As we sashay toward summer and this Memorial Day weekend – or as Granny liked to call it “Decoration Day” – things in the berg have been hoppin’ on almost every front. And the results of what has happened, and will happen, could make this one o’ the most interesting summers we’ve had in these parts in quite some time.
Foist off, Sammy Bluejay made sure that Cobina got a copy of Herronner’s announcement that she is soon to be just plain “Nancy” perty soon. After weeks of rumors, behind-the-scenes discussions, and all sorts o’ speculation, Mayor Rossi won’t seek a fourth term. And Sammy sez that the decision was perty much as advertised by many in political circles. Former supporters weren’t gonna be on board this go-round and the constant bad news and look that City Hall jest seemed incompetent at times took their toll.
So, the long and the short of it, according to Sammy is that longtime Demmies jest didn’t see themselves supporting a fourth term. Word that people were starting to abandon the incumbent came all through the winter, and the fack that a current City Councilman, Victor Borras, announced his candidacy early left people perty much thinkin’ that the administration was seeing its latter days.
According to Sammy the gears are already turning amongst the party faithful as to who might succeed Herronner, and whilst there are still two announced candidates, the aforementioned Borras, and former Mayor Ed O’Brien, the speculation is there might be more – maybe many more…if one thing doesn’t happen.
The thing that could put the entire matter into another level is whether Dorinda Borer determines she wants to sit on the thoid floor. Effen that happens, as the pundits on the TV say, “that changes the calculus.” Borer is getting urged to run by some, but as we’ve discussed many times, Felicia, she’s become quite the rock star up at the Capitol, getting new preferments and becoming an assistant speaker of the House.
Why in the name of Samuel B. Hill would she wanna come back to this mess? The power is with MARB, and will remain so for quite a while. That means the mayoralty is gonna be follying the orders of the MARB, and being little more than a ribbon-cutter. MARB’s takeover of the city has a few incumbent council people wondering effen they should call it a career, so it’s no wonder that a mayoral candidate would think twice.
So, until things begin to clear up, and we won’t see that until mid- to late summer, things on the Demmie side might be a bit “fluid.”
~~~
The Republicans, meanwhile, have had their own bit o’ drama as we can expeck now. Barry Cohen announced his candidacy – perty much as we thought he would, but he had a challenge to his other GOP hopefuls, Steve Mullins, and Paige Weinstein were challenged by Cohen to sign a statement, saying the candidates should sign a “Clean Campaign Pledge.”
Cohen’s statement would have petty, and personal attacks off the table. The request was made about three days after he announced. There was a private meeting with the leaders of the party, David Riccio, and Joan Cretella, chairman and vice-chairman, respectively. The answer: crickets.
Does that mean the other two candidates wanna dwell on personalities or petty attacks? Probably not. The Wag was in after this came out, and figgered Weinstein and Mullins ain’t gonna play along with this because they see it more as a publicity stunt than a real promise to play nice. We shall see.
Cohen is right that there is too much at stake to allow petty attacks, but the Wag wasn’t convinced setch attacks are in their quivers right now.
One way or t’other there is a real chance the GOP could take the thoid floor for the first time since 1989, and squabbles and bickering ain’t gonna improve those chances when one party has a 3:1 ratio of registrants, and the biggest number, the Independents, will be looking at what transpires. Keep the popcorn ready, though. It should be a fun campaign.
~~~
Ya gotta give Peter Massaro credit for brass. The City Council Chairman a few weeks back told the Municipal Accountability Review Board to pound sand when it called for a new relationship. Massaro wanted a formal apology for the way the council and the city had been treated – like second-class citizens, who jest happen to pay the bills.
Nobody really expected the MARB would apologize, but a meeting was held and an “Era of Good Feeling” to use an old phrase was announced by the panel of experts. Yeah, it will be until it won’t be. Tennyrate, a meeting was conducted and the word of the day was “cooperation.” Add, “amity,” “respect” and a few others….until there won’t be.
Nelly Nuthatch sez it’s gonna take more than words to make the City Council feel like it’s part of the bigger picture. Over the years, MARB has acted like a school Marm, and the City Council was child that was in the corner. Suggestions offered were ignored, when discussions were held, city reps were cut off and told to “listen,” and it had the feel of elites v. plebs to it.
Soooo, effen the MARB is really gonna start working “with” the council, rather than the council working “for” the MARB, a lotta the rhetoric will hafta come to fruition.
We’re from Missouri on this one, Felicia. Suits don’t like discussion, they want obedience.
~~~
Jest before I started this week’s missive, a statement from Herronner came through on the “Whittlesey Assessment.” That is the firm that was tasked with reviewing city financial procedures and coming back with, well, an “assessment.” The statement on the assessment came from the Mayor’s Office before we even knew the assessment had been published, but yew didn’t hafta read the assessment to understand it wasn’t perty. Reading the statement of Herronner gave a perty good idea of what is contained therein.
Iva Lootey took a look at it and had a comment or three – not about the assessment, but the mayor’s statement. According to Iva, this statement is jest what is wrong with the thoid floor. One paragraph talks about the assessment, and two paragraphs proceed to defend the administration. There are times yew jest hafta say as little as possible and, “take the L.”
Instead of saying that things will be implemented, or the city still has to “digest” the contents, Herronner goes into a harangue about “context” and how things were setch a mess when she came into office. As Iva sez, “Yeah, and you were in for six years and things didn’t git much better.”
As is her wont she then lists a litany of what she sees as her administration’s accomplishments, and it’s the same boilerplate yew can find elsewhere. It’s not a good look, especially now that she is not running. Instead of taking the high road, the statement comes off as whiney.
~~~
Congrats go to Mark Levine, who has been tapped as this year’s Grand Marshal for the annual parade. We’ve known him for quite some time and a nicer fella yew can’t find anywhere. He has served his country, city, and family well. Hope he enjoys his day.
By the way the Mystick Maidens of the Marsh are fixin’ to have their own celebration, right now at Sandy Pernt. We’re gonna keep things a bit low key this year – but with the MMMs yew never know.
~~~
With that bit a chatter, I’ll close this time till next, mitt luff und kizzes,