddle Rd (Fb)

D Shirley Baird 602 E Elm St (Fb 2011)
D Brad Bell 1672 Garretson Lane (Fb)
D James E Garner, Sr 1506 Sunset Dr (Linked In)
D John Gonder 602 Captain Frank Rd (Fb 2011)
D Adam J. Keeler 613 E Main St (Fb)
D Hannegan Beardsley Roseberry 1203 E Spring St (Fb)

---

Strictly primary: Democratic incumbents John Gonder (two terms) and Shirley Baird (one) are grouped with a former mayor, one previous at-large council aspirant (Bell in 2011) and two newcomers. Conventional wisdom for a primary election probably gives Gonder and Baird a very good chance of passing through to November.

Is Garner damaged goods? His mayoral term was tumultuous, he was defeated for re-election in the 2011 primary, and now he's looking like a stalking horse for mayoral candidate David White, who'll be running against the right-leaning DemoDisneyDixiecrat establishment even though he's as far to the right himself as Mitt Romney.

Hannegan Roseberry has the Beardsley birth name. It might be enough for her, given the party regulars expected to vote in May. Honestly, some of the Democratic aspirants should have waited and run as independents.

Across the aisle, Republican Kevin "Spa-tacular" Zurschmiede is running for mayor, and so we're seeing the whole GOP at-large council slate for November. It's a fairly solid troika, with Al Knable by far making the most sense in the early going. He's got my vote come November, although he may not want me to advertise that fact too loudly.

See the complete primary election listings here.

Mrs. Baird poses in updated Delacroix painting, embraces Highland Oaks People Power Revolution.

Just once more, let me get this grassroots democracy thing straight.

When neighborhood residents flooded the Plan Commission to demand autonomy over their street, council person Shirley Baird looked in the mirror, saw Corazon Aquino staring back, felt the People Power Revolution rush through her soul, and declared the victory of the ochlocracy:

The residents of Highland Oaks overwhelmingly opposed the road extension; therefore, Baird voted for the amendment.

All right; it's a deal. I bring a couple hundred Midtown residents to the council chamber to demand two-way streets and an end to the vehicular reign of error at our front doors, and you'll cave on demand.

I'm glad we are clear on this point, Shirley. I feel better, so much so that I'll skip tonight's council meeting to devote time to collating my collection of tiddlywinks.

New Albany council gets vote on road connection, by Daniel Suddeath (All About Jeffersonville)

New Albany City Councilwoman Shirley Baird believes there will be enough votes to remove a required road connection for a property projected to be used for baseball fields and a community park.

The council is scheduled to vote this evening on a resolution to amend its comprehensive plan. The amendment would abolish a portion of the plan that calls for Highland Oaks Drive to be completed to connect from Kamer Miller Road to Charlestown Road.

Baird flips, connector road flops, and the ochlocracy rules.

This happened Tuesday.

Here's the plan commission's climbdown ...

New Albany commission amends plan, removes controversial road from park project, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

New Little League fields and a Floyd County park are closer to becoming a reality; however, more hurdles will have to be cleared before the joint project comes to fruition.

But there won’t be a road in the middle of the park ... The New Albany Plan Commission voted 6-4 Tuesday to amend its comprehensive plan to remove the section that called for the completion of Highland Oaks Drive from Kamer Miller Road to Charlestown Road.

 ... and here's the explanation proffered by a crucial "swing" voter.

Councilwoman Shirley Baird, who is also a member of the commission, voted against the variance for the park in April. She said Tuesday the residents of Highland Oaks overwhelmingly opposed the road extension; therefore, Baird voted for the amendment.

Mrs Baird may have been right as to the specific merits of the non-road, but I doubt she'd apply the same logic to a human rights issue, i.e., 9 out of 10 New Albany's supposed "Democrats" oppose same sex marriage, therefore ... well, you get my drift, even if they don't.

So, refresh my memory: First the Mt. Tabor roundabout, then Highland Oaks Drive. How many residents of the Spring, Elm and Market corridors have to fill a meeting to get two-way streets?

Or does "quality of life" even apply to us?

Ochlocracy ... from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ochlocracy (Greek: ὀχλοκρατία, okhlokratía; Latin: ochlocratia) or mob rule is the rule of government by mob or a mass of people, or the intimidation of legitimate authorities. As a pejorative for majoritarianism, it is akin to the Latin phrase mobile vulgus meaning "the fickle crowd", from which the English term "mob" was originally derived in the 1680s.

