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April 23, 2007
MichMich's Boondoggle and Littlefield's PushMePullYou
The Worst Mayor Ever Team (WMET) has had it's collective ears to the walls at City Hall and boy are the tongues a waggin'. Insiders have confirmed that MichMich's Brainerd High Boondoggle (her flippant statement about guns and violence in the schools) was the last straw for her. But what we didn't know was that MichMich and Al Chapman were feuding so bad that, in order for him not to resign, he was given an office so far away from her it had to be in Police Headquarters on Amnicola. It's no wonder Ron Littlefield's administration is in a freefall--he's busy playing referee because his team is so poorly put together. But when the only criteria for being a part of the Littlefield administration is that Ron owes you a favor, that's bound to happen.
But the biggest bit of gossip we got this week (tip of the hat to our source on this one, we'll call him The Man In Blue), was how PO'd the police are at Littlefield (They aren't alone, so are the unions. More on that in a later post. Ooh, foreshadowing!) Chattanooga's finest are laughing--and then crying, we're told--at the irony of Ron’s desire to import vagrants with the creation of his "Bum Supercenter," (TM The Man in Blue) all while our City Council is debating legislation to manage out-of-control panhandlers downtown. I can't believe I hadn't made that connection before. Wow, this just keeps getting better, by which I mean Worster, all the time.
Comments to:
Posted by Billy Blades at 11:42 PM | TrackBack
April 11, 2007
MichMich Update-Resign? Not So Much.
Ah Ha! I knew it! Just like virtually every other time you've heard someone say, "I'm resigning because I need to spend more time with the family," it was a pile of crap this time too.
I have it on good authority that a letter was sent from the city council to the mayor complaining about MichMich's behavior and asking for her removal. There is some discrepancy about how many councilpersons were involved in that request, but it doesn't appear that she resigned so that she could get dinner on the table by five.
I'm sure that letter has gone missing from the receivers end, but I bet it still exists at the sender's end. *hint, hint*
By *hint, hint* I mean, Hey Herman Wang, how about submitting a Freedom of Information request for the letter.
If the scuttlebutt is true, did Ron cook up the whole "letter of resignation" thing with MichMich to avoid embarrassment? Is that still lying?
Comments to: worstmayorever@aol.com
Posted by Billy Blades at 07:35 PM | TrackBack
April 09, 2007
Yeah, Flourish Like a Turd Blossom
We won't have her to kick around anymore--and thank god for that. For about 30 seconds I actually considered letting her pass quietly from the scene, but then I read the letter. Is Michelle Michaud delusional or just stupid? Wait, I said that as if the two were mutually exclusive. In her letter of resignation she said, “I am reluctant to leave you at mid-term, but I feel confident that what we have accomplished thus far will continue to flourish.”
Say what?!? Accomplished? Besides the traffic light? Does driving business away from the city count as an accomplishment? If so, then she’s probably right, that likely will continue.
The complete failure of this administration to accomplish anything can't be blamed on MichMich. But her abysmal media skills, petulant attitude, bitchy disposition and borderline abuse of the power of her office sure haven’t helped around City Hall. You have no idea how many people around here are doing the Snoopy Dance now that’s she’s gone. It’s been impossible for me to get any more information about what happened because they are just so glad that it has.
But as far as the 'why' behind the 'resignation,' I think the most telling comments came from Councilman Pierce and CouncilMoron Rutherford. Leamon told the Times Free Press’s Herman Wang that, “A lot of people thought she was too forward. She was taking on more than the mayor was even aware of, and she had some people upset that she had that kind of authority.” Mmm-hmm. And you people thought I was making all this up. Marti said she thought Michelle had "probably made the right decision." OMG. Marti and I agree on something.
Michelle is so haughty and dismissive of anyone else’s opinion, that she has made problems for the mayor left and right. Around City Hall and around the city, she drops The Mayor’s name and just expects to get her way. It’s really irritating, because if you’ve got IQ enough to figure out how to get the cap off the aspirin, you’ve pretty much got her beat. So why is she so effing rude?
A Cheerleader among Mathletes.
