[img]2122|right|Mehaul O'Leary||no_popup[/img]Before shoveling into last evening’s City Council meeting, Mehaul O’Leary was asked how comfortably he is wearing the title of vice mayor after two months.
Most years, only close relatives know the identity of the vice mayor of Culver City. Mr. O’Leary, a proud gentleman, has been sporting it in the manner of a shiny badge, stirring the pot on a couple of controversial issues.
Mr. O’Leary’s answer: “I feel like Joe Biden.”
Now what does that mean?
Second banana to a star?
Something else?
“Well,” he said, “the title does not come with any extra pay.
“(Mayor) Meghan (Sahli-Wells) is doing a fine job. She reports back from all and any events she goes to.”
Last month they tussled over whether the name “Invocation,” covering City Manager John Nachbar’s pre-meeting comments, should undergo a surgical name change.
Muscular were the words and feelings from the direction of the vice mayor, who meant to retain the traditional label.
By an Andy Weissman compromise, the Council decided to permit each year’s mayor to determine the name of the commentary.
Ms. Sahli-Wells chose Reflection, and that was the headline over Mr. Nachbar’s comments last evening.
Mr. O’Leary was asked if the dispute has receded into the background.
“It is in recess,” he quipped.
So the Invocation morphs into Reflection for the next 10 months, until the vice mayor is becomes the mayor presumptive.
“There won’t even be a major announcement” about the direction of the Reflection/Invocation when Mr. O’Leary is elevated to His Honor.
Will the commentary revert to “Invocation”?
“Possibly,” he said. “I don’t want to give the goose away.”
(To be continued)