Ochlocracy ("rule of the general populace") is democracy ("rule of the people") spoiled by demagoguery, "tyranny of the majority", and the rule of passion over reason, just like oligarchy ("rule of a few") is aristocracy ("rule of the best") spoiled by corruption, and tyranny is monarchy spoiled by lack of virtue. Ochlocracy is synonymous in meaning and usage to the modern, informal term "mobocracy", which emerged from a much more recent colloquial etymology.

Mrs. Baird inadvertently reveals the crux of the $321K farmers market lotto: "There was not a lot of discussion about it."

I've already provided concise instructions, but I'm only an idea guy. I can't make them pay attention.

DNA can come out of the farmers market dust-up smelling like the proverbial rose. All it needs to do is follow this script.

Especially when Mrs. Baird went out and got the money, and by God, she's going to spend it. Not a lot of discussion? That's the way she undoubtedly intended it. As you peruse the 'Bune's coverage, perhaps you'll also be asking questions that no one seems eager to answer.

When did the council appropriation originate?
Is it a carry-over from the most recent England administration?
Was the appropriation ever discussed by members during the budgetary process?
Has there ever been anything resembling a genuine public hearing on the farmers market?
Why can't we stop and talk this over?
Why the hurry?

An this: Is Mrs. Baird merely the liaison, or is it her job to do DNA's (and the Marktmeister's) bidding?

There's a difference, after all.

Committee to weigh future of New Albany Farmers Market; This year's session opens May 10, by Daniel Suddeath (N and T)

NEW ALBANY — A New Albany City Council committee will meet next week to discuss the future of the downtown Farmers Market.

Baird — who is the council’s liaison on the Develop New Albany board — said she still supports improving the market at its existing location ...

Budgetary back alley to the Farmers Market? Let's face the music and dance.

In 2011, with the third Doug England term lurching toward an unceremonious and largely moribund conclusion, it became imperative to expand the Farmers Market on the corner of Bank and Market. Amid discussion of "tiffing" the Farmers Market buildout to the tune of $400,000 (not a misprint), city council eventually uncoupled the Farmers Market proposal from the emerging Bicentennial Park boondoggle, and there it seemed to rest.

In May, 2011, Bluegill nailed it.

Despite being subjected to the usual "slap our name on it" fight for credit, the Farmers' Market has indeed been successful and does serve important economic and social functions in the community. The importance of those functions, however, is precisely the reason the market should not be used as the centerpiece of some politicized, unexplained financial scheme.

Now it's 2013. Last week, while at the Board of Public Works meeting, it was revealed that $275,000 toward the Farmers Market work now appears in the 2014 council budget. At-large council member Shirley Baird and city suburban economic development director David Duggins delightfully reprised Astaire and Rogers as Public Works was informed that the usual architectural design suspects would resume work, and the expansion would be finished in time for the market's 2014 opening.

As for how the unmarked bills were earmarked for expenditure, the Green Mouse recently overheard CM Baird commenting that she'd at long last devised a way to evade scrutiny from the council upon which she serves. She may have been joking ... or we may now see why she says hardly anything during the public portion of her job.

Among the questions that might be asked had this process occurred in light of day are many we've asked previously, about this and other projects.

• Really? As much as $400K? (See postscript below for a useful analogy)
• Is a city-owned corner lot in the revitalizing downtown the best place for the Farmers Market, when the space potentially might be of higher value for infill?
• Might the Farmers Market, itself as infill, be more appropriate to other plots nearby, ones in need of a purpose, and as part of a comprehensive economic development plan for downtown -- you know, the one that doesn't exist?
• Why must the usual architectural and construction suspects always be used for such matters, seemingly every single time?
• Why must backroom negotiations result in a backdoor fait accompli -- seemingly every single time?

Viewed as a payback to those who've worked to improve the Farmers Market, and to Develop New Albany to claim institutional credit, perhaps all of this makes political sense. And yet, local independent businesses await their payback for millions invested in downtown ... and $400K represents the city's tithe against federal funds to achieve (another lamentably over-priced) project: Two-way street conversions and accompanying street grid reforms.

Quality of life? Does anyone really know what time it is, or what QOL really means?

Mrs. Baird?

---

Postscript: From a frequent reader.

What's the cost of the proposed farmer's market addition per square foot?

It is sobering to realize the recent complete renovation of Kensington Palace for Prince William and Kate was accomplished for £1,000,000.

