Karen At-Large?
One day while at City Council, Oliver Thomas stopped the meeting to wish us a Merry Xmas. He referred to us as Councilwoman 8 & 9. But that does not mean we get a ride home after the rally. We walked back uptown.
I feel like I am on the moon. I am in shock. I shouldn’t be. It’s the drastic up and down of life in New Orleans.
We are so up on top at SH which has been a lot of work but great. Now we just got word that At-Large Councilman, Oliver Thomas was indicted today according to nola.com on a parking lot issue. I feel the stick will be on the Federal Charges regarding his involvement with some issues regarding a company called Johnson Controls. This was on the WWLtv report.
I work closely with City Council on solving problems on the ground, I get information that is not always expendable because it’s not my purpose to report these things. I need information. I do not handle politics issues generally, I handle solving problems. I rely on people like Jim Letten to use information for real purposes.
I sent an email back and forth to Schroeder and Meg on June 4th, after the Jefferson indictment, asking, how long this inevitable thing might take to reach Oliver Thomas. It has been much faster than I thought.
Over the past year, Oliver Thomas has been very helpful and cordial to us. We aren’t stupid though, we know the history of his background with BOLD, we could see this coming after the Jefferson indictment. We walk a fine line. Recently, we knew something was seriously happening when he turned his email off and I told Karen, let’s hope it’s a personal problem, but I am afraid it is something larger.
The funny thing is, according to the Code, there should now be a formal declaration of the vacancy by Council. Then a special election, from what I can tell in the Municode. But in the meantime, the Council or the Mayor can appoint Karen to handle the duty! I am sure she could do it. In fact, she already does more than OT in her pajamas on any given day ! The Mayor respects our work in pajamas. In fact, Karen is more connected to media and residents than the Mayor. She would be a great asset. She is obssessed with our City’s recovery. We need someone so dedicated. Here is her Campaign Song, we found it just now, it fits. It’s positive. : Let’s Get This Party Started; Shirley Bassey Version
A collective party line for problem solving, that is what we already do.
Could it happen? Maybe. Who else is more effective and active? I mean, I work with Karen, she is obsessed about solving problems.
Email your Council Member if you want Karen Gadbois to get up there on dias to kick more ass than she already does with Fred, her dog, in her pajamas! We all know she is hell on wheels and of good humor. We have been successful in getting some City Issues moved forward in the past year.
AFielkow@cityofno.com
JCarter@cityofno.com
CHMorrell@cityofno.com
SMidura@cityofno.com
CWLewis@cityofno.com
Ray.Nagin@mayorofno.com
SHead@cityofno.com
I have included the Code of the Charter dictating the upcoming procedures below:
Section 3-106. Salaries and Removal of Councilmembers.
(2) Councilmembers shall be removed from office only in the following manner and for the following reasons:
(a) If a councilmember pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a federal or state felony charge, the Council shall, by majority vote of its entire membership, declare that the seat of the councilmember is vacant due to the disqualification of the incumbent for felonious behavior and shall forthwith proceed to fill the vacancy in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 3-105 of this Charter. Should the Council fail to fill any vacancy within thirty days after its occurrence, the Mayor shall appoint a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy.
(b) (i) If a councilmember is convicted of a federal or state felony, that councilmember shall be automatically suspended from the seat without compensation. The suspension without compensation shall continue until the conviction is final and all appellate review of the original trial court proceedings is exhausted, at which time the Council shall, by majority vote of its entire membership, declare that the seat of the councilmember is vacant due to the disqualification of the incumbent for felonious behavior and shall forthwith proceed to fill the vacancy in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 3-105 of this Charter. Should the Council fail to fill any vacancy within thirty days after its occurrence, the Mayor shall appoint a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy. During the period of suspension, the councilmember shall not perform any official act, duty, or function nor shall the councilmember receive any compensation, pay, allowance, emolument, or privilege of the office. If the conviction is reversed on appeal, the councilmember shall be entitled to and shall receive full back pay from the date of suspension with legal interest on portions thereof, from the date that the Councilmember, but for the suspension, would have been paid that portion. Additionally, the Councilmember shall have restored all rights, duties, powers, allowances, emoluments, and privileges of office.
