Second of three parts
Re “We May Be Gathered Here, but Not in Prayer, God Forbid”
[img]2122|right|Mehaul O'Leary||no_popup[/img]Does Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells’s attempt to de-religify City Manager John Nachbar’s pre-meeting invocation by changing its title, have a prayer of a chance at Monday evening’s City Council meeting?
Not if Vice Mayor Mehaul O’Leary can keep his intentions firmly planted in her path.
Like a prizefighter warming for his rugged war, Mr. O’Leary opened his discussion of the controversy softly.
Does he plan to set the pace at the meeting, as he has done before? Or will he lean back and drink in the scuffling before engaging.
“I am going to sit back and wait,” Mr. O’Leary said. “I will see which direction the debate is going.”
Showtime beckons for the 7 o’clock meeting in Council Chambers.
Drama seldom has happened since the Redevelopment Agency went into hibernation when the recession began and, two years ago, the agency was killed off by Gov. Brown.
Mr. O’Leary, proprietor of an Irish pub, has taken the unusual step of aggressively inviting community members to stand up and fight back for what this religious person believes is an outrage.
“I believe we are going to have a good turnout,” he said.
Last month Mr. O’Leary was infuriated when Mayor Sahli-Wells waited until 12:30 in the morning, after the remaining stragglers had cleared Council Chambers, to bring up her request.
Mr. O’Leary was talking whisper softly. Scarcely did he resemble the hugely vexed, unbashful vice mayor of a fortnight ago.
(To be continued)
