Friday, August 26, 2005
Inappropriate Influence?
Recently, we witnessed some unusual activity by a couple of
our city council members - unusual, but probably not illegal.
At a recent Planning Commission meeting councilman Eric Bever - a former planning commissioner - stood at the speakers podium before the commission as they considered an agenda item having to do with "storefront churches". He expressed his opinion, and what he said was the opinion of his pal - Mayor Allan Mansoor, against such entities. At the time I thought it was curious that a sitting councilman would take the time to formally advise his appointees of his opinion and found myself wondering how that affected the deliberations on the subject.
Then, just before the most recent Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Mayor Mansoor apparently had an email distributed to commission members expressing his opinion on an issue that was to be heard that evening. My understanding is that some of the commissioners had no time to read and consider that correspondence prior to the meeting. Again, I find myself wondering about the propriety of this action - slipping a bit of information to the commissioners just before they began deliberations.
In both these instances it certainly looks like Mansoor and Bever were trying to pressure the commissions to vote the way they directed.
The male majority on our current city council has radicalized the process and have demonstrated a willingness to play fast and loose with the rules ever since they were seated following the November, 2004 elections. They've attempted to launch debate of subjects which had not been agendized, ignored the recommendations of citizen committees assigned to evaluate and make recommendations and have ignored opinions of the minority on the council. They've attempted to manipulate the debate on issues by slipping notes to each other on the dais instead of simply voicing their opinions so the public could hear them. Having watched these guys in action for more than half a year, there is no doubt in my mind that their preference would be to exclude public participation in any decisions and simply pre-fabricate solutions prior to any public debate.
The way things are going, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Gary Monahan, the swing vote on the male majority who is termed-out next year, try to get the rules changed so the position of Mayor would be directly elected by the people instead of being selected by his peers on the council. That could effectively anoint the winner with even more power than is presently the case. I suspect Monahan would love to be the anointed one, perched on the throne of power for years to come.
If the majority on this council continues unchallenged down their path of attempted strong arm tactics and behind the scenes manipulation, it looks like they might successfully pull off a bloodless coup and turn this city into a dictatorship, run by the ruling troika.
A word of caution to them, though. This is the kind of activity that spawns recalls. If the residents of this city lose confidence in their elected officials to the point that they feel mislead, manipulated and abused, such a remedy is possible. It only take a few signatures on a petition to start that ball rolling.
11:10 am pdt
At a recent Planning Commission meeting councilman Eric Bever - a former planning commissioner - stood at the speakers podium before the commission as they considered an agenda item having to do with "storefront churches". He expressed his opinion, and what he said was the opinion of his pal - Mayor Allan Mansoor, against such entities. At the time I thought it was curious that a sitting councilman would take the time to formally advise his appointees of his opinion and found myself wondering how that affected the deliberations on the subject.
Then, just before the most recent Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, Mayor Mansoor apparently had an email distributed to commission members expressing his opinion on an issue that was to be heard that evening. My understanding is that some of the commissioners had no time to read and consider that correspondence prior to the meeting. Again, I find myself wondering about the propriety of this action - slipping a bit of information to the commissioners just before they began deliberations.
In both these instances it certainly looks like Mansoor and Bever were trying to pressure the commissions to vote the way they directed.
The male majority on our current city council has radicalized the process and have demonstrated a willingness to play fast and loose with the rules ever since they were seated following the November, 2004 elections. They've attempted to launch debate of subjects which had not been agendized, ignored the recommendations of citizen committees assigned to evaluate and make recommendations and have ignored opinions of the minority on the council. They've attempted to manipulate the debate on issues by slipping notes to each other on the dais instead of simply voicing their opinions so the public could hear them. Having watched these guys in action for more than half a year, there is no doubt in my mind that their preference would be to exclude public participation in any decisions and simply pre-fabricate solutions prior to any public debate.
The way things are going, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Gary Monahan, the swing vote on the male majority who is termed-out next year, try to get the rules changed so the position of Mayor would be directly elected by the people instead of being selected by his peers on the council. That could effectively anoint the winner with even more power than is presently the case. I suspect Monahan would love to be the anointed one, perched on the throne of power for years to come.
If the majority on this council continues unchallenged down their path of attempted strong arm tactics and behind the scenes manipulation, it looks like they might successfully pull off a bloodless coup and turn this city into a dictatorship, run by the ruling troika.
A word of caution to them, though. This is the kind of activity that spawns recalls. If the residents of this city lose confidence in their elected officials to the point that they feel mislead, manipulated and abused, such a remedy is possible. It only take a few signatures on a petition to start that ball rolling.
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