Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Irony of the Night

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Politician Jamie Titcomb did not ask friends to speak on his behalf last night, certainly a political tactic and one that you would expect a politician to definitely engage. On the other hand, Michael Bornstein, not a politician, made sure that friends, even his boss the Mayor of Lantana, were there to tell us all why he would be the best choice.

But the question is--Is Michael Bornstein really a politician even though he has never been in elected office? Politics enters into everything we do when it comes to job promotion even though ideally a city manager position should be anything but political.

But this is the real world and city managers are becoming politicians for hire and that is a fact. Managers work in terms of their skills, experience and official doctrine of the City Management Association and follow our Charter. However, in interviews, they give that elected official what they want to hear. Therefore some of the decisions could be compromised or end up not being the best managerial decisions for the city at large.

We all will have to wait and see. The politician was a great guy and so was the non-politician who got the job, the one who really used those political skills to pull it off.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

None of these were the best of the bunch.

Anonymous said...

Pam never should have allowed Stewart to talk for 10 minutes on Bornstein's behalf. It was unfair to Titcomb and every other speaker.

Lynn Anderson said...

When it comes down to politics, not much is "fair." It is what it is. Expect things to be this way for at least 4 more years or so. It all goes in cycles.

Anonymous said...

I think that Bornstein was agood choice.He already has a working relationship with the surrounding municipalities,and that is certainly a plus for us.

Anonymous said...

Titcomb, as Director of the League of Cities, had a working relationships with all of the municipalities.

Anonymous said...

The only thing that the League of Cities is good for is to teach frightened ,weak willed Commissioners how to screw their citizens. I really didn't want my hard earned money to pay the salary of the screwer in chief, Titcomb.Katie Mcgiveron

Anonymous said...

I don't think Mr. Bornstein was being 'political' - I felt the people who were there were speaking as friends, not just co-workers. He is a stand up guy and stand up people generate loyalty from friends. You don't have to ask them to show up and be supportive. Friends will.