It Is About Him

The Martin Chronicles will repeat its' now already oft-repeated disclaimer. By all reports, Councilman Jim Cahill is indeed a pillar of the community. Mr. Cahill does all manner of volunteer work and is sacrificing his time-and potentially his reputation-attempting to deal with Villa Hills malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin. Mr. Cahill should be commended for all of the good, selfless things he does.

We suspect Mr. Cahill is being so delicate with the corrupt and incompetent Martin in large part because of the result of last November's election. People voted six new council members in to office in the vain hope that all of the turmoil in Villa Hills would magically go away. The 600 or so yellow and black signs (that have yet to be stolen) displayed throughout the community stand as evidence that we are not experiencing "peace in our time". If anything, the situation has actually gotten worse.

So, it is our hope that Mr. Cahill will stop saying that "this isn't about Mayor Martin" every time he asks a question or explains one of the many self-inflicted problems the City is facing. Maybe Mr. Cahill should ponder the answers to the following questions.

• Would their be these new, astronomical legal fees if Martin wasn't sitting in the mayor's office? Probably not.
• Would their be costly personnel turmoil if Martin wasn't sitting in the mayor's office? Probably not.
• Would Villa Hills be on the precipice of losing its local police force if Martin wasn't sitting in the mayor's office? Probably not.
• Would people be wondering how a mayor can sign the purchase order that generates a $23,000 check for himself if Martin wasn't sitting in the mayor's office? Probably not.

Let's go back a little further.

• Would the previous council have felt compelled to hire Special Counsel to get answers to questions they were being stonewalled on if Martin wasn't sitting in the mayor's office? Probably not.
• Would a judge have issued a stinging rebuke to the City and demand that the City stop illegally destroying records if Martin wasn't sitting in the mayor's office? Probably not.

If the thought process is that you simply have to "buy time", holding Martin off until he can be tossed in the next election-be careful. Just think of the damage that will be done over the next eighteen months. How bad will it get? Could it all be repaired? The answer to these questions isn't entirely clear.

Mr. Cahill, we respectfully write that we sincerely appreciate your level-headed, steady approach to the issues. We don't want to hear you raise your voice, see you pound your fist on the table or rise out of your chair and point your finger in someone's face-as Martin himself did not all that many council meetings ago. But please don't preface legitimate questions by saying "it isn't about" Martin. We're not telling you what you should say. We're just requesting that you don't say "it isn't about" Martin.

Why? Because so many of the problems facing Villa Hills are about Martin.