Criticism Unfair and Unfounded?

 

Copyright 2008/David Farrow/All Rights Reserved

Tragedy. It’s a powerful word. It’s also often misused.  Not getting a parking place where you want it is inconvenient, but it is not tragic. The heart-rending plight of China and Burma are misfortunes of mythic proportions.

The loss of nine heroic firefighters is agonizing. As the landscape and the mood of Savannah Highway, and indeed Charleston, changed forever in modern times, the deaths of those men have been used shamelessly for political gain.

First there’s the appropriation of $1.85 million for a postage stamp park that no one can get to. Charleston City Councilman Tim Mallard remarked, “I am a bit confused. Riley is now blaming Goldstein, the owner of the sofa super store building, for the cause of the fire.  BUT, he wants to reward him with $1.850m of your and my hard-earned taxpayer dollars with a purchase of land, which would then release the Goldstein of all asbestos in-ground liability. I don’t know if there is a cover-up, But it sure smells fishy, and I mean “three weeks old mullet cookin in the August sun’”

Mallard, one might remember was the member who left council chambers after the mayor went back on his promise not to be there when members were to ask questions of the fire commission about their final report of the Sofa Super Store.

This was two days after Fire Chief Rusty Thomas was thrown under the bus.

Then, there was the uproar that council wasn’t going to be allowed to interview the prospective new fire chiefs with the mayor telling council that it might be a bit too complicated for them to understand. Joe Riley was trounced. Only Yvonne Evans voted with him that the mayor alone had with wisdom and experience to make such decisions. That may change.

On May 29th, District 2 Council Person Deb Morinelli spoke with us. She commented, “No I don’t think this undermine the mayor’s position.  The bad part about the fire was I am responding to Jimmy’s call. We brought this up Tuesday. I think its important that he mayor should presume his duties. Let him screen all the candidates. Let them narrow them down to one or two. Have them come before council. Let council interview them.

“Jimmy wanted the Public Safety Committee as did Gary Wright have full say and the decision making process from top to bottom. I disagree. I think the mayor knows what’s good for the firefighters. We have not a seen a job description about what the new chief should be doing. “

 

 

Still, the tide may turning. In Wednesday’s P&C, Charleston taxpayers were greeted with the news that the tab for the fire was going to be $7.4. The money was to for staffing (including replacing the firemen which begs the question: why were they so understaffed for the last year?).

Another $1,85 million for the park which according Mallard will cover the owner of the Super Store  on liability. There’s much more – most of it legit, right here.

In the Thursday, May 29^th issue of the local paper, the first paragraph read, “A member of Charleston City Council plans to call an emergency meeting in an attempt to rescind a flurry of last-minute promotions and transfers made Wednesday by Fire Chief Rusty Thomas in his waning days in office. “

The gist of the piece was that Rusty Thomas approved some promotions that city council deemed inappropriate,  and council is fit to be tied.

The Rev. Jimmy Gallant who normally votes with the mayor on practically everything, was outraged.

Glenn Smith’s story continued, “Gallant, who learned of the promotions from The Post and Courier, said he was particularly surprised that Thomas made the moves one day after City Council voted 9-2 to demand a larger role in selecting a new fire chief.

“He said he plans to call a special meeting of his committee, possibly as soon as today, and invite all council members to attend. Gallant said he will make a motion to rescind the promotions and transfers. Failing that, he believes council members could wield their budgetary influence and block any pay raises tied to the promotions, he said.

“’I don’t know how the mayor can sit back and allow this to happen,’” he said.”

Smith reported that the mayor responded, “Riley said such criticism was unfair and unfounded, and that Thomas’ motives were pure and honorable. He called Gallant’s suggestion to block pay raises ‘patently ridiculous’ and ‘absurd.’

‘We shouldn’t be playing politics with the Fire Department,’ Riley said. ‘The citizens of Charleston don’t deserve that.’

The next thing we’ll hear is “It’s for the children.”

To read the whole story, click here.

As was mentioned, much of what is being done is the right thing. A couple of things, however, could bear some scrutiny. Rusty is a good and honorable man who followed orders. There have been many others in this administration who weren’t and were left out to hang in the wind with no political consequences. I don’t think Rusty deserved this.

One thing is certain. Because of the fire, the mayor’s judgment and power are being called into question by his own allies. To my memory, this has never happened.

It’s time for someone with the right qualifications (being a native would help—white or black) who stopped all the frills and public development and concentrated on the real needs of the city such as flooding, infrastructure and the Battery.

Is there anybody out there?  This whole fire thing has been politically full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Personally, one might conclude that the mayor has over-played his hand. Whether he takes the heat he deserves remains to be seen.