PB: Change of Tone?
by SDM
SDM watched last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, which started about a half-hour late. The meeting was delayed because the council met in secret with their staff and attorneys to discuss the Palmer Trinity School litigation.
SDM felt that the prior meeting had a substantial impact on the tone of the COW. For example:
As SDM reported earlier this week, the council discussed purchasing the Burch property, which is next to the library on Old Cutler Road. The normally lock-stepped Three Amigos appeared to be suffering a fracture as Vice Mayor Pariser questioned the staff closely about their involvement with the property. It was clear to SDM that there was no consensus among the council majority on what to do with the property.
Twilight Zone Moment: The agenda item said the council would be discussing a purchase of the property, but Mayor Stanczyk focused more on staff’s attempts to help the property’s 90 year old owner with a DERM violation. Either someone screwed up the agenda or the Mayor decided to change the topic.
During a discussion on when the village should hold a ten-year celebration for regular folks – rather than the elite party held last weekend – the Three Amigos again appeared split. Mayor Stanczyk wanted to hold a special event in October or November to appease the public. Members Fiore, Tendrich and Vice Mayor Pariser leaned toward combining a 10 year celebration with the village’s annual picnic usually held in March.
Even the normally subdued village manager bowed up as the Mayor tried to add yet another October event to his small staff’s agenda. And the customarily vociferous Councilwoman Lindsay was practically silent during the meeting, while the usually reticent Councilman Fiore kept hinting that change was coming.
SDM Wonders: What the heck happened at the secret meeting? The logical answer is that the Three Amigos suffered a defection. Was it Stanczyk or Pariser?
SDM Says: While it is amusing to read the tea leaves, SDM prefers an open discussion of the facts. The Village People deserve to know what’s up.
Sounds like the looming election may have gotten to Pariser and he is having second thoughts….the mayor, she has to be in control of whatever it is so I don’t think she is changing her tone….I think Mr. Mayor probably told his wife to button it up and she did…..she does not have a degree in real estate, yet…
The failure of their litttle exclusive party has deflated the egos of the Three Amigos. The event was far from a sell out. There were so many tickets that went unused. The Three Amigos have finally figured out that they have destroyed the spirit of this community. Friday night proved that no one wants to play with them. They can’t even buy friends with food and drink. They think they are too cool just because they hold an elected office. The Three Amigos need to put their formalware away, resign and move to the retirement village of their choice. We are not Century Village.
Perhaps as Mr. Pariser has been going door-to-door campaigning, he has realized just how out of touch he has been with the majority of his constitutents.
Also, perhaps they had some sobering news regarding the reality of the potential settlement costs of the Palmer litigation coupled with the insurance company’s refusal to pay on the claim — that’s pure speculation, however, we must realize that insurance companies are always happy to write policies but reluctant to pay. Since we know nothing about this policy, we haven’t discussed what information the insurer would request/require in its claims process. Also, does the claim information become public record? The insurer could require information that potentially falls under attorney/client privilege — does the Village waive that right when it files its insurance claim?
Perhaps it is time to chat with some experts in this field of insurance about how a typical claim process would proceed.