The Martin Chronicles borrows a phrase from Abraham Lincoln for this post's title and sincerely apologizes for not posting about the remarkable thing that happened at the June Villa Hills City Council meeting sooner. Despite all the hand-wringing and bed-wetting about the turmoil in City government, the City Council set aside their disagreements-and brushed aside the incompetent Mayor Martin-to pass a City budget for the first time in two years.
As we have written in previous posts, Martin delayed and delayed and delayed the release of his budget proposal for months. A budget proposal that State statute mandates any City's mayor present to council and to the public annually. Why? Martin's lame excuse is that he was "tweaking". The reality? Martin does not possess the skill nor the ability to put together a coherent City budget.
Tired of the delay, the council dismissed Martin's inept budget offering. They then proceeded to thoughtfully and professionally prepare one of their own. Yes, there was sharp disagreement on many issues. In point of fact, there were several harsh exchanges during the process. It was clear that Councilman and Finance Committee Chairman Mike Pope was deeply embarrassed for his close friend Martin. But in the end, the council-authored budget passed 6-0. Quite an accomplishment for a group the peaceniks and hand-wringers lament cannot work together.
But they did work together. Even more noteworthy, they voted together. What does this demonstrate? That people should consider what has changed when trying to assign blame for what Kentucky Enquirer headline writers have incorrectly described as "infighting". Yes, we think Mike Pope sowed the seeds of the problem. But it is Martin's corruption and incompetence that brought the problem to full flower.
The council unanimously took it even further. They included some level of controls on spending by publishing the budget for each department. Why is that important? Because, by law, Martin will be restricted to those department numbers. Good move. While we are sure the mismanaging Martin will still find ways to over-spend, these controls make it a little more difficult for "The Little Man From Norwood" to do so. Well done, council.
One observer commented that Martin "lamely assumed the fetal position as the truly important work of City government passed over his empty head". Yes, he was elected by a slim majority of the people. But that makes him no less pathetic.
It is unlikely that council will get lasting credit for what they did. In the end, the loudmouth St. Jokers and the malingerers from the Civic Club's Dead Pecker's Row will manage to change the subject again. But The Martin Chronicles wants to thank the six-yes, we wrote six-council members who decided to do the correct and courageous thing. We will remember.
