Soap Box: Do-overs not a good idea for city councils

by Larry Schuster

June 26,2009

 

Larry Schuster is a former city councilman and political observer.

The Columbia City Council has relegated itself as of late to the level of petty special-interest cartoon characters.

Appointments to boards and commissions no longer belong to those who have valuable experiences, education or skills to offer the community at large but to political cronies whose like-minded philosophies evoke an incestuous environment of indifference toward the sworn duties of the offices which they hold. In three distinct cases, appointments were not made based upon broad community representation, but with the clear intent that the ends justified the means.

Several months ago the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission was appointed with no regard to the need for balanced community input. Two particular projects lay on the horizon waiting for the political alignment necessary to place them on a fast track of public subsidy. With seven of the eleven appointees representing local bank employees or members of the bank’s board of directors, the Tiger Hotel and Trittenbach TIF applications were approved only with the bank representatives voting affirmatively. Neither of the county or school district appointees supported the applications. At the time the TIF appointees were disclosed, Mayor Darwin Hindman openly defended the imbalance, stating that each member was committed to downtown.

Before the TIF commission we found ourselves examining the process that placed a biology professor on the Water and Light Board over former Water and Light director Dick Malon. The political preferences of the council were clearly displayed the evening interviews were conducted to delve into the applicants’ motivations to serve on the Water and Light Board. When I was asked about what I perceived to be the role of a Water and Light Board member, I responded that my perception was of no importance, because the ordinance setting up the board clearly stated that role. Board members are required to ensure the reliable availability of and delivery of water and electrical services to the citizens of Columbia. Political views regarding global warming or the use of nuclear power are not the purview of this board. The sure delivery of these services is.

This brings us to the current “Boonedoggle” regarding the city Planning & Zoning Commission. P&Z is one of the two commissions required by state statute for city charters within the state of Missouri. It is a powerful and influential commission that demands wide community representation. Political differences abound within the parameters of this commission. Therefore, to function effectively and enjoy the confidence of the citizenry along with the applicants, the commission must be fair, impartial and balanced with no party exercising undo influence from within. The city council, however, has resorted to a playground tactic to avoid picking a commissioner from the pool of applicants provided by the city charter.

Manipulative children declare “a do-over” when their intended outcome is not achieved. Led by the self-righteous and indignant Karl Skala, the council has set a precedent for political maneuvering that infuses the process with counterproductive, good-old-boy back slapping. Citing potential conflicts of interest, Skala argued that both applicants were unsuitable for service on the commission because of their employment by the development community. These are exactly the applicants we need at present. We do not need an imbalance granted to either side of planning and zoning philosophies. Skala is a frequent lamenter of the clear separation between staff and council as required by the city charter, and this represents the worst of political manipulations to achieve personal goals over fulfilling the sworn duties of his office.

“Do-overs” at this level destroy public confidence in a sacred process that yearns for fairness and open-mindedness. Regardless of political stripe, an honest person instinctively understands that the low-level corruption of this nature grows and eventually turns on the players who introduced it into the process.

Jerry Wade to his credit often points out that the process of decision making can many times be more important than the outcome of that process. Citizens must be assured that leadership holds the best interest of the community at the forefront. Confidence in government is directly related to the perception the public holds of government’s commitment to fair play, equal opportunity and respect for all sectors of the community. As of today the use of “do-overs” earns the council a “D” in regards to building the public trust.