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Thursday, February 14, 2008
Oh, the embarrassment of it all!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How do you feel about your town?
Proud?
Some Snellville citizens would say “embarrassed.”
In fact, several took the podium at Monday’s city council meeting to tell leaders just that.
“Don’t you hear the snickers and laughter?” Wayne Blackburn asked them. “… Ya’ll embarrass us.”
Blackburn implored council members to forget about the divisions among them and focus on “what’s best for the city of Snellville.”
Patricia Port, a member of the Snellville Planning Commission, expressed similar sentiments.
“Each one of you up there needs to grow up,” Port told them, reminding them that as a voter she expects better city leadership. “I hope you all clean up your act.”
What preceded these remarks was a council meeting that left many an observer shaking his head.
You may have read the particulars in an earlier news story (If not, click here to catch up.).
It wasn’t pretty.
Of course, there are two sides to the story.
One says those who criticized the mayor and raised questions about a budget expense and the mayor’s self-appointment as interim city manager were doing what they were elected to do — watching out for the public interest.
The other says the criticisms were part of a political witch hunt and that the mayor acted to keep the meeting on track and protect city employees.
What is clear is that some citizens are tired of it all.
Dennis Lawton, who has lived in Snellville for 15 years and served on the Snellville Planning Commission, said he has long been embarrassed by the general demeanor of the city’s elected leadership. He worries about the effect it has on work that needs to be done to keep Snellville a thriving hub of south Gwinnett in the face of competition from neighboring growth areas.
Lawton’s main concern Monday was how the city had allowed the issue of finding a new city manager to become a state of “emergency,” which permitted the mayor to authorize himself as a temporary replacement. The city has known for months that its interim city manager would leave Feb.13. So why was more emphasis not placed on the search for a new manager, Lawton asked.
Suzanne Krieger shared that concern, telling the council and mayor “this is not an emergency; this is politics.” She encouraged a look at other options, saying “a dictatorship should not be allowed.”
The frustrations over Snellville’s political climate are understandable.
People are tired of games. They are weary of elected officials who poke at each other publicly or who are snide, sarcastic, unprofessional or hateful. Politics should not impede progress.
To be fair, not all of Snellville’s council members jumped into the fray Monday. To be fair, there are good people and good ideas on both sides of the legendary divide. But the intense and continued controversy overshadows all that is good.
Another point made Monday also should be remembered.
Despite Krieger’s concerns, she told the council she appreciates hearing the different opinions of members - that she doesn’t expect or want all disagreements to be hidden behind the scenes.
It’s an important statement.
Government proceedings can reflect differences and still be professional. A balance is possible.
If Snellville’s elected officials should ever embark on a quest for harmony, openness does not have to be sacrificed.
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