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Commentary on January 23, 2008, Board Meeting
The meeting went well until the Communication from the Mayor item was reached. … Citizens had
provided input to the Board on topics of concern; Agenda items had been debated prior to a vote; the
tone of the meeting was business like; and no threats of ejection had been made. Then came the
Communication from the Mayor. The tone changed. Alderman Gill moved the meeting discussion from
business to personal attacks. He started political posturing instead of addressing City business. After
Alderman Gill’s dissertation the other aldermen pulled the meeting back to the topic and suggested
postponement until it could be discussed rationally.
While it is true that Mayor Crosby has allowed the Town to use his personal equipment to do road
work; and while it is true the road crew has done a good job on the roads on which they have worked;
and while it is true that Mayor Crosby can take his equipment back from the City at any time he wants,
it seems that by doing so so abruptly at this time is a way for him to gain tighter control over the Board.
His abrupt action after having all his legal bills paid by the City and having the budget so under funded
compared to expenses is the Mayor’s way of instilling fear of financial failure in the Board. This
exhibition appears to me to almost be financial blackmail toward the Aldermen. … “I know and you
know that the Town can not afford to hire our road work out so you had better support me in every
way or you will be faced with this problem.” (“Out of the goodness of my heart I will continue to
confront you with this (and other) problem(s). …Unless I get my way)”
Why would the Board be surprised to be confronted with this threat from the Mayor? They have seen
the way he manages for a long time. … He ‘smoozes’ you on one end and threatens you on the other.
The Mayor can not get out of the total control mode. In our town Crosby’s mode of managing seems
to be working well. However, when he tries this approach on other mayors it seems to fall apart. I
have said it before and I say it again, the Mayor manages our town like he manages his cows. I think is
time for the aldermen to stand up and do something. To me time is long passed where being controlled
like a cow is acceptable. Time for these set-up situations needs to be over. The Mayor has the Town’
s costs now running so high they can not afford to pay an increase in the cost of road work. It appears
that the town needs to reduce its costs and reallocate its available funds. It appears that managing with
a budget is not a concept that is well understood by the Mayor and most of his Board. My conclusion,
as long as the Aldermen let the Mayor continue to run off into the high weeds with the budget they will
continue being faced with the Mayor’s ultimatums.
Sincerely,
Sam Childs
The meeting went well until the Communication from the Mayor item was reached. … Citizens had
provided input to the Board on topics of concern; Agenda items had been debated prior to a vote; the
tone of the meeting was business like; and no threats of ejection had been made. Then came the
Communication from the Mayor. The tone changed. Alderman Gill moved the meeting discussion from
business to personal attacks. He started political posturing instead of addressing City business. After
Alderman Gill’s dissertation the other aldermen pulled the meeting back to the topic and suggested
postponement until it could be discussed rationally.
While it is true that Mayor Crosby has allowed the Town to use his personal equipment to do road
work; and while it is true the road crew has done a good job on the roads on which they have worked;
and while it is true that Mayor Crosby can take his equipment back from the City at any time he wants,
it seems that by doing so so abruptly at this time is a way for him to gain tighter control over the Board.
His abrupt action after having all his legal bills paid by the City and having the budget so under funded
compared to expenses is the Mayor’s way of instilling fear of financial failure in the Board. This
exhibition appears to me to almost be financial blackmail toward the Aldermen. … “I know and you
know that the Town can not afford to hire our road work out so you had better support me in every
way or you will be faced with this problem.” (“Out of the goodness of my heart I will continue to
confront you with this (and other) problem(s). …Unless I get my way)”
Why would the Board be surprised to be confronted with this threat from the Mayor? They have seen
the way he manages for a long time. … He ‘smoozes’ you on one end and threatens you on the other.
The Mayor can not get out of the total control mode. In our town Crosby’s mode of managing seems
to be working well. However, when he tries this approach on other mayors it seems to fall apart. I
have said it before and I say it again, the Mayor manages our town like he manages his cows. I think is
time for the aldermen to stand up and do something. To me time is long passed where being controlled
like a cow is acceptable. Time for these set-up situations needs to be over. The Mayor has the Town’
s costs now running so high they can not afford to pay an increase in the cost of road work. It appears
that the town needs to reduce its costs and reallocate its available funds. It appears that managing with
a budget is not a concept that is well understood by the Mayor and most of his Board. My conclusion,
as long as the Aldermen let the Mayor continue to run off into the high weeds with the budget they will
continue being faced with the Mayor’s ultimatums.
Sincerely,
Sam Childs
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