The Watchdog With Lipstick?

Mayor Mike Martin has been in office a less than ten months. He has made many inexplicable decisions in that relatively short time. Many observers say the most inexplicable decision Martin has made is the hiring of former council member Cordelia Schaber to serve as the city's $47.50 per hour clerk/bookkeeper.

It is fair to say that Schaber's tenure in that important role has been an unmitigated disaster. Martin, finance committee chairman Mike Pope and Schaber have yet to produce an intelligible finance report for council to review since those three have assumed their current roles. Why is that so important? Because one of council's most important responsibilities is to oversee the financial operations of the city. And yet the city's books are so garbled that there is no way council can even begin to discern what Martin, Pope and Schaber are up to.

Anyone who observed Schaber's three unremarkable years on council isn't surprised. Shortly after being appointed to council to finish the term of a councilperson who moved out of the city, Schaber disgracefully announced to the world before God and the television cameras that she would not serve on any committees.

In her defense, she didn't ask for much. She is remembered for only three things in that respect.

• She made clear that she hoped every council meeting ended quickly so she could return home in time to watch Dancing With The Stars.
• She insisted that her $125 council check be ready for her to collect on the first day of each month.
• She was the sole vote against establishing quarterly caucus meetings for the council to focus on important planning because she she didn't want to be bothered with attending "another meeting".

So what about the "Watchdog With Lipstick"? That is how she described herself at the October, 2008 candidate forum at the Villa Hills Civic Club. Schaber portrayed herself as a watchdog who looked out for the residents. Within minutes of making that proclamation, Schaber bolted out of the civic club, refusing to answer any questions from those aforementioned pesky residents.

But before you think Martin's decision to place Schaber in that critical position was just another stupid move-think again. Martin has a nasty habit of blaming everyone else for his voluminous shortcomings and failures. Many are convinced that Martin really believes Cordelia Schaber will fit quite nicely under the spinning wheels of the speeding bus that flies by when the bright lights of Phil Taliaferro's investigation begins to scrutinize the total disarray that is the City of Villa Hills financial statements.

At this moment, hillbillies like Martin and Schaber are the Villa Hills powers-that-be. But as the slaves reminded their Roman conquerors in ancient times - ALL GLORY IS FLEETING.