R.I.P. Suellen Wilkinson.

Suellen Wilkinson died last week, and her services will be held today.

Suellen's Story

This notice is belated because for once, I'm flummoxed in offering a coherent remembrance, apart from fond recollections of the stories she'd tell me about Wisconsin.

Our lives are short, but Suellen truly made the most of hers. A great, great lady. She'll be missed.

Decision 2011: For those in the 6th about to plant a yard sign, we don't salute you.

We've spent the week thoughtfully contemplating New Albany's November 8 municipal elections, and to be honest, emigration keeps coming up in conversation. Today marks the end of numbered council districts. Tomorrow are the council at-large hopefuls, and the mayor foursome on Monday, October 17. Candidate listings are cribbed from the clerk's office, followed by brief comments by the senior editor.

NEW ALBANY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6
(Precincts New Albany 27, 41, 42, 43, 44)

R Matt Oakley 1118 Eastridge Drive 502-599-1251
D Suellen Wilkinson 1028 Castlewood Drive 812-948-9844
I Scott A. Blair 3925 Rainbow Drive 812-697-0128

Voting for the person? All three candidates for Jeff Gahan's seat in the 6th are first-rate, so that one's a wash.

Like the remainder of the Republican slate, with the possible exception of Jessica Knable, Oakley's given no hint of a position on specific issues. Neither has Blair, although one would expect an independent to be able to demonstrate his vision in contrast to the pathetic record of local political parties in doing so.

Wilkinson is running openly and proudly as a Democrat, and for that she ordinarily would deserve credit from the likes of me, except that in Floyd County, such a close and intimate alignment with the crumbling Democratic party structure implies a decided Dixiecrat shading, and nothing resembling her Wisconsin blue state credentials.

Am I the only one in the city seeking to judge hopefuls by their views on issues facing the city, and not yard sign placement?

NAC's pick: In spite of her proximity to the outgoing England administration, the choice is Wilkinson.

Don't forget to cut the cards.

I’ve been away, so let me get the Demo reshuffle straight.

Marcey Wisman replaces the departing Randy Stumler as Floyd County Democratic Party chairman. That’s good … and even progressive.

Ted Heavrin is appointed to Stumler’s county council seat. That’s Neanderthal, and an indication that the party’s traditional Luddite instincts haven’t been purged entirely. In effect, the functionaries have reversed the will of the electorate in 2006.

The bummer in all this is that Suellen Wilkinson lost out, and with her loss, a chance to become something truly progressive is tossed out the party’s window in favor of the tried, true and unimaginative. A former high ranking state Demo chair in Wisconsin, or a previously rejected local lifer? Depressing, indeed.

And, finally, Brad Striegel will run for the at-large seat. He’s an unknown quantity, and so that one’s a wash.

In the end, the Demo’s game of musical chairs is an improvement over Dan Coffey’s platform of innuendo, fabrication and barbecued bologna. Now, all we need to be convinced is a stated party platform of progressive principles and ideals.

I’ll be hopeful, but not at all holding my breath. The local Democratic Party functions as Lucy Van Pelt, leading us to believe that we'll be kicking the football before yanking it away at the last moment.