Residents Want a Voice on Council
This weekend, I went out of town and meditated on the words of Mark Weber and Rick Bryan as well as Mr. Sirkin, who all published columns in the media, encouraging us to vote for the incumbents on the Blue Ash Council, rather than fresh blood. I take these exhortations very seriously, you see, because these sages have apparently been leading us down the garden path of peace and prosperity for quite some time. We were happy but just did not know it. I was also fearful that should I decide to vote for some fresh ideas on council, the world as we know it would come to a screeching halt and pandemonium would break out on every corner. At least that is what I understood as I read their articles.
Mr. Bryan took things a step further, insinuating that if you didn't like the incumbents you did not like Blue Ash and must be a troublemaker, who just wanted to invent problems. Mr. Weber wheeled out the tired comparisons about how wonderful we are compared to everyone else (we are, but not really because of anything council has done directly) while humbly not mentioning his own accomplishments, and Mr. Sirkin was the Chief Invoker of the Holy Mysteries, telling us that without the incumbents in power, the circle of life in Blue Ash will cease, the rains will stop and a plague of locusts will fall upon our houses.
Actually, what all three writers failed to do was address the issues raised by the fast growing opposition in Blue Ash: We want a more responsive government; we want an end to cronyism in all its forms; we want a reversal on the Park Manor decision; we want a council that serves its constituents humbly; we want visible improvements in our downtown neighborhoods; we want an end to the closed door meetings and the declarations of emergencies to approve funding; We want council to have a code of ethics; we want council to stop messing with the Memorial. And so on.
Instead, we get told we should be happy to live in a town that has such great snow removal. I am, but that is not the point. The point is that this City has an awesome tax base, and awesome administration with dedicated employees, and these ingredients combined (which I call "The City Machine") ensure that we have great services and efficient government. Council did not invent these services, or wake up at 4 AM to direct the snowplows onto the street. These wonderful services will continue without the incumbents.
I will vote and campaign for fresh faces and new ideas on Blue Ash City Council. You know why? Because this Council will not listen to us nor act for us. It is time for us to replace the tired and worn city council with a council that will lead Blue Ash to a new era of citizen participation and resident-responsive government. It is time for fresh air, not more hot air.