If you are the hostess with the mostest, or even the least, you probably will not want to invite recently retired City Councilman Steve Rose and County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, who retires later this year, to the same Welcome to Summer party.
There were obvious signs if you were watching closely a week ago last night at City Hall when Mr. Rose and two other Council members were derailed by term limits.
As Westside politics go, Ms. Burke is regarded as a major celebrity.
A few minutes into the transitional Council meeting, Ms. Burke, with the graceful flourish of an aging lady who has lived much of her life in public, presented certificates to the departing Councilpersons. It is a mechanical ritual that a Nashville archeologist recently traced back to within 10 years of the Garden of Eden.
Mr. Rose explains:
“During my 8 years on the City Council, I asked Ms. Burke’s staff 4 or 5 times for a meeting. I never got one. I never even talked to her during the 8 years.
“I felt that accepting that piece of paper would be hypocritical.
“As the leading enviromentalist on the City Council — because I do things, I don’t just talk about them — I recycled my certificate.”
He Is Pitching, but It Isn’t Woo
Etiquette aside, Mr. Rose did not even wait until he was out of view — of Ms. Burke or anyone else —to demonstrate that he is environmentally sensitive.
“There is a recycling bin on the dais,” Mr. Rose said. “As I threw it over, I think it fell into the recycling bin.”
The former Councilman did not allow for a grace period.
“As Ms. Burke was going back to her seat,” he said, “I was throwing it into the bin.
“Her staff ignored me, and the buck stops there.”
Once more, Mr. Rose was asked why he believes Ms. Burke snubbed him.
“Several reasons, he said.
“Could be because I am a Republican. It also could be that several persons she credits as power-brokers in the city, who really aren’t, could have told her I am not worth talking to. If a person does not give another person at least a chance, those people are not credible.”
