?No space of regret can make amends for one life?s opportunity misused.? From ?A Christmas Carol? by Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
In retrospect, the drama at city hall Monday night went as it was originally planned with just a small twist a few weeks reprieve for Council member Carrington. {{more: continue …}}
Both sides had their gambit to play. One side, which has a 3-2 voting majority composed of Mayor Pro-tem Jan Joplin and Council members Sandra Lee and Rocky Gilley, have had their sights on Carrington position for some time and had finally placed the issue on the agenda for December.
The other side, composed of Council members of Liz Carrington and Kelly Turner, have tried to keep Carrington?s place on the council as she has struggled this past year with a life threatening illness and missed most of the council meetings this year. Turner had placed on this month?s agenda a charge against Council member Lee for her removal for an unspecified violation of the city charter. A hearing on that charge was set to be heard by the full council.
public emotional pleas …
As could be expected, there were members of the public in support of each of the two council members facing dismissal from the council. Each member of the public had a chance to make pleas for understanding and consideration and they were often emotional. This went on for some time before the business portion of the meeting started.
The two actions were scheduled back to back with the Carrington vote to be taken first. But before action could be taken, Turner made a proposal that both items be tabled for further review and suggested that these items may best decided by the voters in the May elections.
no corner …
Gilley, despite the emotional remarks earlier from the public, would have no part of it. For him, it was a matter of following the city charter which requires council members to be in attendance and that in the case of Carrington the number of absences had been excessive.
Turner, trying to get Joplin to join the discussion, asked about her thoughts. Joplin was quite vehement. Joplin questioned why Carrington thought she should merit extra consideration and even accused Carrington of denying her (Joplin) the value of Carrington?s years of experience by not being at the meetings. Joplin ended by echoing Gilley?s sentiment that if Carrington was that sick, it is best that she stay home with her family.
During the debate the city attorney did advise the council that Council member Lee did deserve due process consideration because the charge had been made only the week before. He stated that the Council would be well advised to allow her time to prepare. And, he further advised that the same could apply to Carrington.
brief respite …
After additional discussion, sometimes heated, it was finally agreed that these two items would be considered in January. It was also clear from the debate that Carrington?s time on the Council was numbered. The opposition, who has the votes, was ready to vote, the sooner the better.
There was disappointment from some in the audience that the ?peace offering? by Council member Turner was not seriously considered. And, it may well have been, considering the time of year and how earnest the pleas from audience were at the beginning of the meeting. But, while Carrington seat may have never been safe, it was certainly lost as soon as the petition to recall both Lee and Joplin began circulating this month. As it has been said by this paper before, the petition was both ill-conceived and ill-timed.
total political warfare …
Unfortunately for the rest of Kennedale, this is total political warfare and the combatants will not stop until the other side has been completely eliminated from the political scene.
Hopefully, at some point in the future there will be candidates for office that are free of this current political struggle.
