Today I received good comment on the city situation, one of which I found very inspiring. Unfortunately, it was sent as a private conversation among a few, something I would not violate. But it inspired me to write, and I want to share my thoughts with you.
Thank you, Joseph
X-----, I started a note to you early today but did not have a chance to finish as business took me away. I do see some areas covered by others that I wanted to bring out.
1) I tire of this criticism of the council-manager system. It works for corporations, it works for Greenville, it works for Charlotte, it works many places. Those that want to go to a strong mayor do not know their history and are damned to repeat it. older citizens that successfully changed Columbia from strong mayor to council-manager can tell you why. It came down to corruption and cronyism, ala Chicago style politics. Should we go back to that?
You can change the system, you can change the rules, you can change the game, you can change the players, but it can always be corrupted. it is the character of the people in place that makes it work, or not.
2) It is the job of a city manager or strong mayor to oversee all operations and insure that it runs properly, timely reports are made, competent people are employed and doing their job, budgets created, audits are done, and council and the people are fully informed. That is the job, an overseer, an organizer, a motivator, an employer, a visionary, and the coach and team captain. Though early last decade I was a proponent of the strong mayor, I am no longer a proponent of either, only a proponent of integrity and quality in my leaders. Either system can be gamed. The strong mayor can hide much and run roughshod over a council. A Manager can insulate council members from an overbearing mayor, or he can corrupt the system.
Take a look at corporate America, it is a council-manager form. yet our presidency is a strong mayor form. Seems no one is pleased with either if you throw in the names Lehman Bro. and Bush.
Take your pick of your poison, whichever way you want it delivered.
3) Regardless of how it was spun, Austin was forced out. Council had no choice if they were to save their own posteriors, and they could no longer hold back the flood walls. the undercurrent was growing into a tidal wave and The State and Adam Beam were bringing it to attention. A lot of us like Charlie, but he was failing at the job, even given far too many passes. Everyone knew that anyone else would have been fired far sooner, given the failures, and the public undercurrent was torrid. Charlie's supporters could no longer make excuses as the public was also starting to blame them for the failures, beginning with lack of oversight. It came down to him or me, and you know who goes in that case.
Of course, it was a retirement. And of course, someone(s) were whispering in his ear what was going to happen, and what he should do.
4) Though we have a "weak" mayor system, ala Greenville and Charlotte, two successful cities, our mayor could have been a "strong" mayor if he chose. Rather, he prefers to not rock any boats to keep his job and whatever perks go with that job for himself, his law firm, and supporters. he is a member of one of Columbia's most powerful law firms, and it is beneficial to them. Now, another lawyer who is a member of a very powerful rival firm is planning to run. It is important to him and his firm.
The Papadea era shows us that. remember how many Edens & Avant signs were on properties around town? Now that Jim is out, how many do you see?
5) Columbia is a "Go along to get along town". People are afraid to stand up and out. Those few that do are made to be lepers by the establishment, and the masses go along with it rather than investigating the situation.
But it is changing. The fight over the Kenny property in 5 Points has changed politics in Columbia. First, it effectively killed the heir apparent to mayor. Rickenmann was put into office by the money men of Columbia to eventually be mayor, but he lost nearly every ward in his area, winning in the areas that knew him least. Next, the neighborhoods around the 5 Points area effectively killed the completely out of character project that somehow was allowed to be placed outside of the 5 Points architectural and zoning guidelines. Thousands of citizens stood up and shouted, afraid no more of opposing the system. Now, a few have had the determination and strength to sue the city for violation of their own rules and laws concerning the Kenny project.
I am proud of all of these people and re-energized by their actions. Politics is changing in Columbia because the citizens are changing.
6) Yes, the problem of bad leadership rests solely at the feet of those they represent. Change is not something people anywhere embrace well, especially the older they get. The quality of the politicians is a direct reflection of the people of that community. If you do not believe so, ask people outside of Chicago and Illinois how they perceive those communities.
Columbia, it must change. As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy and he is us".
7) Yes, Steve Benjamin plans to run, so does Coble. Kirkman is said to be entering the race. And I may too.
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