THE MAYOR, WHO SHE REALLY IS
There has been recent talk of term limits and changing the way City government is run. Usually when you have talk of term limits its because those who want power can’t win an election.
Lets look at St. Charles over the past 5 years. When this paper first started we interviewed all the newly elected officials. Eight of ten of the City Council members were political newcomers. Richard Baum and Rory Riddler were the two who won re-election. In my opinion the ballot box limits the terms of politicians. In the last election, six of ten were new to public office. The only person that would be affected by term limits is Councilman President Rory Riddler. The residents of Ward 1 have voted him into office for over 25 years. If the voters in his Ward want term limits they can use the ballot box like everyone else.
In doing this editorial I began to look at the one constant in the City over the past six years. The majority of the council has turned over twice and we have had four City Administrators. The one thing that hasn’t turned over is the Mayors position.
The CEO of the City has presided over what I would say is one of the most dysfunctional times in St. Charles history. Many like to blame the City Council and the City Administrator but is that blame being placed on the right people? It would appear to me that somebody in the position of CEO can’t work and play well with others.
York has served with three councils all of which had a hard time moving things forward. The Spellmann curve was the beginning of the Mayor not being able to gain consensus and create a positive image for the City. Instead, she allowed infighting and backbiting among the Council members. She still has not shown any leadership.
The next Council experienced the Mayor’s inability to lead with the Cavendish Square controversy and the convention center. Both of these items divided and created an atmosphere of distrust.
This council has experienced York with the Chief of Police issue, Thomas Mayer and Pearl Ridge. York stands in the way of many things, takes credit for everything, and gets away with it. In the 90’s they called Gotti the Teflon Don in St. Charles we have the Teflon Mayor.
From the unethical sale of the old police headquarters, signing illegally the Express Scripts contract to the payment of Glennon Jamboretz and his fictitious companies for his political efforts to oust her political foes, York seems to walk away from the fights without a scratch.
York has continually placed her own selfish interest above that of the average resident. The question of whether or not York used public tax dollars to run a recall effort against Councilman Mark Brown and Councilwoman Dottie Greer doesn’t differ from her running the campaign for the Convention Center using public tax dollars.
York is self-serving. Self-serving is not what you want in a public servant. Some call things contradictions others call them lies. You be the judge. I am hopeful that the residents start to see York for the person she really is.
ttt