The consensus is that MichMich knows she’s not very smart, which doesn't really hurt you when you’re a news anchor reading the teleprompter. Doesn’t matter if you understand the words, just pronounce them right. But in a professional atmosphere like a mayor’s office—even this mayor—you are around a lot of subject experts and if you can’t hold your own in a meeting, it shows pretty quickly. MichMich compensates by being a bulldozer. And that has seemed to work for her to a certain extent, but eventually smart people get tired of being hassled by Heather Chandler. That’s the difference between a political campaign and running a city. Littlefield is stuck in the same rut. The skills he has at running a sleazy campaign—and they are considerable--don’t translate to governance.
And did Littlefield say he has ‘got a couple of people who can fill that role’? Does he mean poorly informed, spoiled brats? Let's hope not. Because if he means qualified media professionals, he’s wrong.
One more thing. Did you read the full text of her ‘resignation’ letter? “My sweet husband has been incredibly supportive” and “he sacrifices sleep and time with family to get his business work done. It's time for me to return the support he has so graciously given me...” Give me a break. Who puts this kind of stuff in a letter of resignation? So unprofessional. So Hallmark. So damn tacky.
So bye-bye MichMich, please don’t re-think you’re decision, it’s definitely the right one and the whole of City Hall supports it. Love, The Meat Grinder.
Comments to: worstmayorever@aol.com
Posted by Billy Blades at 09:42 PM | TrackBack
April 08, 2007
Message In A Bonnet
YOYOY? Why is Ron embarrassing himself and the City with this 'Founder's Day in Smallville', fancy dress up ball of an event to re-open City Hall? Why must every occasion that this administration plans turn into a "Hey Kids, Let's Put On A Show!" moment?
The 'Geraldo Opens Al Capone's Vault' let-down of the big time capsule opening a couple months ago was bad enough, is he really going to subject us to this embarrassment as well?
Because, I'd really rather not focus on the fact that the building was dedicated in 1908. I'd much rather focus on the fact that this is 2007 and our city is trying to move forward and compete in the modern marketplace.
I'd rather focus on the fact that we've breathed new life into this old building. I don't know if you got down to City Hall much before the renovation, but it was an embarrassment. Wasted space. Ancient heating and cooling. A model of inefficiency. The professionals who planned and implemented the redesign did some good work, but they'll be wearing bowler hats and riding old-time bicycles, rather than showing how a 99-year-old building can be retrofitted into an efficient, modern space.
Thankfully, the previous administration had the guts to propose spending some serious coin to update this building so that it is an ambassador for the city. Believe me, you didn't want officials from Toyota coming down to pre-renovation City Hall to discuss bringing an auto plant to Chattanooga.
So, why in the hell is Littlefield focusing on the building that isn't? I'll tell you why--she just got, uh, asked to resign*. That's right--MichMich. Ultimately, Littlefield is responsible for the lame thinking that comes out of his office, just as he's responsible for the lame thinkers in it. And don't kid yourself--Littlefield loves this historical crap. Ron Littlefield is your funny uncle who sits around watching the history channel, talking about WWII and what he used to get for a nickle (a gallon of gas! a handful of licorice!) Sadly, he's better equipped to read about history than he is to make it.
And I'm sure Missy's in on this too, because dressing up in period clothing is kinda like making a movie, except with your clothes on. But this has 'cheerleader' written all over it. Gladly, it'll be the last time MichMich can embarrass the city while being paid our money to do it.
Mind you, there should be an opening event, but this backward-looking event comes from backward minds and it is a sad testimony to the cliched, inside-the-box thinking that is leading our city...nowhere. This kind of BS sends a message about our city and it's not a good one.
And while Ron was announcing his little costume party, the county commission was grilling the stooge from Tennessee-American about why they are needlessly raising our water rates 20%. Why is Ron doing nothing to fight this? Could it be his union buddies? Just askin'.
Please, please, let there be someone out there, some big-brained, savvy, get-sh*t-done someone, who will run against this blast from the past when election time comes.
*Yay! More on this later.
Comments to: worstmayorever@aol.com
Posted by Billy Blades at 12:42 PM | TrackBack