City managers: It's a hard luck life

The waiting game continues for the city manager deliberations, with Council wrapping up its umpteenth discussion of the issue. Like we suspect a lot of newsers sniffing around City Hall, there's nothing fully-baked to a stage where it can be printed, meaning everybody's pretty much waiting for hizoner and the Council to announce what the next steps are.

So what do we do while we wait? We dig up old news stories, that's what!

If there's anything you learn from doing so, it's that the tenure of a city manager well resembles the philosopher Thomas Hobbes' description of life without society: solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

Take this spine-tingling situation that ex-Peoria manager Randy Oliver found himself in way back in ought-five:

Security measures were beefed up around Augusta's former administrator Randy Oliver recently while police in Peoria, Ill., where he's city manager, investigated whether two e-mails sent to him by a disbarred attorney were threatening.

One e-mail reads, in part (all original spelling preserved): "My warning: not everybody is as balance as I, and possessing the belief that bad things happen to bad bureaucrats who make people feel like they have no rights and that they lost everything. It is ironic that we have such a recent example of what some people will do to actors in the judicial system, when they feel that they have nothing left to lose."

In an obvious reference to Mr. Oliver, another reads: "Think about it, someone seeing red could step off the elevator on the second floor, right past the non-existent metal detectors, take a right instead of a left and figure the guy in the nice suit, in the big toward the north, must be at least somewhat responsible for the Housing Court treachery.

"Sure, they'll get prosecuted, but that and the consolation boquet of flowers ... would be small consolation to Mrs. Oliver and the Oliver children as they take the U-Haul back to Georigia."

Mr. Oliver told a Journal Star reporter in Peoria, "You don't make these kinds of comments, even in jest. In today's day and age, you've got to take everything seriously."

Mr. Oliver's wife, Valorie, wrote City Ink to ask whether we liked the part about the U-Haul back to Georgia.

"I guess I can pass for a peach," she said.

   

No word on what made this legal eagle turn to juris-imprudence. Maybe he was outraged over Peoria's stance against prostitution? Emphasis added--

Mug shots of prostitutes and the customers who solicit them, also known as "johns," will start appearing in July on the Peoria police Department's Web site, www.peoriapd.com.

"We think it's a way to significantly deter prostitution activities," City Manager Randy Oliver said. "What we want to do is stop the activity. The police chief and I believe this is the way to do this."

City officials expect that public scrutiny and humiliation from spouses, family, neighbors and employers will befall a john after his picture is displayed on the web for all to see.

And they hope the embarrassment and fear of being caught with a prostitute will decrease prostitution activity, which could put the prostitutes out of business.

"This will make (people) think twice," Oliver said. "The females don't have a lot to lose, but the males who participate have a lot to lose."

However, Julia, a self-described prostitute working earlier this week on Madison Avenue in Peoria's North Valley, a known area for such activity, said she wouldn't care if her picture was put online.

"It would make my job a lot easier," said the 34-year-old woman, who would not reveal her last name. "Because right now, the tricks' (or johns) don't know who's a cop and who's not.

"The guys, if they're married or have jobs, of course it would look bad for them. But I think if you put a picture of a girl up, then the tricks' will know what girls are available and know exactly who to pick up."

That is a possible downside of the effort, Oliver conceded.

Meantime, city managers have a funny way of getting caught up in election politics, as George Kolb doubtlessly knows:

Asked whether the weak-mayor form of Wichita government should change, giving the mayor more power, [Wichita mayor Carlos] Mayans said, "I love that question."

"I love, I love to be accountable. I love it," he said. "But give me accountability. At least give me veto power, for God's sake."

He said he has to ask for support from council members and often can't find them to ask.

"But the manager (city manager George Kolb) can call them in and give them a park in his district, give the other person a fire station... so he's got the four votes, not I. But you don't elect him," Mayans said.

"You know what? You don't want me to be the strong mayor, elect the manager. Elect him!"

The audience applauded....

"I found Mayans to be very honest and very outspoken," [voter LaDonna] Pauls said, noting Brewer "was just a gentleman."

"That cinched it for me," Workman said, in favor of Mayans.

(Though this would certainly be a plus in Durham's column for attracting Kolb. Don't worry about needing to wheel and deal with parks with Council members -- we give 'em away here all the time!)

Still, it helps to have your city's finest on your side, and not against you, though it seems if you can find some pro-marijuana citizens, you can have yourself a fine counter-protest--

More than a hundred police officers and their families protested in front of Wichita City Hall on Friday, demanding that the city resume contract negotiations.

The picketing came just hours before the union contract was to expire, and it was the most aggressive showing yet by the police union.

Protesters proclaimed City Manager George Kolb the best-paid city manager in Kansas.

They said their private financial audits show that the city can afford to give them the 6 percent raise they're demanding, contrary to what Kolb has said about needing to increase taxes or reduce other city services to cover it....

As they picketed on the sidewalk in front of City Hall, a man in a black trench coat paced along the opposite side of the street slowly lashing a bullwhip.

King David Davis, the anti-establishment, self-described "little people's mayor," was the lone anti-police protester.

Officers tried -- to no avail -- to persuade Davis to join their side in requesting a raise that they officers in similarly sized departments in the region.

Some other guys drove by the police in a red car and yelled, "Cops are bad people."

