The Martin Chronicles certainly hopes the residents of now-outgoing malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin's Villa Hills remember the many things they can be thankful for this important holiday week. First and foremost, we should all be thankful for our family, friends and the many ways we have been blessed in this life.
There are other reasons to be thankful in Villa Hills. Let's explore the positive possibilities.
Villa Hills will see a positive change in its city government. A new mayor and mostly-new council will be taking the reins on January 1, 2015. After the last four, dreadful years of non-stop crisis, chaos and corruption of Mike Martin, there are many reasons to believe things will become decidedly better in a hurry.
We anticipate that incoming Mayor Callery will live up to his extensive resume. We think Mr. Callery will be a steady leader who focuses his efforts on making Martin's currently-broken city government an operation that works to serve the residents once again.
We look for incoming Mayor Callery to provide quiet leadership and cooperation with council that seeks areas of agreement for the betterment of the city. That will be a refreshing change from the past four years of conflict, contradiction, "gotcha" politics and "cult of personality" we saw with thankfully-outgoing Mayor Martin.
We think the seasoned incoming Mayor Callery will not let the trappings of the almost endless power the Kentucky Legislature gives mayors of a City of the Fourth Class get the better of him. Again, that will be a refreshing change for which we should all be thankful. The inexperienced and uneducated outgoing Mayor Martin was seduced by that power almost immediately. "I'm the CEO. It's my decision. We're moving on. Get over it." Remember? Sure you do.
We also think the new city council has a real chance to make a positive difference for the residents next year. No incoming council has had such an opportunity in more than a decade.
George Bruns, Greg Kilburn and Scott Ringo are returning to city council after a two-year hiatus. These three men did yeoman-like work for the residents during their prior council service. Then, they unfairly became the undeserving scapegoats for Martin's incompetence and corruption in the 2012 election. Now, they are returning to continue their true public service and-thankfully-Martin is departing.
Gary Waugaman also has an extensive record of public service and volunteerism. We are convinced that he will do his level best for the betterment of the city. Waugaman will speak his mind. He will also always do what he thinks is best for the residents of Villa Hills.
Jennifer Yost-Vaden has been given a gift. She now has the chance to prove she really does want to "move the city forward". We expect Councilmembers Bruns, Kilburn, Ringo and Waugaman will very quickly offer her the opportunity to do that very thing. Then, it's totally up to Yost-Vaden. The Martin Chronicles will be watching very closely.
Then there is Mary Koenig. Koenig was first elected to council in the last century. 1989 to be exact. While The Martin Chronicles has had very little use for her nasty brand of below-the-belt politics, we recognize that Koenig has been given the rare opportunity to finally do the right thing. Again, The Martin Chronicles will be watching very closely. This one will be fun!
Oh, there are more reason to be thankful.
In case you haven't noticed, the social network nitwittery has ground to an almost complete halt. No more morons posting things they claim came from the library that are totally false. No more snarky comments made by Martin teen worshippers that draw derision and rancor. No more misguided mommas jumping in to defend their Martin teen worshippers with even snarkier comments that draw even more derision and rancor.
Isn't it great?
Then there are the negative realities. Why?
Because The Martin Chronicles is also thankful that outgoing, malfeasant Mayor Mike Martin has already tipped his shady hand. As we have already reported, Martin has no intention of doing the right thing and getting on with his life. Martin plans to continue to stir up crisis, chaos and corruption. Why? Because he just can't accept the reality of having all of that power taken away from him by the voters. Oh, thank you little fella! Thank you!
We should all be thankful for 2015!