That total includes £600,000 spent on internal works including complete replacement of plumbing and boilers, re-wiring and removal of asbestos. A further £400,000 was spent on replacing much of the badly-damaged slate, tiles and lead roof over the four-story apartment.

Meanwhile, exactly 1/4 of that amount is required to pop up a few poles, a roof and a brick veneered bathroom on land the City already owns?

Based on today's conversion rate, the £1,000,000 spent on Kensington Palace equals US $ 1,605,399.28.

The $400,000 sought to enlarge the Farmer's Market is 24.9% of the equivalent value of the one million pounds British citizens spent to fully renovate the infrastructure of 21 rooms on four floors in a manner literally fit for a (future) king.

Bile and acrimony on tap as city parks secession bid appears on city council agenda.

Suddeath's piece is uncommonly long for the newspaper (1,400 words), and that's good, because this issue isn't simple.

Speaking only for myself, this entire parks issue, from alleged highland/lowland togetherness to serial city/county funding disparities, and not excluding the park board's secretive 007 Agent Clere legislative taxation mission to Burma (or Indianapolis), testifies to the insanity of two decades of the Heavrin/McAllister Power Trip Show, when the budgetary marrow must be gnawed lest any county politician ever be compelled to speak honestly about the necessity of increased revenue.

Thus we come to the Shirley Baird school of governance (yikes): Reluctantly concede the extent of county government’s abject and cynical failure to equally fund parks within the city limits, but conclude that all should be smilingly forgiven in a joyous circle jerk of doubtful future unity; we need only “trust” the same conniving entities who have pulled away the football countless times before, relax, kick back, and enjoy the anticipation of the next time (and there’ll be a next time), when we must laboriously formulate a whole new convoluted Band-Aid of a fiscal plan to celebrate county government’s fresh new resolve to do what it was supposed to do all along, but did not, because it never was held accountable for the previous time.

The devil's in the details, so ...

Vote to split parks slated for tonight in New Albany; Parks board decries Gahan’s choice, says community will suffer from divide, by Daniel Suddeath (News and Tribune)

NEW ALBANY — Since 1994, New Albany and Floyd County have been partners in parks and recreation service. But that could all change after tonight.

A special New Albany City Council meeting has been slated for 7:15 this evening so that two measures can be considered. The first is a resolution calling for the re-establishment of the New Albany Parks Department, and the legislation will require only one vote by the council.

The second measure is an ordinance calling for the abolishment of the current New Albany-Floyd County Parks Department agreement, and it will require three readings by the council.

At August 6 meeting, council's fund transfer a crutchfelt gesture.

Ignoring the larger debate about the appropriateness of transferring city council discretionary funds to the board of works, let's focus on a strange but revealing smaller matter attached to it.

It would appear that at least publicly, nothing definite about the future disposition of the funds was revealed. Quotes are from the newspaper's coverage.

(Diane) Benedetti pressed (Dan) Coffey as to what specifically the money would be spent for, and though he referenced bicentennial efforts, he refused to specifically earmark the money.

Consequently, with nothing concrete being revealed -- at least publicly -- CM CeeSaw took a pass.

(Bob) Caesar cited his involvement with the New Albany Bicentennial Commission as his reason for abstaining from the vote. Councilwoman Shirley Baird joined Zurschmiede and Benedetti in voting against the measure.

It isn't about the Bicentennial, and yet a bicentennial commission stalwart abstains. Interesting, as was CM Baird's even more bizarre counter-offer:

She requested Coffey amend his proposal to earmark a total of $43,000 for the bicentennial commission and Develop New Albany.

“That way we’ll know where at least about half the money is going to,” she said, though Baird didn’t specify what Develop New Albany or the bicentennial commission would use the money to fund.

This proves conclusively that CM Baird lacks a sense of ironic humor; if so, surely she would have requested money for Develop New Albany in the amount of $108,000.

The Hanson Pop-Up-Sprinkled full story is here: Disputed money transfer to New Albany board of works approved; Council also unanimously passes ethics commission on initial readings

Quartet of unendorsed at-large council hopefuls: Baird.

Last week, NAC surveyed the November 8 slate of at-large council candidates, including three each from the two major political parties. We found incumbent John Gonder (D) to be the best and most obvious pick, with Kevin Zurschmiede (R; incumbent) also serviceable. We remain unimpressed with the four remaining aspirants, and are inclined to vote for only these two, but there'll be a third seat holder whether we like it or not. Assuming Gonder and Zurschmiede pass through, who will the other winner be?

