The Common Council of the city of New Albany began the year 2008 with four newly elected members, and high hopes in progressive quarters owing to the long overdue breakup of the body’s Gang of Four obstructionists, two of whom sadly remain on the ramparts, diligently guarding against improvement. However, the year has been profoundly disappointing to date, which leads me to my question for the day:
Readers, what are your views of the council’s performance during this challenging year?
And, as a subtext, what of council president Jeff Gahan’s record in the top chair?
Off the top of my head, here’s a non-comprehensive overview.
Redistricting was imperiously scotched, with collateral damage to the concept of rule of law, and meaningful ordinance enforcement was teased but ultimately soft-pedaled, as always. In short, no progress whatsoever in addressing the core issue of the city’s unwillingness or inability to follow its own rules.
Providentially, novelty lighters were successfully banned, meaning that children living in unregulated, sub-standard housing must rely on old-fashioned matches to light oil lamps.
In a time of economic uncertainty, the council was faced with difficult and protracted budget negotiations, and responded to them by wasting precious weeks on an ill-considered smoking ordinance that served only to set the table for future political gamesmanship.
There has been a barely disguised backdrop of political maneuvering on the ultimate non-privatization of (what else?) the city’s sewers, and street and sanitation departments, and the concurrent shadow of Guido’s hand hovering over all of it.
While many of us earnestly hoped that CM Gahan’s most recent turn as president might facilitate communication with those elements in the community best suited to achieve something – anything – the reverse has rather surprsingly been the case.
Instead of emulating the open source Barack Obama, the president’s rare opaque signaling has more closely resembled Kim Jong Il’s codes, and while the nuts and bolts of council guidance are in better hands than when Slippery Larry reigned supreme, one can’t honestly confuse them for anything like leadership.
But maybe you disagree. If so, let me have it.
If you’re reading, Even Deeper Throat, can you provide CM Gahan’s version?
I have a busy next couple of days, so as the Highwayman continues work on his analysis of LOIT, let us know what you think about this year’s council record.
If I were the grading sort, I’d have it hovering around D+ or C-minus. If it weren’t for John Gonder …
