The long-running soap opera "The Guiding Light" announced recently it's going off the air. Is the Funk next? Until now, I've avoided writing about the soap opera that is our city's first family. I've done this because I want my blog to be substantive. However immoral may be the treatment of city hall staffers by the mayor's wife, however inept may be the mayor's handling of issues including the Semler affair and the renewal of the Wayne Cauthen contract, most of the episodes in the days of our mayor's life are a distraction from the business of fixing potholes and sidewalks. That is, after all, what City Hall should be about—fixing potholes and sidewalks.This week the affidavit for the recall of the Mayor was received by City Hall. This begs the question who'll step up to replace him. Members of the recall committee told a friend of mine that they expect Al Riederer or Sly James to step up to the plate. I have my doubts. If those gentlemen run, they'll blow a bunch of the money they've raised for 2011. The best that can be expected is they'll likely go into the 2011 cycle with less money than opponents who didn't run in the recall election. The worst that can happen is they'll loose the recall, will need to restart their fundraising, and go into 2011 with one loss next to their name. If we get a new new mayor, he'll have less than two years to do anything, making him particularly vulnerable to a challenge in 2011. In short, if I were Riederer or James, I'd sit tight until 2011.
That only leaves the current members of the council. Is there anybody in that crew that you would want to be mayor?
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4 comments:
One clarification on the statement the city is about fixing potholes and sidewalks: when the city fixes a sidewalk they charge the property owner the full expense of the repair. Property owners by law are responsible for sidewalks that traverse their property.
I get your point, though, the city is about properly providing public infrastructure & associated services.
Cookingham, Junior
Several attorney's I know have spoken highly of Sly James.
Your point about election cycle timing and fundraising are accurate and plausible. We very well could be stuck with Funk for 2more years.
His administration is disfunctional to the point of distraction. This experiment has shown there is peril in electing a career administrative staffer to an office that requires politcal skill.
I know that property owners are responsible for sidewalks. At the time I was writing, I wanted something to pair with potholes in a phrase that would represent what the city is about. If I were writing now, I'd probably write "potholes and streetlights," but sidewalks was the best I could come up this morning.
I would like Sharon Sanders Brooks as Mayor.... our city government is so dysfunctional that at least we could get some belly laughs from her leadership.
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