(ii) During this suspension, the Council shall, by a majority vote of its entire membership, declare that the seat of the councilmember is temporarily vacant due to suspension and shall forthwith proceed to fill the vacancy in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 3-105(2)(a) of this Charter. Should the Council fail to fill any vacancy within thirty days after its occurrence, the Mayor shall appoint a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy. Any citizen appointed to fill a temporary vacancy under the terms of this section shall serve in the appointed capacity until the conviction of the councilmember is reversed on appeal or until expiration of the term of office of the suspended councilmember, whichever comes first.
(c) If a councilmember is recalled from office in accordance with applicable state or municipal law, the vacancy shall be filled forthwith in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section 3-105 of this Charter.
SECTION 3-105:
Section 3-105. Election of Councilmembers.
(1) At an election to be held every four years at the time of the election of the Mayor in accordance with the election laws of the state, one councilmember shall be elected from each council district and two from the City at large. Each elector may vote for one district councilmember from that elector’s district, and may also vote for two councilmembers-at-large.
(2) A vacancy in the office of any councilmember shall be filled as follows:
(a) If the unexpired term is less than one year, the remaining members of the Council shall select by a majority vote of all of its members a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. Vacancies shall be filled only at a regular meeting of the Council after reasonable notice of the vacancy to all remaining members of the Council. Should the Council fail to fill any vacancy within thirty days after its occurrence, the Mayor shall appoint a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. A citizen selected or appointed to fill such vacancy shall be ineligible to qualify as a candidate for that office at the next election.
(b) (i) If the unexpired term is for one year or more, the vacancy shall be filled by special election, to be called by the Council within ten days after its occurrence and to be held in accordance with the election laws of the State, at which time the electors of the City, or should the vacant office be that of a district councilmember, the electors of that district, shall elect a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy for the remainder of term; provided that if any special or general election is to be held in the City after sixty days and within six months after occurrence of the vacancy, then the election shall be held in conjunction with such other election.
(ii) During the period between the time of vacancy and the filling of such vacancy by special election, the Council, by majority vote of its entire membership, shall select a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy. Should the Council fail to fill any vacancy within thirty days after its occurrence, the Mayor shall appoint a citizen with the requisite qualifications to fill the vacancy during the interim period. A citizen selected or appointed to fill the vacancy shall be ineligible to qualify as a candidate for that office at the next election called to fill the vacancy.
(3) A person who has served as a councilmember representing a Council district for more than one and one-half terms in two consecutive terms shall not be elected as a councilmember representing a Council district for the succeeding term. A person who has served as a councilmember-at-large for more than one and one-half terms in two consecutive terms shall not be elected as a councilmember-at-large for the succeeding term.
I was nearly equally as surprised as you (I don’t know the man, much less worked with him), but with a caveat.
If someone has worked this long in the upper levels of New Orleans government, their tenure stretches back long enough to be suspicious on its own. Rightly or wrongly, it’s a guilt-by-association thing. I see threads of separation from this old-school way of doing things — but Real Change will take a lot of time.
During our take-back-the-neighborhood BBQ last Tuesday night in the Irish Channel, it was interesting to watch the political candidates show up. We had the Jefferson relative and we had The New (Uptown White) Guy. I didn’t see a whole lot of glad-handing for either of them. Maybe we’re getting more cautious. I hope so.
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Word is that the position might be filled until the special election by a local university type with the special election to be held during the October 10th state wide election.
Why not push Karen to run to fill the vacancy. Seems like she could promote her style of leadership and be more of an influence since whoever wins fills the spot till 2010. Just thinking more long term than short.
It’s my understanding that the person “appointed” will NOT be able to run to fill the rest of the term.
“In fact, she already does more than OT in her pajamas on any given day !”
If my eye wasn’t so absurdly trained on the absurd, I probably would be better able to get over this image of seeing OT in Karen’s pajamas.
It’s a stressful position to take on, especially in a climate where racism is being charged publicly so that corruption may privately remain in place. People crumble when they are morally weak. If you want to take on the rabid dogs in the system, you have to know they are going to attack you when you come near their fence.
I’m all for putting forth this candidate or that – if we got McBride back in, think how much more comfortable people would feel that the pumps and levees would be overseen, for instance – but you don’t want to artificially set them up as being perceived to operate as figurehead in a reverse engineering plot “against black leadership”. The accusations against Nagin used to be that he was set up by white powerbrokers, after all. It’s that whole non-democratic process that must be overthrown.
I can think of a number of good people who ought run for office but won’t because of the political stresses and repercussions. Anyone who does volunteer to run for such a position will have to know they are collectively supported in the role for the duration of their commitment to uphold the moral duties of office. We have a few people in roles now who feel they are out on their own when they stick their necks out; it’s time to lay infighting aside and recognize all those who are working for the recovery of our city.
