Annapolis Capital Punishment

The biggest issue on the table at last night's City Council meeting was:
A: Who will get the lease for the boat show?
B. Will we have a city manager/council form of government?

Based on the crowd that came out regarding A versus those testifying about B, we can only conclude that clearly A is most important. What is wrong? Many of us have written and spoken about this issue and a recent poll on CP showed overwhelmingly strong support. So what happened last night? A few observations:

1. There are a number of amendments floating around, including a ridiculous one submitted by three potential mayoral candidates to basically obfuscate the entire thing, so even some of the most informed are a bit confused. A Rules Committee meeting today may clarify. Or maybe not.

2. While some two dozen people strongly supported a city manager form of government, about a handful spoke against it. Of them, one was brief and erroneously claimed it would add another layer of bureaucracy. Another was rambling, incoherent and almost laughable in its confused and meandering claims. Don-Lamb Minor, a special advisor or consultant (she seems to have a few of these....are these sole-source contracts? Talk about accountability...) to the mayor claimed that while there are tens of thousands of cities and counties, only about fifteen percent of them by total have chosen this style of government. The former delegate should have identified himself as a consultant working for the mayor and his point was not relevant. Former Alderman and now County Councilman Josh Cohen was concerned that the oft-touted city's increase in complexity was not relevant, considering how larger governments operate without such a system. What Cohen fails to realize is that with AA County, which he used as an example, Mr. Leopold does not sit on the council, much less chair that body, while in our city, the mayor serves as chief executive AND council chair. Community activist Rob Eades used his testimony to again question the motives of those wishing to transform public housing but he did explain why he supported having a strong mayor--clear accountability.

3. It's not necessary to recount the testimony of the many more people, including CP, who spoke on behalf of a city manager style. What was most telling was the behavior of the mayor, whose words and actions not only make her into her own worst enemy, they actually bolster her opponents by showing how executive power can be misused. And we are the ones who get misused...Almost every speaker was browbeaten by the mayor who insisted on arguing, questioning details, and making sure she could get the last word. The consistent level of disrespect shown toward we the people was outrageous.

4. Longtime resident and activist Bob Slawson of Eastport boldly used Marketgate as an example, asserting that a city manager would have had the professional and executive ability to have averted such a crisis. Oops. Even CP was shocked. Of course, the mayor then let in to a diatribe about how it was the city council who messed that one up. See my point? It is behavior such as that shown last night that underscores the need for a seasoned executive. The buck has to stop somewhere. So if it's not the Market House, let's talk about the police station. And we must mention, were any city employees who contributed to any of those messes held accountable?

6. The most unusual and perhaps most telling of all testimony came from a former cable company lawyer who spoke of his experiences negotiating contracts in different US cities. He made a strong case in favor of a city manager form of government for a variety of convincing reasons, which he carefully explained.

7. One highlight of the evening for CP was when former mayoral candidate Gil Renault stood up to say how long he has supported a city manager style of government. CP supported Renault in his bid for mayor and urged him to let CP draft a position statement strongly in favor of a city manager. Renault agreed. I went to work. Renault sat on the paper. And sat. After a couple of requests to act, Renault finally decided he did not want to come out publicly in favor of such a proposal. But last night, he must have remembered events somewhat differently. At least we can say that this mayor who defeated Renault is not afraid to act.

8. Representatives from the Ward 1 and Eastport Civic Association as well as the Eastport Business Ass'n and Annapolis Business Ass'n spoke in favor of a city manager. That covers the two largest business and two largest citizen's group in the two most wactive city wards. That's a pretty strong statement.

The mayor sees this as a referendum about and as a challenge to her. Not so--as many of us have testified. But the more she acts like that, the more it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. While Arnett, Shropshire, Cordle and Stankivic are behind a city manager style and are not considering a run for mayor, it may very well be that Finlayson, Cordle and Hoyle are considering that, which may explain a few things. So which "caucus" is playing politics? Hmmm.....

There are those who believe this should go to a referendum and/or perhaps become the big issue in the mayoral race. "Let the people decide" they say. Okay, so instead of a republic, we'll have a plebiscite in operation. Why don't we all serve on city council instead of electing a small group? How ironic and telling it is that while many dozens and dozens made a stand about the boat show lease, as soon as that was over, the Council Chambers cleared out. Referendum indeed! We get the government we deserve. (By the way, reports are that the mayor's Friday afternoon "Let's Talk" sessions are attracting zero to three or four residents each week.)

Eric Hartley, columnist for our local newspaper opined that we just need a new mayor, not a new form of government. CP thinks he has not been in this town long enough to see the deeper side of this issue, which he is skirting anyhow. It's this form of government which allows a mayor to have too much of an impact and influence--and power. And it's this form of government which does not insist upon professional management expertise. He seems to forget that it takes four years to wear out a mayor-and sometimes eight, whereas an under-performing city manager can be terminated by a council majority. And finally, he played right into the mayor's hand so she can now say, "I told you so. They're just trying to get back at me....etc...etc...ad infinitum...ad nauseum....Eric--I have often praised your pieces but you're wrong on this one. However, thanks for mentioning me in your columns, but geeze--could you not have at least provided the name of the blog? Otherwise why even bother mentioning me as a blogger?

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