Perhaps it will be Shirley Baird, who was defeated in the 2007 at-large primary by a whisker before claiming third place in this year's springtime culling of candidates.

She's attended numerous council meetings and maintained a blog, although curiously, her blogging largely ceased when the 2011 political season began. A Facebook page has been maintained with occasional postings. Rather, Baird has enthusiastically emulated Bud Frump and pursued her seat the old-fashioned way, through the rapidly decaying but still periodically functional labyrinth of the internal Democratic Party structure, which almost certainly implies her dropping any strongly felt viewpoints in favor of the tried-and-true Dixiecrat backscratching preferred by behind-the-scenes, supposedly Democratic local power brokers.

Speaking personally, in all the years I've been reading Baird's blog postings and observing her council interactions, my viewpoint has not changed. Contrary to what she probably believes, I both like and respect her as a person, and she has come perilously close on numerous occasions to grasping the bigger local picture, only to fall safely back into ideological trappings of StevePriceIsm when the final bell rings. I wish she could make it over the top in terms of political stances, and yet I doubt she will.

You may feel differently. If so, let us know.

Decision 2011: Reluctantly votin' for the lowdown mind-bending at-large blues.

During a week-long survey of alleged options in New Albany's forthcoming municipal elections, we've spent a fair amount of time clutching air sickness bags. It's time for the slate of at-large council candidates, three apiece from the two biggest irrelevant political parties. You can vote for as many as three, but in reality, you should not feel obliged to select that many. Tomorrow: The mayoral contest. Candidate listings are cribbed from the clerk's office, followed by brief comments by the senior editor.

NEW ALBANY COUNCIL MEMBER AT-LARGE
(Precincts New Albany 1,3,5,6,7,9 through 29 and 40 through 44)

R Steve Burks 1111 Lafayette Drive 502-931-8280
R Harry T. Harbison 207 Robin Lynne Drive 812-945-0537
R Kevin W. Zurschmiede (incumbent) 1733 E. Elm Street 812-945-7827
D Shirley Baird 45 High Park 812-949-1449
D Doug England 1738 State Road 111 812-944-1982
D John Gonder (incumbent) 602 Captain Frank Road 812-944-3121

Last spring, the current mayor made a momentous decision. After three years of threatening the city council with impending retribution, and then quickly running away to refuse to fight another day, he decided if you can't (or won't) beat 'em, join 'em. He'd become a council person himself, but only after turning City Hall over to a pliant, genial, caretaking elderly successor. Executive and legislative branches would be united, enabling absolutely nothing to occur, but far more efficiently than ever before.

This clumsily transparent power play was too much even for this city's benumbed Democrats, who promptly spurned Doug England's hand-picked erstwhile Republican replacement, Irv Stumler, in favor of two-term councilman Jeff Gahan.

The other half of Mayor England's plan ended more successfully, as he finished with the highest vote total in May's at-large Democratic primary, followed by incumbent councilman Gonder and newcomer Baird. They are joined by Republicans Zurschmiede (the sole GOP council rep at present), perennial aspirant (since the Eisenhower administration?) Harbison and glowering pastor Steve Burks, who never met a right-of-way he doesn't crave for signage.

And yet maybe Burks' fundamentalist congregation is right, and these six candidates genuinely provide proof that the deity has had just about enough with us. Either that, or the cosmos has a blacker sense of humor than previously thought. Harbison is ancient; Baird well meaning but far too entrenched with the supremely pointless local Democratic futility structure; and England frankly undeserving of further political office after sleep-walking through his third term as mayor -- maybe Guido's absence as enforcer was more important than we thought.

NAC's picks: That leaves Gonder, who thinks globally and acts locally, and should continue to improve as a council representative, and perhaps Zurschmiede. The latter has a bad habit of 1Si envy, but his performance on the council generally has been solid, if unspectacular. When voting at-large, the vote you refrain from casting is as important as the box you tick.

Just the same way I'm impartial when it comes to light beer.

I haven't laughed so hard since King Larry voted yes, and then no, and then abstained ... on three readings of precisely the same ordinance.

In LET'S STILL DEBATE OR AT LEAST HAVE A DISCUSSION, by Shirley Baird, in her Voice of the People blog, she inadvertently achieves a stunning paradigm shift -- from farce to contempt -- with a single, ill-considered word.

