Perhaps Things Are Coming Into Sharper Focus.

I was just reviewing an April 10 post called "But..."  The main issue I discussed there, and that was discussed by commenters, was Ginny O'Halpin's refusal to have a virtual Commission meeting, unless she had a guarantee that nothing but the coronavirus would be discussed.  The bottom line was that it was not clear why Ginny kept refusing to do what other municipalities were doing, and what her own constituents wanted our Commission to do.  This question has never been directly answered.  But perhaps we can interpret a better understanding now.

There turn out to be various things Ginny is willing to discuss, and they have nothing to do with the coronavirus.  We've had three virtual/ZOOM Commission meetings since Ginny stopped obstructing, and they've all lasted plenty long, with noteworthy agendas.  We're working on a number of things now, and as of two days ago, that even includes arranging to solicit, accept, and process applications for a permanent (not interim) Village attorney.  In some respects, we've returned to something that looks like full functioning.  We've reopened our building department, so Village residents can get permits and have inspections.  It appears to be all there, except one thing.

Ginny, with the support of Dan Samaria and Will Tudor, refuses to look for a permanent manager.  And all the while they're refusing, the interim manager is making every possible noise he can to suggest that he likes his new perch, and he'd like to continue to occupy it.  He's not competent to do the job, and that's been made very clear to the entire Commission, but he presumably likes the title and the extra money, and the new majority of the Commission don't mind if he continues to bungle.

As comparatively incompetent as is this new majority, they do accept certain responsibilities.  As I said, they're willing to deal with finding a permanent attorney, even if they just choose to take the easy route, and simply re-upgrade John Herin to the position he held here not long ago.  In theory, if it wasn't a hopeless embarrassment to them (I know, I just answered my own question), they could do the same thing about the interim manager.  Unless they and he already know that he couldn't be installed as the permanent manager, because, for example, he might not technically be qualified.  So the way to keep him is don't look for anyone else.  Which appears to be what's happening.

Ginny O'Halpin, who is a very nice person, and whom I personally like, is in way over her head.  I have no idea who helps or advises her outside Commission meetings.  The rumor I've heard more than once is that it's Milt Hunter.  Maybe Milt is now running the Village.  I wouldn't know.  Dan Samaria, who has his own quirks, but has shown his style of devotion, and who is my exterminator, is also in way over his head.  There are certain people on whom he used to rely for frequent advice, and he's stopped relying on them.  Either he's on his own now, which I doubt, or he's relying on someone else.  Milt Hunter?  Again, I wouldn't know.  Will Tudor is one of the most disinterested Commissioners I've seen.  He couldn't care less about anything, except he likes procedures and regimentation, whatever that's about for Will.  The easiest thing for Will to do is nothing.  Which is what he generally advocates to do.  Oddly, I have from time to time had the impression that Will has some sort of inchoate ability to grasp and manage things (unless I misinterpreted, and am kidding myself, which is very possible), but he just really doesn't care.  The latter is true and the overriding dynamic, whether or not Will has any actual ability.

So, it now appears that the standstill, and the obstruction, are about one thing: keeping David Hernandez in his office.  Clearly, this pleases David (who might, according to blog comments from someone named "Harvey," be physically or mentally unfit to do the job), and it is most likely that he would either not have encouraged the Commission to begin a proper search for a proper manager, or he might have discouraged it.  And either way, this is good for the incompetents and disinteresteds on the Commission, because it's a real decision they don't have to make.  And whether Milt Hunter is bizarrely behind any of this, for who knows what reasons, is a mystery.

But it does now appear that we have a better understanding of why the Village/Commission was so slow out of the gate, and why they vote in the inconsistent way they do.  It's a shame to sacrifice the functioning of a whole municipality for the whims or comfort of 1-4 incompetent people, but it now appears that's what's happening.