Monitoring the Springfield City Council meeting tonight from our homebase, my producer and I noticed what appeared to be a vanishing act designed as a slick political maneuver.City Council was debating a resolution to urge Congress to change a law that would block a center for homeless veterans near Central High School. The Springfield Board of Education unanimously passed the resolution last week.
Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky clearly had some problems with some language in this resolution. She signaled she wanted to vote against the resolution or abstain from voting. But City Attorney Dan Wichmer instructed the Council that without a unanimous vote -- the resolution would need to go back to school board. That meant starting from scratch.
Moments later, after colleagues urged unity on the vote, you could see Rushefsky leaving the council podium. It appears Rushefsky walked out of the room, so other council members could "unanimously" pass the resolution.
Mission accomplished, but bizarro.
But that's why city council sometimes makes for good public access TV.
The resolution asks Congress to ban homeless centers from operating within one-thousand feet of a school. The Reverend Larry Rice plans to open such a center in the old Social Security building on north Jefferson.
2 comments:
Rice scooped the city, the school district, OTC, Drury and got the building. Talk about sour grapes.
Say, isn't that the police department across the street from that building?
Thank goodness for the strength of conviction the Springfield City Council has shown with this vote. They aren't going to let homeless vets and anyone who might care about them push the city around. They should really be proud of themselves.
Post a Comment