Tuesday, January 5, 2010
News New day at City Hall
Posted by Scott Henry @ScottTheHenry on Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 9:12 PM
Actually, the new day began yesterday, when the newly sworn-in City Council held its first meeting of 2010. A Council member had told me beforehand how much she was looking forward to a 10-minute meeting — strictly a formality, mind you — and then joining the inaugural reception in the atrium.
But it didn't work out that way. Instead, newly reinstated Councilman Michael Bond proposed a resolution for the city to extend an apology to the victims of the Eagle raid. After much discussion and a warning by city attorneys that such a gesture, while compassionate, could open the city to increased liability, the measure was sent on to the Council's Public Safety Committee. The Council never got to party.
Which leads me to news from yesterday (although this may only interest City Hall junkies) — committee appointments. With one minor exception, every committee chair was shuffled by new Council President Caesar Mitchell. Here's the run-down:
- City Utilities: Carla Smith has been replaced as chair by Natalyn Archibong
- Community Development: Jim Maddox replaced by Joyce Sheperd
- Public Safety: Cleta Winslow replaced by Ivory Young
- Transportation: Clair Muller replaced by C.T. Martin
- Zoning: Ivory Young replaced by Aaron Watson
- Finance/Executive: Howard Shook replaced by Yolanda Adrean
- Committee on Council: Felicia Moore stays puts
It's considered quite a shake-up to appoint two new Council members as committee heads, although Watson has previous experience as an elected official and Adrean is a CPA. Actually, Watson and newcomer Alex Wan are also CPAs — which gives the Council three more CPAs than it used to have, which was none. All three are on the Finance Committee.
The final two newcomers — Bond and Keisha Lance Bottoms — will have to content themselves with standard committee appointments.
(Photo by Joeff Davis)
Comments (10)
Showing 1-10 of 10
Et tu Ceasar? CT Martin deserves a committee chair like I want a swim in the Chattahoochee today. Do-nothing Shook deserved to lose Finance, but Yolanda had better rise to the occasion in the most vital of all roles. Watson at Zoning will get to do developers' bidding, which is what he does best - except that development is flat on its back so the job may be moot. Mostly this list reflects the continuing lack of talent on council. Felicia is the proven honorable exception and I wish she'd been given Utilities to fight for transparency on the water-sewer billions. Let's hope Alex learns fast and applies himself, since he and Yolanda (and maybe Keisha?) are the only promising new members.
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Caesar is alright, Ivory Young as head of Public Safety is not good. He hasn't done a positive thing in 30 years.
Ceasar is a smiling cipher: he does not stand for anything. The last serious and contentious council decision was to commit to the $4 bn water sewer extravaganza back in Shirley's first term. Ceasar initially opposed on grounds of the exorbitant capital cost and unaffordability of consequent increased water rates and sales taxes. But, as he told one close observer, he had to cave in when Shirley threatened his law firm boss with loss of city business. Same tale was told of Ivory Young. Anyway, Ceasar has taken his one action of the year in appointing these chairs. He might as well go on vacation until this time next year for all the difference the Pres makes.
Aaron Watson is a joke as head of zoning. Not only is Watson completely beholden to developers, but he is incompetent. A poor choice by Kasim. But give Kasim credit for booting Hapless Shook and installing Yolanda Adrean.
Lewis - how is that Kasim's choice? Caesar Mitchell is the one who appoints committee chairs.
Absolutely correct. But I assume Ceaser and Kasim will try to work closely together. It is hard to believe the choices were made without Kasim's knowledge and concurrence.
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