Either She's Not Too Bright, Or She's Not Honest. Or Both.

Well, I listened to the recording of the Commission meeting from this past Tuesday.  Tracy was her usual pushy and manipulative self regarding what she experienced as "accusations" of her with respect to communication of the legislative agenda.  What's at issue is what the Village wants, for which it needs state fiscal help, and we have a lobbyist who communicates our wishes to the state legislature.  In the current instance, on two occasions a legislative agenda was somehow created, without discussion among the Commission or in the presence of the public.

Tracy correctly understood that the complaint was that this happened in secret, and she addressed the matter in reaction to having been scolded for it.  Although it was never made clear by anyone who complained whether they thought the culprit was Tracy or Krishan Manners, it didn't really matter, since the fault was the same: someone authored a list of agenda items, and communicated it to the lobbyist, who asked the state legislators for their support, and no one else in the Village knew anything about it.  This is grossly improper, it is not the way things happen in the Village, and it is built on contempt for the residents of Biscayne Park.

Tracy's explanations/excuses/slimy maneuvers focused on vague and fleeting ideas, including repeated references to "we," without her ever specifying who "we" were.  It was a "wish" list, "not my list," and she found for Krishan his accustomed position under the bus.  And something about a "time frame."  But she never addressed the complaint: that none of this was ever discussed at a Commission meeting.  As much as she wanted to blame Krishan for it, she clearly knew about it.  She can take her pick as to whether she wants this to look like Krishan's fault, or her own fault.  But she could never admit there was fault, and that this was wrong.

And then Betsy Wise, clearly a very good dog already, and one who has learned several tricks, imposed herself to chime in.  She's "new here," she said.  She sometimes claims to have lived here for many years, so I guess she didn't mean she's a new resident.  If she means she's new to Village government, it becomes hard to understand what perspective she thought she was bringing to the discussion, apart from running interference for Mama.  It was "unfortunate," she sniped, that the people who had complained had already left the meeting.  It wasn't hard for old Betsy Wise to put two and two together: "if they were really interested," she concluded...  Yes, that's it, Betsy.  The Village residents who have toiled for years, and given of themselves and their time and their expertise and even their money, are apparently not really interested.  But someone who might or might not have lived here for who knows exactly how many years, and who awoke one day, just before the qualifying period to run was up, and decided that since John McCain had recently died, then she should be a Commissioner, is the one who is genuinely interested in the Village.  Smooth, Bets.  You don't need me to tell you this, but don't forget to cash those checks.  Every little bit, huh, girl?

But the new Commission found something that was really worthy of its careful attention, and that took the most time during the meeting.  They tried to choose a time for a Meet-Your-New-Commissioners pot luck do, and to continue the holiday decorations contest.  I'm so embarrassed for having thought they lost sight of what's really important.