Council needs cooperation

The News Virginian / News Virginian
Published: March 30, 2008

Spring may be upon us, but the chill inside council chambers has plummeted to a record low in the wake of the still-unresolved flap over whether to televise a candidates forum on the city government access channel. Once congenial relations between members of the council's opposing factions are so badly broken that the two sides, like spouses in the throes of a dying marriage, scarcely speak to one another unless in the formal setting of a public meeting. Even then, the acrimony is palpable.

The breach, council members say, is unlikely to be repaired in advance of the May 6 election. That will determine whether control remains with the majority now formed by Mayor Tom Reynolds, Vice Mayor Nancy Dowdy and Councilwoman Lorie Smith or shifts to the current minority pairing of councilmen Frank Lucente and Tim Williams.

Reynolds' decision to leave office at term's end provides an opening for the minority, aligned with Ward B candidate Bruce Allen. Majority ally Chris Graham and Greg Bruno also are seeking the Ward B seat. Lucente is being challenged for his at-large post by Jeremy Taylor and DuBose Egleston Jr.

Ideology long has divided the council, which took on its current power structure in May 2006, when Smith knocked off incumbent Reo B. Hatfield. Principally, the divide is a classic one between the fiscal conservatism expressed most vividly by Lucente and what Smith refers to as a progressive approach to governance.

Our view generally tilts toward the former. Government, particularly at the state and federal levels, tends to spend first and consider the impact on taxpayers later. But we see value in local governments making careful investments in their communities, especially in forming public-private partnerships that can be shown to offer significant long-term economic benefits for all sides.

Seeking to apply absolute answers to all situations perhaps makes inevitable philosophical clashes such as those on the city council over providing taxpayer money for the Wayne Theatre or paying for high-cost capital projects. Contrary to many elected officials and more than a few pundits, we advocate spirited debate. Unanimous votes on local governing bodies may indicate sound organization and philosophical accord or a reluctance to consider and vet the issues thoroughly.

When the latter process devolves into one of rancor rather than productive disputation, as appears to be the case on the city council, progress stops. That explains the current focus on subjects of secondary import, such as whether to air a candidates forum on government TV. More pressing are concerns about how to pay for fixes to the city stormwater system, revitalizing downtown and reeling in developers such as the one planning a minor league baseball park on the South River.

Both sides on the council blame the other for the widening divide. But it will take both to cool the hostilities and return civility to the discourse. Further, it will be necessary for one to reach out to the other to initiate healing at least to the point that the sting of hurt feelings and broken trust is eased.

Waiting more than five weeks for the election to sort out the mess might be tempting, but it is decidedly wrong for our city. The time is now for those sent to serve to put pride aside, extend a friendly hand to their foes and get on with the business of building a better Waynesboro.