Dec

14

You Can’t Manhandle the Charter!

December 14, 2007 |

“You Can’t Manhandle the Charter” was Carol Coe’s cry yesterday, as one of the members of the public who gave Mayor Funkhouser a very public and very personal rebuke for everything from Francis Semler to Wayne Cauthen to Mammygate.  One has to give the mayor props for how he sat there quietly and took his medicine.

Afterwards, the Council approved Ed Ford’s resolution to sign a new contract with the City Manager.  Given the mayor’s insistence that only he can do this, it would seem we could have a showdown over the meaning of the City Charter.  The Kansas City Post thinks the Council might have the authority to retain a manager, and that the mayor’s power is only to hire a new one.

If you want to see the spectecle yourself, the Channel 2 video is online.  No matter what side of the issue you are one, it’s obvious that everything leading up to yesterday had generate a lot of emotion and frustration.


Comments

4 Comments so far

  1. patrick on December 14, 2007 12:44 pm

    I’m neither for nor against Wayne Cauthen as city manager.

    But if you’re going to retain Cauthen, do it right. Finish the contract, allow the entire council time to review it, and then vote on it. Mob rule and emotional knee-jerk reactions do not make good government.

    And …

    There are few issues where you won’t lose credibility when you select Carol Coe as your poster child. Some of us in this town have long memories and know better than that.

  2. Tony on December 14, 2007 1:45 pm

    I wasn’t so impressed with Funkhouser’s listening ability. He started of the session by blurting out “who’s first” and then stood there like a stone. What’s so impressive about that?

  3. locomotivebreath1901 on December 14, 2007 4:17 pm

    Geeez. She crawled out from under that rock.

    All I know is, if coe is agin’ it, I’m for it.

  4. carl larabee on December 19, 2007 8:08 pm

    Before I attempt to inject my 2-cent thoughts regarding ‘Cauthen-gate’. LET ME STATE with certainty: The Preachers, Reverands, assorted clergy,union labor, and other special interests were absolutely spellbinding! I was taken aback at the eloquence,passion and determination of each of the speakers. Their mostly,well thought, perfectly delivered speeches were riveting!I was so moved by the sermon on “Playing the cards you get” that I made a pledge to myself, to send a donation to some of the clergy speaking. But please folks, the TIFS granted by the previous administration(Mr. Cauthen included) are already EATING UP tax dollars allocated for other IMPORTANT existing repairs. And NOT to fund private investors’,and special interests groups wishing to build multi-million dollar buildings in Blighted Briarcliff or on the Plaza. Let’s discuss what City Manager,Mr. Cauthen’s duties consist of and did he have a duty to try an stem the flood of TIF giveaways.And last,did Mr. Cauthen,or most of us, ever read the Funkhouse audits during the Barnes/Cauthen administration. I sincerely tell you that with “special interests” having had their way for so long, This City is ‘living’ a 21st Century version of “Mr. Smith goes to Washington Washington”.

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