The View From The Cheap Seats
By Jerry Haferkamp
First, I have to apologize to Mike Weller. A few weeks ago I stated that Don Knotts was dead and that Mike wouldn’t be able to get Barney Fife to investigate the fraud in the collection of recall signatures. I learned this weekend that Don Knotts had just died. I guess Mr. Weller could have used Barney Fife for about 4 weeks to botch the investigation, health permitting. Sorry if I inconvenienced you Mikey. However, James Best (Roscoe P. Coltrane of The Dukes Of Hazzard) is still available.
Speaking of the admitted fraud and the accompanying possibility of conspiracy to commit fraud (according to sworn depositions), there are rumors around that the findings may be swept under the rug. I’m sure our police department and the Chief will do their jobs. We will be keeping an eye on what happens after our prosecutor gets the report. Surely he’ll do his job, won’t he?
For those of you who may not have a scorecard to see the roster, we now have an attorney under contract with the city whom the Mayor won’t pay and a former City Administrator without a contract that she will pay. Only in the “Center of the Universe”, folks. I suggest any future contracts that are negotiated with Mr. Williams be printed on tissue paper about 5” wide, perforated for ease of tearing and delivered on a roll with a tubular cardboard center.
The power of the vote was evidenced at the Council meeting where our Council President defended the use of eminent domain. Being the consummate politician, he realized that the Frenchtown business owners probably don’t vote in Ward One. If their livelihood are stripped from them, he may only lose a vote or two.
He followed with an ominous warning to small business owners that if the “big bucks” want to expand and you are in their way, TOUGH! He used the example that if Bass Pro needed to expand, pack up and get out of the way. Why anyone would want to start a small business in St. Charles is beyond reason. The message is clear. We’ll bowl over anyone if the bucks are big enough.
The proponents of stripping rightful ownership repeatedly used the phrase “valuable tool” when referring to eminent domain. This “tool’ isn’t a screwdriver to fine tune, even though screwing is involved. It is a 500 pound sledgehammer being wielded by a 2000 pound gorilla known as government and is held over someone’s head until they give in to the developer. If they don’t submit, the hammer drops. Now, that’s a “tool”.
Did anyone else notice during the February 21 council meeting that the councilman who usually decries other councilmen’s use of “staff” to obtain information relating to city business has no problem tying up staff to get information on a councilman he dislikes? Mike Weller “tied up” staff to get information to deliver a five or ten minute tirade on Pearl Ridge; not on the water problem, not on public works boo-boo, but on when Mark Brown built his home.
While other councilpersons wait months to get info from our former City Administrator about real issues, Mikey gets unlimited access to useless garbage to further his handlers’ agenda.
I guess it all depends on who you are to our former City Administrator. By the way, since his “Charmin Contract” doesn’t mean anything, I guess he doesn’t have to fulfill the requirement to move here. Are we still paying his travel expenses to fly home every time he gets “in the mood”?
