Brookfield City News

I was wrong

Posted by Cindy Kilkenny on Aug. 19, 2011

 Now keep in mind, if certain men were writing this post, that title would have to be:

I was wr...wr...wr...slightly inaccurate in my initial assessment.

Instead I will simply tell you what another has reported, that Lisa Mellone is not a finalist for the city clerk position. I had thought she was a shoo-in. I still think she is uniquely qualified and would have done the job extremely well. Mellone is clever and kind and very thorough. I only hope the final choice is equal to that ability.

As is so often the case with city politics, I'm glad to be wrong. My assumption that Mellone was an implied choice comes from years of watching the political machine at work in this community. That Mayor Steve Ponto walked away from the obvious means I was right to support him in his run against Jeff Speaker. While certain alderman played the bench afraid to get into the game, I made it known that Ponto was the preferred candidate. And while I don't sway too much opinion around here, I will flatter myself to think those 250 votes that Ponto needed to win were within my sphere of influence. 

I will reassert the importance of being in this game. While some elected are perfectly happy to sit on the bench and slap at anyone they perceive to be actually doing something, some of us take chances. I ran for Mayor. Mellone applied for the clerk's position. Steve Ponto stepped into a leadership position at considerable risk. Some people whine while others in this city act. 

I see that technically Mellone could ask for her slot back, and I can argue merit in allowing that, but I'm not sure it's that big a deal one way or the other. Although one alderman walks around in a monogrammed sweatshirt touting his name and position as important, we are fortunate the majority of the elected around here are simply honored to serve. 

Lisa Mellone has served unlike any other alderman I've known. Try as he might, no other alderman can match her ethics or her ability. We've been lucky as a community to have had her this long. I'm sure she'll continue to surpass expectations in whatever she chooses to do next.

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Let 'er rip. I'm going to leave comments wide open with the hope that grown ups surface. If it's the usual cast of characters, though, at least you'll be reminded how much better things have become around here in the last couple of months. We'll get back to The Shire, which is going to need a second week, soon enough. I'm off to IrishFest for the rest of the day. :)

Other blogs:

Fairly Conservative for state and national politics.
Cindy Kilkenny for fun stuff like food and travel and photography.