Only Barrier to Unemployment
Until recently one of the busiest and most titled civic leaders, all that stands between Mr. Weissman and unemployment this morning is his lucrative Downtown law practice. Will a run for the City Council be next? Friends have raised the prospect. “Probably not,” he said on Thursday morning, 22 months before the next Election Day, April 8, of ’08. But he elaborated by placing a tantalizing caveat directly in his path. “I might, at some point down the road,” Mr. Weissman said.
On the Altar of Sacrifice
“After the last election (two months ago), a number of people told me I need to run for City Council. I told them you need to be ready, willing and able to commit the time to not only campaign but to do the job. That time comes at the expense of work. It comes at the expense of family. I am not willing to rearrange those priorities. I am willing to give the city my time, whether as a volunteer or as a Commission member. But I don’t see myself sacrificing family, friends and work to spend as much time as is necessary in order to do the job of a City Councilperson.”
In Front of the Parade
For almost two years, Mr. Weissman was in the forefront of the farthest-reaching structural upheaval at City Hall in modern times. A clear thinker, an authentic diplomat and a measured speaker, he led what easily could have devolved into a chaotic group of activists by both example and by nudge. His portfolio as a possible Council candidate is enhanced by the notion that he not only packs a full satchel of desirable assets — more than most recent candidates — but he also is not a polarizing figure. With muscle, dignity and respect, he drove a variegated group of passionate residents who formed the spirited Charter Review Committee. He did it without raising a sweat. Committee members came to meetings with diverse views wrapped snugly inside strong personalities. Mr, Weissman coached them into a fairly single-minded team. Each recommendation was unanimous. In April, voters heartily endorsed the changes, rejecting a claim by opponents that the revisions should have been voted upon separately. The Charter Review Committee became the catalyst for a massive reordering of the constitution for
Playing by the New Rules
Living in a parallel universe during the same time period, Mr. Weissman, as the only attorney on the Civil Service Commission, helped to shape a comprehensive updating and restructuring of the Commission rules, a matter that did not raise anyone’s temperature out in the neighborhoods. The subject of running for the City Council arises out of the bog of City Hall politics because he would like something to do. The Charter Review Committee has been dissolved and his Civil Service Commission commitment is over. With a year and a half to make up his mind, Mr. Weissman will employ several of his favorite tools to help him decide — a watch, a calendar, a calculator and a yardstick. “Being a Councilperson,” he says, “is an incredibly time-intensive job, to do it right. I don’t want to do things halfway. In order for me to be an effective Councilperson, I probably would need to spend a lot more time doing Council stuff than I see myself willing to do right now.” Mr. Weissman left the door ajar enough, however, to allow either a fat amoeba or a skinny elephant to pass through. Pausing reflectively before making one final characterization, he said that “I don’t see myself as a candidate in two years.”
Hanging Out in the Background
Mr. Weissman’s replacement on the Civil Service Commission will be selected by the City Council at Monday night’s meeting. The suspense will not last long. It is the second item on the agenda. Perhaps the least visible of City Hall’s several commissions, it is more of an in-house body than the others. Five-member Civil Service actually is a Stealth Commission. Unlike its commission brethren, Civil Service lives most of its life behind solidly closed doors, conducting referee-style hearings. They hear grievances. “The purpose of the commission,” Mr. Weissman said, ”is to ensure that employees of the city are treated fairly.“ It is not a court of last resort, but one of several options available to aggrieved City Hall employees, including police officers and firefighters. In recent times, the Civil Service Commission has been in the news over the demotion of one police officer and the dismissal of another.
Next: Changes are coming at City Hall
