Same old Same old
Council's decision is what it is
By Kelvin Wade | | October 02, 2008 18:55
My motto is 'it is what it is.' I take life as it comes and try to make the best of things. That phrase crossed my mind as I watched the City Council interviews Monday night and the quick selection of Rick Vaccaro and Catherine Moy to the council.
Last week, looking at the 51 applicants' names for the two open Fairfield City Council seats, I turned to my girlfriend Cathi and told her that Rick Vaccaro and Catherine Moy would get the seats. I'm not psychic, but the handwriting was all over the wall on this one.
Matt Garcia's family backed Rick Vaccaro and it's easy to see why. Matt had urged him to run for office. Vaccaro was a mentor to Matt Garcia, worked with kids as principal at Armijo High and has experience as an education administrator. Even without the family's endorsement, he would be a natural pick to succeed Matt Garcia.
I don't begrudge John Mraz and Chuck Timm for selecting their friend Catherine Moy for the other seat.
They had the majority on the council before the tragic deaths of Matt Garcia and Frank Kardos, so why should they voluntarily give that up?
If Harry Price had the sole power to make the selection, I'm sure he would have chosen individuals who gave him the balance of power on the council. That's politics.
But it does open Mraz and Timm to the charge that the reason they didn't want to open the application process up for the late Frank Kardos' seat was that their minds were made up.
It makes sense that Timm and Mraz didn't want to select a new councilperson and have that person help decide who got the last seat.
I wouldn't have given up that power either.
In retrospect, I don't believe we even needed the dog and pony show of interviews Monday night. There was nothing in the law that compelled the council to do it. They could have simply made these appointments.
Obviously, perennial also-ran Steve Kays was included just for the appearance of fairness. But everyone knows the Oakland Raiders have a better chance of winning the Super Bowl this year than Kays had of obtaining a council seat. I'm not saying he deserved the seat.
I do think the city went through the motions Monday night and eight people wasted their time.
It is what it is.
Where do we go from here? We work together to move Fairfield forward. That's sticking a boot in the backside of gangbangers and squeezing the criminal element out of this city.
It's focusing on our young people.
It's getting our fiscal house in order during trying times.
It's strengthening ties between City Hall and the school district.
And it's proving to everyone that Fairfield is a vibrant community and a great place to raise a family.
Peace.
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They actually wasted the time of the other 49 people who pulled applications for the City Council positions. I don't believe they ever really stood a chance. This is just the same old politics we saw back when the smart growth people had control of the council and installed one of their own in a council seat. What are ya gonna do?
It's done. We have to make the best of it for the sake of the city. Come together and move on.
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LIVE IN THE FAIRFIELD-SUISUN AREA?
Join me and my brother Tony this Saturday evening for a gala fundraiser for Archway Recovery Services in Suisun. Call (707) 435-1804 for tickets and information.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
So what do you think of Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin. Get my take right here.
My granddaughter Lauryn and I learned some lessons this past weekend after a relevatory soccer game. Read about it HERE.
Last week, looking at the 51 applicants' names for the two open Fairfield City Council seats, I turned to my girlfriend Cathi and told her that Rick Vaccaro and Catherine Moy would get the seats. I'm not psychic, but the handwriting was all over the wall on this one.
Matt Garcia's family backed Rick Vaccaro and it's easy to see why. Matt had urged him to run for office. Vaccaro was a mentor to Matt Garcia, worked with kids as principal at Armijo High and has experience as an education administrator. Even without the family's endorsement, he would be a natural pick to succeed Matt Garcia.
I don't begrudge John Mraz and Chuck Timm for selecting their friend Catherine Moy for the other seat.
They had the majority on the council before the tragic deaths of Matt Garcia and Frank Kardos, so why should they voluntarily give that up?
If Harry Price had the sole power to make the selection, I'm sure he would have chosen individuals who gave him the balance of power on the council. That's politics.
But it does open Mraz and Timm to the charge that the reason they didn't want to open the application process up for the late Frank Kardos' seat was that their minds were made up.
It makes sense that Timm and Mraz didn't want to select a new councilperson and have that person help decide who got the last seat.
I wouldn't have given up that power either.
In retrospect, I don't believe we even needed the dog and pony show of interviews Monday night. There was nothing in the law that compelled the council to do it. They could have simply made these appointments.
Obviously, perennial also-ran Steve Kays was included just for the appearance of fairness. But everyone knows the Oakland Raiders have a better chance of winning the Super Bowl this year than Kays had of obtaining a council seat. I'm not saying he deserved the seat.
I do think the city went through the motions Monday night and eight people wasted their time.
It is what it is.
Where do we go from here? We work together to move Fairfield forward. That's sticking a boot in the backside of gangbangers and squeezing the criminal element out of this city.
It's focusing on our young people.
It's getting our fiscal house in order during trying times.
It's strengthening ties between City Hall and the school district.
And it's proving to everyone that Fairfield is a vibrant community and a great place to raise a family.
Peace.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
They actually wasted the time of the other 49 people who pulled applications for the City Council positions. I don't believe they ever really stood a chance. This is just the same old politics we saw back when the smart growth people had control of the council and installed one of their own in a council seat. What are ya gonna do?
It's done. We have to make the best of it for the sake of the city. Come together and move on.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
LIVE IN THE FAIRFIELD-SUISUN AREA?
Join me and my brother Tony this Saturday evening for a gala fundraiser for Archway Recovery Services in Suisun. Call (707) 435-1804 for tickets and information.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
So what do you think of Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin. Get my take right here.
My granddaughter Lauryn and I learned some lessons this past weekend after a relevatory soccer game. Read about it HERE.
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