Academy of Local Politics

I have long said, that describing what it is like sitting at the Mayor's desk is impossible. It is so different for everyone that does it.

New Mayor Carlo DeMaria of Everett, MA would certainly agree. From Boston.Com we learn about his first few days in office.

Everett's new mayor thought he was well-versed in city politics, given his 14 years on the Common Council and Board of Aldermen. Still, Carlo DeMaria admits his jaw dropped when he took the mayoral reins three weeks ago and discovered that, for years, many city employees have been given cards that allow them to gas up their cars for free at a facility reserved for city vehicles.

Free Gas? Not a bad benefit for a City employee, huh? It get better...

In addition to gas cards, DeMaria said he learned that the city apparently has been footing cellphone bills for many employees. And he is eyeing the fleet of city-owned automobiles and the policy that has allowed some employees to take them home at night. Precisely how many employees are given phones, cars, and cards he is still trying to determine.

For a mayor who took office pledging to streamline operations and gain efficiencies, the discovery of widespread pricey perks in City Hall is not sitting well.

But, it isn't just gas and cellphones the new Mayor is after...

A week after taking office, DeMaria asked all department heads who are interested in retaining their positions to submit a letter of interest, a resume, and an assessment of their respective departments, including how they can contribute in the future.

Some may hear that their position is being done away with entirely.

I don't think Mayor DeMaria will have the support of the unions next election, but he would certainly have mine.

Welcome to the Club, Mayor... Welcome to the Club.

Not all local positions are elected. Many citizen appointments are made to Boards, Committees and Commissions.

Making these appointments are one of the worst parts of the job of being the Mayor, Chairman or Top Dog in charge. Finding someone who will being willing to serve and is at least somewhat knowledgeable of the subject area.

According to Bill Graham at KansasCity.Com, Kansas City is looking for a new Park Board member. Mr. Graham has quite the laundry list of qualifications for the new Park Board member.

Besides being from the Northland for geographic balance of the Board the list starts out with ...

• The new appointee needs to be someone who actually visits and uses city parks.

• A plus would be someone who has worked on park issues before, as a volunteer at individual parks or on committees trying to resolve park issues.

Most any city would be happy to find someone to serve who met those basic qualifications. But, this list continues...

• A big plus will be someone who knows the difference between wood chip, gravel and paved hiking trails because they’ve walked on them.

• We need someone who knows the difference between big bluestem prairie grass and non-native fescue, and why Burr Oaks are hardier and more important to our area than non-native pine trees.

Do you think Mr. Graham is done? The list continues...

• We welcome someone with ideas on how to help make the parks not only be safe, but feel safe as well.

• It would be nice if the next Northland person on the board was willing to talk to the media and the public, even when controversy is brewing.

Is everyone reading still qualified? I would have been knocked out by now. That "grass" thing and having to have police ideas did me in.

Finally...

• Give me someone pragmatic, honest and active

He concludes by saying...

This is a long lists of traits, but not unreasonable. I suspect there are several Northlanders who fit these qualifications.

I suspect he is wrong.

One of the true joys of regularly reading the St. Paul Pioneer Press, is being able to read about the ongoing political saga that occurs in Maplewood, MN. This Twin Cities suburb has been a political soap opera for years. They have two factions, that just plain don't like each other.

The latest from Maplewood via the Pioneer Press details the content of the contract of the recently fired City Manager Greg Copeland. He was well aware of the history of Maplewood and wanted to protect himself going into the situation.

It doesn't matter what a City Council does, somebody won't like it. Every decision is criticized by someone. Oakridge, Oregon , a sleepy little mountain town of 3700 in southern Oregon proves that.

What has their City Council done? Well, according to OregonLive.Com they plan ... to sell 18 acres in the city's industrial park to Atherton Properties. The Nevada company plans an 800,000-square-foot building housing up to 16 businesses and creating an estimated 545 jobs.

That's not all.

Another major development came to light last week when the City Council approved the sale of a 2-acre parcel along Highway 58 that formerly housed the city's public works department to a Eugene real estate group that, according to sales documents, hopes to use it and adjacent land to develop an outlet mall.

How horrible to some..

35-year resident Bob Gardner, a tree faller, said he was not pleased. "I don't like all the people moving into Oakridge," he said. "I like it like it is. You can pull out onto the road without a bunch of traffic like Sisters has."

It doesn't matter where these developments took place, there would be some people who would oppose it. Even if it does mean good paying jobs and lower priced goods.

Nothing, absolutely nothing can be done by any City Council anywhere, without someone not liking the decision. 

Oakridge is not unique.

Ever since 1972, the first election I was able to vote, I have heard about the young adult vote. In 1972, that vote went for George McGovern. (Do you realize that in 1972 the voting age was 21 and the drinking age was 18?)

Last Presidential election, the young adult vote was suppose to put John Kerry over the top. The problem is, the young adult vote, don't vote in very big numbers.

The drum beat has started already for this election. FloridaToday.Com reports that... "The face of Florida's pivotal voter is changing from that of a golf-playing retiree to one of an involved youth as a nationwide election trend gains momentum in the Sunshine State."

They are even going so far as to say ..."What soccer moms were to the 1992 presidential race, young voters are to the 2008 elections."

That is pretty strong. Why such strong predictions?

"All the frontrunners have Web sites and pages on MySpace, YouTube and Facebook, which allow conversations among candidates and supporters.

Candidates' Web sites also have blogs, streaming video of speeches and debates, chat rooms and ways to make donations."

I remain skeptical about this surge in interest. The reason for my skepticism comes from the Milwaukee area and FranklinNow.com.

Blogger Kevin Fischer writes about the twenty-something vote. He finds stories such as ...Rhett Skelton, a 25-year-old Arlington, Va., voter originally from Houston, said the difficulty of finding out about the logistics of voting and the issues at stake are deterrents for younger voters. "Since it's only one day, most people don't know which day it is," Skelton said.

Most people don't know which day is election day? I wonder if Rhett has any problem knowing when Christmas is coming?

Then this...

In Michigan, college students are required to register in the same district as their permanent address."This law really disenfranchises college students in the state," said Brandon Hynes, 20, of Canton, Mich., president of College Democrats of Michigan. "If you live on the east side of the state, in November weather could be bad, making it really difficult to vote."

Registering to vote in the district of your permanent address "disenfranchises" students? And then we have that pesky weather thing again. There is an election to hire the "Leader of the Free World" and it might be a little cold outside.

I'll believe the young adults will show up when I see it.