Then, minutes later, the car zoomed by going the other direction. This time the driver leaned out the window with a hat with a marijuana leaf on it and yelled, "Down with the police."

But Davis and the pot-leaf hat guys were easily outnumbered by the scores of cars driving by honking their horns in support of the police's demands.

Police squad cars drove by squawking their sirens briefly and honking horns.

Just remember that anecdote next time someone tries to tell you Durham's a crazy place. You can just tell them it's not that different than the largest city in Kansas, really.

But I guess it can't be that bad. Heck, as the N&O's Matt Dees pointed out (and Barry highlighted yesterday), Durham's third finalist, Pat Salerno, is also throwing his hat in another ring.

Wichita's.

Folks, nobody said governing was easy. Still, remind me again why somebody actually wants this job in the first place?

Comments

[David Rollins]

I know you're trying to be funny, but seriously who would want this job? The mayor and council are all so crooked I wouldn't take it unless I had a wealthy spouse and an ambition for a political career, or I was keen to use my influence to funnel developer kickbacks to an overseas account (in other words, just as crooked as the rest of them).

Remember that you'll be working for the city who canceled the Durham PD "reform" for fear of getting sued. Never mind doing the right thing, it was more important to cover their behinds.

At least you can console yourself with the thought that if you REALLY screw things up you won't have to face the consequences. Look at Patrick Baker -- he got a promotion!

[Michael Bacon]

The internal investigation was canceled at the insistence of the city's insurer, much to the dismay of council. The fear wasn't of getting sued (from the council's standpoint, at least), it was of having our insurance rates tripled.

[David Rollins]

My point exactly. It was more important to save face and/or money than to do the right thing.

[Mike Woodard]

Perhaps Kevin was trying to be funny, but I hope Mr. Rollins was trying to be hyperbolic: "The mayor and council are all so crooked..."

If it's not hyperbole, then I take great umbrage with his comment and the suggestion that I and my colleagues take kickbacks from developers and are only interested in covering our behinds.

Mike Woodard

[chris]

Mike - I agree with David and think you are part of a crooked city council that is willing to spend large sums of public money on projects that you know wouldn't pass a bond referendum. I seriously question the motivations of everybody on city council. In my opinion, it has a lot more to do with ego than dedication to public service.

[Kevin Davis]

Oh, sweet mother of pearl.

Look, I by no means agree with David or Chris' suggestions that the City Council is crooked. Joking about our propensity to build rec centers aside, I am continuously impressed by the hours of time and energy that our elected officials put in, for an activity that's fundamentally one step removed from a volunteer post.

Chris, we've debated your thoughts here before on the DBAP and similar projects. I think we fundamentally agree to disagree, which is OK. But to call them "crooked" because they spend money on projects without a voter referendum?

I mean, that's really beyond the rhetorical pale.

[Derek]

Why don't y'all naysayers who don't like the "corruption" or wasteful projects run for office yourselves? Seriously, take a page out of the Mike Munger book and give it a shot. http://munger4ncgov.com/ I'm not planning to vote for him, but you have to admire the guy for keeping at it.

[gonzo]

If being a complete idiot were a crime, I think we could call Chris crooked.

[David Rollins]

While I stand by my comments, I wish to apologise to Mike Woodard if he took offense or felt I implied that he was on the dole. Among city councilmen, Mike has consistenly impressed me by the sheer number of times I run into him around town while supporting my favorite Durham causes: Preservation Durham, Full Frame Fest, and a few others come to mind. The guy is everywhere all at once.

That said, I question the motives of those who run for office and agree with Chris that it's (usually) about ego rather than public service. Take a look at the backgrounds of those who ran for county commissioners last week. How many had a background in real estate development? Who were their biggest donors?

[Frank Hyman]

I enjoy the thoughtful comments of people who are sharing their knowledge on this blog. I don't enjoy the thoughtless comments of people who are clearly in the dark about the facts about candidates, elected officials and other topics.

Comments on this thread by 'chris' and David Rollins are good examples of the latter.

Calling people corrupt when you disagree with them is not uncommon unfortunately. But at least it gives the reader a clue as to who has sparse knowledge about local politics or a weak ability to make their case in a public forum.

And so to aim David's words in their proper direction, his and Chris' comments on this thread are good examples of making statements that are "about ego rather than public service."

[chris]

Kevin - You are being silly. Are you seriously getting bent out of shape about me calling a politician "crooked"? That word doesn't carry any connotation of specifically breaking the law.

Our local leaders aren't exactly taking noble, uncompromising stands on social justice. They are people who make compromises, form alliances, vote based on special interest groups, etc. "Crooked" is a pretty insightful metaphor for how a politician operates.

I normally don't waste my time posting to blogs anymore, but I guess politicians acting self-righteous can incite me to respond.

[David Rollins]

@Frank: Self-aggrandizement on a blog does not exactly fan the ego. If you'd be so kind as to point out my ignorance of the facts I'd be most appreciative -- I'll gladly go toe-to-toe with most anyone around these parts when it comes to knowledge of our local officials and the electoral process. Surely you don't wish me to enumerate the laundry list of political scandals related to commercial development and the corporate welfare doled out in this town. I'm pretty sure I would win.

[gonzo]

"Are you seriously getting bent out of shape about me calling a politician "crooked"? That word doesn't carry any connotation of specifically breaking the law."

Oh please. Do explain this one. I can't wait.