Second in a series
Re “Strong Reasons Behind Small’s ‘No’ Vote”
Even before he was elected to the City Council in April, it was distinctively clear Thomas Small was not going to be a pedestrian politician.
He would deliver reflective, penetrating reasons for each vote.
Such as last week when he voted against reversing authority over the police and fire chiefs, changing supervision from the City Council to the city manager.
“At this particular time in history, when racial issues with police forces around the country are at such a difficult stage,” Mr. Small said, “it is highly important for (City Council members) to maintain as close of a relationship as we can with our police chief and police force.”
Then he filled in the foundation for his reasoning.
“I have said before, when I see officers on my street (in the Hayden Tract), I want to know them,” Mr. Small said. “I want them to be my friends. I want them to know my kids. I want my kids to understand that those are the guys who are going to help them. Those officers are their friends.”
What is Mr. Small’s principal fear about what will change if supervision over the first responders is switched to City Manager John Nachbar?
He paused to ponder.
“Honestly, I don’t fear very much,” he said. “We have such a great relationship it probably will work out fine.”
Why, then, oppose the change?
“The only thing that tips me in the other direction,” said Mr. Small, “is the optics of it. It’s like, for us to choose to do it at this time, I am not sure what signal it sends to the public.
“We need to demonstrate that we are as hands-on this issue as we can be.”
(To be continued)
Voting no because of how things look is not leadership. Calling it optics is just silly – it is politics. Small is proving he has a small mind despite his advanced degree in storytelling.