Second in a series
Re “New Vice Mayor, Irishman Named Mehaul, Will Make Own Decisions”
[img]1379|right|Mehaul O’Leary||no_popup[/img]Digesting new Mayor Meaghan Sahli-Wells’s energized, decidedly upbeat inauguration speech on Monday night, the new vice mayor says he continues to analyze her dynamic words.
“I still have to figure out,” said Mehaul O’Leary, “whether the suggestions that she listed were a just a rallying cry or what.
“So we will see where we go now.”
Mr. O’Leary appeared to wonder whether Mayor Sahli-Wells had stepped out in front of the parade – the City Council, in this case – too far, too fast.
He dipped into recent history to recall that retired Councilman Gary Silbiger drew fire from his colleagues a few years ago. When Mr. Silbiger, a progressive like the new mayor, proposed a perceived overly ambitious agenda, his Council mates called him on it.
What was Mr. O’Leary saying?
With at least a half-dozen long-dormant redevelopment projects having been approved earlier this month by the state Dept. Of Finance, it would be more prudent for the City Council to fully concentrate on these bedrock tasks rather than pursuing more ideological goals.
“We are going to have our plates full with what already is going on,” said the vice mayor, mentioning specifically a fracking moratorium or ban. “We are going to be monitoring projects we already have laid the groundwork for.”
Mr. O’Leary added that “I want to make it clear, I am not starting to practice for my year as mayor. This is not about changing the direction of the ship at this stage.”
