When an alderman takes to writing an editorial on a media website about a problem in city government, there are communication issues.
When an alderwoman comments on a Facebook post telling people what they should be asking instead of only what the editorial stated, there are communication issues.
When a mayor replies to that editorial and calls out the addressed issues with his own version of a “myth versus fact” editorial on the city’s website, there are communication issues.
Myth means fictional – in other words, the mayor is calling the alderman a liar. When the mayor writes, “Unfortunately, none stepped into leadership,” about city council members, there are serious communication issues.
What to make of the mayor pointing fingers? When a mayor alleges no one stepped into leadership, is he unable to lead? He was elected to lead these council members. Did he state he’s unable to do that? It seems like it.
The above examples aren’t the first time these communications issues were brought to light within city government.
When a group of people are saying there was a promise the mayor made, then broke with the firing of the former police chief, there are communication issues. Not everyone loved the police chief, but if the mayor made a promise, then broke it, that’s a communication, as well as a trust, issue.
Recently, in the private Facebook group called Eastport Neighborhood Forum, an alderwoman commented under the post shared by an alderman that there was more to his post than was being shared publicly – but she never clarified what that meant.
We are not many months into this new administration leading Annapolis. The mayor and the entire city council are the same political party. Maybe there is a learning curve, but this infighting needs to stop. It’s a poor reflection on the city and all of those the public voted for.
No one wants to hear about infighting on the city council and leadership issues. Actually, maybe they do.
The public put their trust into people that are proving incapable and/or unable to work with one another.
Get your problems fixed, don’t make promises you can’t keep and don’t air out your grievances with one another publicly. If you were elected to lead, do so. Don’t blame others. All of this is a really bad look.
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Donna L. Cole is an award-winning multimedia and investigative reporter.
Amen. The problem is the mayor and council members are co-equals.
Well said, thank you.
Thank you Donna.