If any of you thinks that Jeff "What Constitutional principle was that? I'd tell you, but I'm too busy battling progress" Gahan is impartial, I have a completed downtown bridge to sell you. Easy terms; pay in Euros, but only if they're stuffed into granmaw's cookie jar.

Speaking personally, a discussion/debate sounds fine with me. It isn't worth doing unless it's done tight, and since Steve Price possesses neither the knowledge nor the willingness to do it right, here's my counter-proposal for a truly impartial moderator: Dan Coffey.

Take it away, John Lee Hooker:

Well, I'm the Crawlin' King Snake
And I rule my den
I'm the Crawlin' King Snake
And I rule my den
Yeah, don't mess 'round with my mate
Gonna use her for myself

Is it time for a beer, yet?

NAC’s Primary Primer: At-large council (D) endorsements.

The year 2007 is shaping up as pivotal for the city of New Albany, and not coincidentally, a primary election comes to us on Tuesday, May 8, 2007. NAC is considering the five contested city council races in the Democratic Party primary and the entertaining three-way Democratic mayor’s race.

The format will be consistent throughout, continuing here with the at-large council race.

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Council (D) At-Large

The New Albanian (NA):
You are asked to pick three of six … but I see only one and a half.

(NA) - Endorsement:
John Gonder truly thinks globally and acts locally, and his ability to grasp larger issues and trends and to apply them to the grassroots level of local affairs is an excellent recommendation to serve on a city where presently, ideas go to die slow and very painful deaths.

(NA) – Endorsement with an asterisk:
Lately I’ve not comprehended incumbent Jack Messer’s council stances, but perhaps these recent inexplicabilities can be chalked up to the vagaries of election year political maneuvering. I’m prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt, because during his first three years in office, a stellar progressive voting record and unquestioned leadership on important projects like Scribner Place were vital for progress in this community.

(NA) - The rest of the pack, not endorsed:
Incumbent Donnie Blevins is correct in pointing to the pressures he has experienced as the council’s “swing vote,” but although he has managed to swing the correct way perhaps slightly more than half the time, an apparently non-existent pattern of core political beliefs might have assisted him in more reliable decision-making at other times.

Shirley Baird is to be credited for taking a far higher road than those with whom she is customarily seen keeping company at council meetings, and yet if maintaining a once-a-week posting schedule on a blog is too time-consuming, it’s simply a bad omen for the effort it will require to keep abreast of breaking events while on the council.

Lagging far to the rear are Jim Hollis, a fossilized relic and ex-functionary pushing 80 who has yet to divulge a solitary platform plank, and Vicki Denhart, the cowardly and trognonymous progenitor of the Freedom to Screech smear blog, who has offered numerous platform planks – any of them suitable for her to walk at rapier point, but none useful to the city in general except as components of bilious and vendetta-driven decay management.

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Bluegill (BG):

While I, too, give Jack Messer much credit for early and necessary action in wiping the spittle from the cheeks of anyone of reasonable intelligence who had to face the Council in the past few years and voting for something, at-large election strategy dictates that informed voters cast only one vote in the race. My vote's going to John Gonder.

John has handily demonstrated core principles, an understanding of local redevelopment issues, a well-developed worldview, and a willingness and ability to apply and communicate them in a political sphere in which the lack of the aforementioned is a hallmark.

Laws, shmaws ... we don't need no stinkin' laws.

Just out of curiosity, NAC visited the Indiana Secretary of State’s website and found this illuminating information for candidates.

Political Signs and Disclaimer Requirements for Political Literature and Advertisements

WHAT is a “disclaimer”?
A disclaimer identifies who paid for certain political material and whether any candidate approves of the material if the material is paid for by someone other than the candidate.

What are some examples of political materials and literature requiring disclaimers?
Newspaper advertisements, billboards, signs, posters, yard signs, (whether homemade or commercially printed), portable billboards, brochures, leaflets, circulars, letterheads and direct mail pieces sent to more than 100 persons.

Is there a penalty for circulating or publishing literature or other material concerning a candidate without the required disclaimer?
Yes. The penalty is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine, not more than one (1) year imprisonment, or both. (IC 3-14-1-3)

Do you think these three local candidates know that they’re in violation of the Indiana Election Commission guidelines? We're guessing "yes" on the Wizard of Westside, but "no" on the part of Mr. Hollis and Ms. Baird.