The Worst Possible Commission

I tried to write something funny about last night but it's just not there. Last night was a grotesque display of exactly how poisonous a bad commissioner can be.

It was a peculiar sort of commission meeting. If you already know how a workshop goes, skip the next paragraph, but if you haven't heard of the concept, you need to.

The mayor convened a workshop. What this is is a chance for the commissioners to talk among themselves and consider ideas and other viewpoints. In a normal work environment, it's equivalent to the kind of informal coffee room chats that often lead to formal action. You know the ones. Someone says, "we should look at this supplier. he's good." and someone else says, "no, we used to use him and his billing is a nightmare." or "give me his number, I'll call him." Not a strategy session but a chance to exchange ideas and views. The reason the workshop is formalized is to ensure compliance with Sunshine Laws. It is designed to give the commission a chance to explore each other's thinking and question the ideas without any resolutions. It's a good idea and people who have the organization or the city's interest at heart will learn and grow from it.

Connie Lim-Kreps was having none of it. From the very beginning, when the mayor asked if the others thought the commission meetings might go smoother if they started earlier, she was off and racing. She summarily rejected the idea until her twin, Eddie Leon-Kreps meekly suggested that maybe we could try it for two or three months. She shot him a furious glance and then reluctantly agreed that maybe the subject could be discussed. I'm sure their next private chats will not be pleasant.

The rest of the evening went like that. Vice Connie could not understand what agenda item the commission was on, kept blurting out irrelevancies like "This is America" which we were glad to hear that she was oriented but had nothing to do with the conversation. She is a woman of limited intellect, bad faith and a fundamentally anti democratic viewpoint. With Connie Leon-Kreps on the commission, nothing good will happen.

Eddie Lim is quieter and I suspect sort of embarrassed that he is twinned with Connie. Even the most basic and civil discussions are impossible with Connie but if he is to succeed as a commissioner, he has to stop being her twin.

This does not bode well. With Paul Vogel unable to perform the functions on the commission, Connie lost in the bitterness of whatever is going on in her head, and Eddie unwilling to look out for the city, the commission is doomed.

I don't see it changing anytime soon and I am starting to despair.

Kevin Vericker
March 23, 2011