We’ve become a big fan of televised editions of our local city council meetings. Even the reruns give cause to grin, especially the votes of a couple of our seat occupiers. As we’ve mentioned numerous times, seat occupiers Williams-Walker and Bradford give us headscratching moments with several votes on what should be easy issues.
Chief among the laughables is the consistency with which this pair says “no” to approving minutes of previous minutes. Not sure, but the current streak could be record-breaking for any public body. Awaiting word from Guinness World Records. Your favorite rocker wondered if a “no” vote also required an explanation. Curiosity got the best of us.
A check with a legal counsel who knows volumes about municipalities and their public bodies uncovered interest worthy info. According to counsel, if there is no ordinance requiring them to articulate their objection to minutes, the answer is generally no. But, our information handler pointed out, office holder should be prepared to undergo media and public scrutiny for their negative vote.
Although counselor did not say so, those office holders should also be ready to get their feathers ruffled by a rockin’ chair curmudgeon.
Also, in the opinion of this legal eagle, if a council member votes no on such an innocuous matter (a previously used rocker term), people will question why. Remaining silent on the “why” is bad practice, even if it isn’t illegal. Rocker will add, even if it’s not illegal it should be necessary.
But, one has become accustomed to a lack of reason from some on our council. Rocker’s sources still say there’s animosity among certain members (plus their string puller) and Hizzonner the Bumpmeister. Evidence, such as continuous no votes on practically any matter Hizzonner brings to the council, supports that assertion.
Rocker would like to offer another theory, one put forth by Robert J. Hanlon who allegedly submitted this gem to a joke book. Called Hanlon’s Razor, the philosophical pearl postulates, “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” Presented as a joke, it exposes a joke that is increasingly without humor.
Another ponderable item: Rocker read with interest a piece about Minden city police officers taking some folks along on patrol so people could see exactly what their $13.75 an hour is buying. Individuals who tagged along weren’t named, but our pigeons tell us the bunch included Hizzonner and a pair of city council members.
We’re told these officers performed only their regular duties, and that included patrolling neighborhoods that have been subjected to drive-by shootings and random acts where shots reportedly were fired into the air. One of those drive-by incidents resulted in the death of a three-year-old child.
One might think each of our city leaders would be interested to see exactly what’s going on from the viewpoint of both citizens and cops, but one would have misthought. A source said emails were sent to all five council members. Two responded affirmatively to the invitation; no response from three.
Apparently three-fifths of our city council isn’t concerned about what’s going on and what can be done to help fight crime here. Apparently two of that group thinks the police are doing great with what they’ve got since that was the number who recently voted against hiring another officer. Fortunately three members agreed one more might make a difference.
We’re told invitations have gone out to the council more than once. More than once, some did not bother to respond. If memory is correct, when an invitation was offered at a council meeting, one non-attendee didn’t have time; one was silently disinterested; one claimed a ride-along was unnecessary because he had law enforcement experience. A source said that experience reportedly came from watching the Andy Griffith episode when Gomer makes a citizen’s arrest. Cool.
We wonder just how that apparent lack of concern will look to constituents when November (election day) rolls around. With qualifying for this year’s races scheduled for July, it might behoove some to decide right now if the interest is in moving Minden ahead or stopping this administration in its tracks.
We’ll know how serious some are about continuing to “serve” the people by the actions of the next few months. If critical issues continue to appear unimportant, the great unwashed might just give someone a reason to ignore an email about a city problem or opportunity. Those emails will only be forwarded to office holders. Not observers.