A personality change

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

It will be with mixed feelings that I watch the old council regime

swap seats with the new.

I will be sad to see the current council members go -- partly

because we at the Independent have developed a relationship with

them.

I have not always agreed with their decisions or points of view,

but all have the best interests of the city at heart, I believe.

Each could be counted on to return calls and answer questions

honestly and frankly -- two things that are important to me as a

journalist and a city resident. They have all lived and been active

in the city for years and so possess a knowledge of the history of

issues that helped them make informed decisions.

But mostly, I will be sad to see them go because of the character

they add to the city. Heck, some of them are just characters.

Take Ralph Bauer, for example. Ralph almost always has an opinion

and can be counted on to say something quotable.

As those four leave the dais, however, four new activists will

take their place -- two of whom I already know possess the same

qualities.

Fellow Bostonian and Irishman Dave Sullivan is a man after my own

heart. Blunt and fiery, I may not always agree with him -- although I

usually do, it seems -- he is always fun to talk to.

Then there is Cathy Green. Open and friendly, she has such a

positive outlook, it amazes me. I have the feeling she could tell me

off in her nun-like way and I’d walk away feeling good.

The other two I will have to get to know. I do look forward to the

inevitable debates between Sullivan and Gil Coerper.

Personalities aside, I hope to sit down and speak to all four new

council members in the coming weeks about city issues to determine

what this overhaul of the council will mean. The impending labor

fight was a no-brainer, but where else might the new council agree

and clash, I hope to determine. I will let you know.

* * *

A quick sidebar: It is now more than a week after the election,

and campaign signs still dot the landscape. If you care so little

about our city, are too busy to take your signs down or a bit of

both, you have no place as a leader in our community. Clean up after

yourselves please and take them down. They are now officially trash.

* DANETTE GOULET is the city editor. She can be reached at (714)

965-7170 or by e-mail at [email protected].