This is an interesting idea, but in my years it seems that when one works outside of the “Machine” much more can be accomplished for the greater good.
Also, a person that remains outside of the “Machine” has a greater chance of keeping the “Machine” on the straight and narrow.
Is Clown Town ready for change?
Everday I feel like I am driving through the innards of a carcass.
I’m sure there aren’t any ethical problems with Karen joining the ranks of city hall. I mean, it isn’t like she’s been a self-appointed watchdog for people tearing down their houses for the last year and a half. Your post makes her sound like a city council wannabe. More than that, your ridiculously bold claims involving pajamas just destroys your credibility. You don’t list any qualifications or recent successes. It’s all intangible. From the information in your post, why would I get involved in trying to get her put in other than the fact that I know you, which is a moot point because I know her being on City Council would make your “hobby” let’s say, a lot easier. The thing that concerns me the most is that it would lend some kind of credibility to SH, which, as you well know, I disagree with on very fundamental levels. Outside of Rising Tide (which I find masturbatory)I’m not so sure the “extreme preservation/we’ve got nothing better to do than hang around City Hall getting into other people’s business” is as popular of a campaign platform as you might think.
I know neither of you care what I think, but you chose to campaign here. So now you can either answer my concerns or not.
Jack,
In all seriousness what on earth is wrong with an Organization who has for the last months been fightng to get peoples houses OFF the demolition list. People who have never been told by the City that they were on the list. People who have remediated and repaired and in many cases moved in. Some are still living in a FEMA trailer while slow progress is made.
It would seem your barbs are more personal than informed.
Have you checked to see if your house is on the list?
Jack,
In all seriousness what on earth is wrong with an Organization who has for the last months been fightng to get peoples houses OFF the demolition list. People who have never been told by the City that they were on the list. People who have remediated and repaired and in many cases moved in. Some are still living in a FEMA trailer while slow progress is made.
It would seem your barbs are more personal than informed.
Have you checked to see if your house is on the list?
And by the way, We are in fact a Non Profit Org. Funded and recognized as such. I am pretty happy with what we have all accomplished and an actual seat at the snake pit in Council Chambers would be of less service than the actual work we do.
Keep up with your French lessons.
Not personal at all, but it is interesting that you took it that way and this comment might be. I think your description of what SH does is a bit on the generous side. What about the people who want their houses torn down that you intervene to keep them from tearing it down? That never happens? What qualifies you to regulate FEMA’s process for tearing down houses? Are you a structural engineer? Were you hired by FEMA or the city/state to do that job? Or is it more likely you decided that there were properties, that you don’t own, that you feel should not be torn down regardless of the owner’s wishes? Is it not that you just decided the oversight in place for the tearing down of houses was not sufficient and that you could do a better job?
“Have you checked to see if your house is on the list?”
Is that a fucking threat? Ya know what, it doesn’t matter why I don’t like your little hobby. Maybe I just don’t like it. Maybe it’s for no reason at all. It doesn’t matter. SH is just one of thousands of non-profits started by people looking to get out of a job they didn’t like, an unsatisfying relationship, or otherwise trying to redefine themselves after the storm because they were lost, scared and confused. And that’s fine, but don’t run around all self-righteously wondering how anyone could possibly not love and appreciate what you’re doing.
Keep trespassing on people’s property…
and one of these days your going to stumble upon a crack-head or a squatter and something bad is going to happen to you because you were someplace you weren’t supposed to be, doing something you aren’t qualified to do, for reasons that aren’t very good at all.
And you still didn’t answer any of my questions from the first comment so don’t bother responding to this one until you do. Or better yet, maybe just campaign on your own site.
Awright y’all. I don’t wanna have to ask you to take it outside. Put down the glassware. That’s it.
Jack, Take a deep breath…
Jack, apparently you have not kept up with the Associated Press updates over the weekend, or you would know that SH already has “some kind of credibility”. Yup, they were listed as “Common Knowledge” by name. That’s some kind of credibility.
I know this sounds kind of naive but aren’t all the homes below sea level in Imminent Danger wile our levees remain susceptible to even a moderate hurricane? Whats your flood insurance cost Jack?
Therefor isn’t the cities desire to demolish the homes more of removing the threat that is intrinsic to abandoned homes?
The hack saw is never going to look good to the man with gang green.