In the end, the commission followed tradition and voted in Patrick McDonald, the second highest vote getter in last election, the new mayor.
Hard to know exactly what motivated NOT changing. But I think McDonald's comments about Warren's ability to be a conciliator are accurate. He seems to have generated some good will among all the commissioners with his ability to listen and respect all sides and use mature language.
He's actually doing what he campaigned on - bringing some integrity and maturity back to the commission. Before Mell and his supporters attack this comment, I have to say it seems that Mell himself has brought been pretty diplomatic since the new commission was seated. In fact is seems like the two sides are getting along rather well! Disagreement on some issues, but working together on others. Sounds normal and healthy.
Warren's other campaign promise, to end micromanaging, has been less fulfilled. Not because they want to, however, but because they've HAD to. The problems with questionable information from staff, and with personnel issues, has forced them to get knee deep into operations. Hopefully this audit of the city and attention to the personnel issues will straighten this out.
I think Steve Archer, city manager, is growing into the job. He probably gave dept heads too much reign.
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"He seems to have generated some good will among all the commissioners with his ability to listen and respect all sides and use mature language."
It was certainly a nice change from the previous Mayor, but it made the blogs a little less fun. Kuhn always gave us something to talk about with his antics.
Two comments:
1) It is quite ironic (even hypocritical) for the people who blog to be critical of the commission. I cannot imagine anyone of sound mind finding the City Commission remotely as entertaining as the bitterness and phlegm spewing that takes place on these blogs. We simply read out as the meanest and most discontent aggregation of citizens possible.
2) Despite the deserving comments on the integrity boost in the past several months, I am not so sure that the faux gesture to make a change from tradition doesn't actually further embed the apathy of the citizens.
In a setting where the only deterrent to a significant change in how things are done at City Hall (the rotation of the mayor seat) was a bit of public criticism, we once again shrank away.
There are no laws prohibiting such. And, there was virtually no down side to trying it. The only fallout would be one elected official having to wait an additional year to take the seat.
Even in such a low risk maneuver, we couldn't find the intestinal fortitude to climb to the top of the hill and ring that bell. It kind of leaves that, "If you couldn't effect the easily done, how can we expect the difficult change?"
Makes me want to re-read The Little Boy Who Cried Wolf. Transposed: The Little City Hall Who Cried Change.
Well considering the split in the citizenry over the Lowes and TIF debacle!
Its probably taken about this long to heal! (That wasn't all the Commission's FAULT!) But then who could blame those GOOD Ol BOY's of ACI?
You did tend to get in your own below the belt shot at Kuhn! or
Smellish Puhn! (Btw: He did win, what about all those people who thought he was GREAT?)
But I think the overall trend is toward progress!
The citizens seem to realize that
standing still won't work and things will only degrade if some actions are not taken!
It still isn't clear who the real leaders are in the Community!
I think ACI still wants to be the drivers! (I do think that HNB
has lost its "POWER".)
I just haven't figured out where people like Docking and some others fit into that Picture!
I think Patrick means well but by his own admission he doesn't listen to the other commissioners.
Jay should have stayed the Mayor.
I am the "two comments" author.
I concede that the general tend is away from status quo. I suppose that we are about to overcome inertia and actually begin doing something.
That would be nice. Maybe, more than anything, it's time for people to lead with clear conscience and not concern themselves with getting re-elected.
The election is the people's opportunity to heal and help themselves or to hurt and shoot themselves in the foot. Surely we can't vote our discontent forever. Can we?
Anyway, kudos to the current City Commission for making the legitimate headlines to be about governance and community direction instead of about commission interpersonal dynamics.
What a mess - looks more like the keystone cops than a functioning board. We have the now-ex mayor who wanted to still be mayor because he had the time-I think he had the time because no one can remember when or if he had a job -EXCEPT serving on the board of an apparantly failing bank- and we have another commisioner who wants to spend all his time working on the hospital project-oops - he forgot to count how many offices we need so we didn't build the new facility correctly- are his math skills really that bad or is it perhaps a ruse to hang us with the new MOB that we don't need or want.Poor Patrick seems like a decent guy, I wish him luck. He's gonna need it, Jean and Jay on one side --Dottie and Mel on the other.
@1:56
That was a shock! You really think that this commission is not functioning?
You really think that they haven't made progress?
You really think Poor Patrick?
Wow~ This commission has made big strides to do for the people of Arkansas City!
Wow~ This commission has made every effort to hear each citizens as never before!
Wow~ This commission has worked together to get the citizens of Arkansas City an audit of each department so that we can know that the tax dollars with which the administration is entrusted are being well spent! Saved us from a zealous administration that wanted to spend over a quarter of a million dollars for a software system, that every IT person in the city says would have doubled in cost by the time they were done.
As for~ Commissioner Snell he is a non voting hospital board member. which means that he may be in the discussion but he can't vote. He is a wonderful person who is keeping the people informed of the progress of the hospital. Your tacky description of what he does, does not reflect the feeling of the majority of the citizens but this is America your are ENTITLED. Why wouldn't we the public want to own the MOB we own the hospital, seems silly not to own that as well.
Money generated from that would then be where it was self sufficient, more that liking quickly profitable.
As for~Your comments about Commssion Warren You are really not very informed. Many, Many, citizens asked him to stay on as Mayor, that is not something he asked for. Many, Many, citizens recognized his value and commitment to the city and the office, and citizens know that he brought honor to the position. He said that he would only do that if it was at the pleasure of the commission. And if Patrick was OK with it. Patrick was not willing to give it up, so Commissioner Warren declined. That is the kind of man that he is. He had the votes but didn't want Patrick to get his feelings hurt.
Give me a break-
Snell is taking the blame for leaving out seven departments and offices from the Hospital?
That was the plan all along so the public couldn't complain about the MOB. They took that space from the original design on purpose!
The hospital would have been completely covered by the original bond!
Anything they did then could have been a stand alone project!
As for for Warren he had to give up his seat on the board of ACI when he ran for Commissioner to no doubt reduce the risk of Conflict of Interest!
They both ran with the intention of reversing the TIF decisions of the past and promoting the same or similar type projects!
But whose is promoting those projects?
I hope the high rollers don't create a situation where the "for profit" hospital can't PROFIT!
Guess who will pay if they do!
AND
Guess who profits either way from the use of taxpayers dollars!
What even gets better is when you hear about one plan to make physical therapy available at an empty building at Strother Field!
Guess who is the Chairman of the hospital board?
Me thinks some of the same type of thinking that got HNB in trouble might be going on in some of the promotions and projects like the TIF district and Hospital!
There might even be some of those same players involved!
Outside of the sales tax, anyone know how much of our taxes are going to the new hospital? Is there any way to determine an amount that would be expended toward this MOB?
The banter is great, but so far I don't have anything to work with. Can someone put together some numbers and facts?
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