2008-01-20 |
What's next?
The commentator William F. Buckley once said that politics is not an ennobling profession. That can seem right when you think about the political food fighting that took place in Sylvania Township last year, or the schoolyard behavior in both parties’ presidential primaries.
Yet as City Council starts another year I must say that political life in our city council may be an exception to that rule. The City of Sylvania’s current elected officials are diligent, honest, and committed more to the common good of our community than to partisan politics. Council members have shown that they understand how to get things done in a group setting and -- last year, in particular -- demonstrated an ability to play well with others.
Thus, the November election that returned four incumbent members of council plus newcomer Katie Cappellini was not a bad thing. In particular, our newest member has a vision as well as the proper measure of righteousness required to take on the mayor and council on matters that are important to her. During the campaign she showed an ability to shed the role of critic in favor of more constructive positions – which probably aided her win. Now, if she can quickly master the dynamics of city government without losing her edge, she could become an influential advocate for her priority projects.
But don’t bet on the status quo just yet. New hot issues began emerging even before the new council got seated on January 3.
Most significant is the fate of the 1.25 mill fire levy that the Township Trustees placed on the March 4 ballot. Deidre Liedel and her advisors deserve great credit for quietly seeking broad-based input late last year to forge a true consensus on this important community matter. Now, the true measure of her leadership will be if she can keep the coalition together and motivated enough to deliver victory on Election Day.
Also ongoing are negotiations to achieve a new water agreement with the City of Toledo. The Finkbeiner Administration appears to be bargaining in good faith -- deferring its unilateral rate increase for 60 days to allow time to work out a solution. Yet some members of Sylvania Council have begun advocating the idea of a water system independent of Toledo. While it is prudent to update numbers about the costs of creating our own system, a win-win deal with Toledo would be a better outcome for local rate payers.
Finally – and most immediate – is Council’s replacement of Barbara Sears, who was named to fill Mark Wagoner’s District 46 state house seat when he moved on to the Senate. Several highly qualified individuals have expressed interest, and Council should find a way to coalesce around a solid pick at its meeting on February 4.
How all three issues transpire in the next 60 days will decide whether Sylvania proves Mr. Buckley’s rule, or proves to be the exception.
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