Political Gumbo: Rick Cole is Not Storming the Castle

After only one deliberative meeting, I can say Rick Cole hasn’t made any moves to storm City Hall and take over the City Manager’s office.

Instead on Monday he made some good points about the Union Station contract which sparked further questions that need to be answered.

On the additional training for commissioners item, Cole was again measured agreeing with the need for training, but a little more careful with term limits asking for a grace period after terms end so that Council members have time to make wise choices.

His fingers weren’t crossed either time.

Still it’s only one meeting.

Either way, over the next four years Cole will have just one vote on every action item.

Yes there will be split votes and maybe even some shade lobbed now again.

Split votes are part of the process and the shade, well it comes with the territory.

Cole’s “takeover” was just the latest in a small City sometimes peppered by political conspiracies.

Remember when ShotSpotter was going to be used to send more police in certain neighborhoods? According to a presentation by Cmdr. William Grisafe at the most recent meeting of the police oversight commission, the technology allows for fewer officers to respond to the alerts.

By the way, last week the police oversight commission had a thought-provoking and intelligent conversation on the ShotSpotter contract that included perspectives from all side.

Good to see.

Respect to that group and to the police for a civil conversation.

What was sad to see, was the lack of community that attended the meeting.

At the meeting on Shotspotter, there were three, maybe four people in the room minus the commission and local police officers.

After years of demanding oversight, it seems like it has quickly become an afterthought by community members.

Oversight is far more than just officer involved shootings.

Also it would be nice to hear a report on local response times at Public Safety and the PCOC from our first responders, police and fire.

Back on track, I get it. We all want our candidates to win, but sometimes our efforts to ignite the electorate by using fear does more harm than good.

The more we raise the alarm, the less impact that alarm has when it needs to sound it in an emergency.

I’m as guilty as anybody.

Earlier this year in this space, I reminded the City Council that we only have one City Manager and we don’t need eight.

Of course that’s still the truth, but it played into some of the rhetoric that was out there.

What can I tell you, Gumbo can be spicy.

For now, Bigfoot is not running through the Arroyo as he’s chased by the Six Million Dollar Man Steve Austin, the one played by Lee Majors, not the beer drinking wrestler.

I caught that episode on TV a few days ago.

If you don’t know about the Six Million Dollar Man, look it up.

Great show, but no way was he running 60 mph in those tight polyester pants. Cool sound effects though.

But … mentioning conspiracies.

I did see a pulsating orb over Altadena last Friday night.

Funny thing is my phone would not switch over to video so I could not record it. I did get a couple of pics though.

Obviously the drones have come to Altadena to stop Political Gumbo.

They’re out to get me.