September 11th, 2008
Some of you have asked me — and I’ve also heard people ask Ken on WNTA — what happened to the trees they planted last year on Harrison Avenue between Alpine and Mulford?
They’ve just taken them down. What gives?
Here’s the word from City Administrator Jim Ryan:
“The trees are under warranty. We are also installing irrigation in the medians as part of the project to insure long-term maintenance. The trees will be re-installed next Spring.”
By the way, they’ll be new trees, Ryan clarified.
September 11th, 2008
I’ve been asking questions about why Mayor Morrissey’s re-election announcement was so low key it was no key at all. To me, a longtime veteran of the news biz, it seemed way too quiet.
Seems the campaign wanted to get the word out that he is seeking re-election, so that everyone knows, but they didn’t want to do a full-bore rally with balloons and funny hats and whistles yet. That’s because we are so close to the Nov. 4 general election — which doesn’t involve city offices — that the campaign feared some people would get confused if they hear, see or read about a rally for Morrissey just now. They’ll be looking for him on the Nov. 4 ballot — and he won’t be there.
The Morrissey campaign plans to do a big rally — with the green and white balloons and such — in mid-November, someone in the Morrissey inner circle said.
And yes, he was kind of tired, the inner circle person said, because he has been burning the midnight oil working on city business until 3 a.m. and is getting ready for his upcoming trade mission to Sweden and China and maybe even Whatchicallistan if there’s time.
And that’s the latest.
September 11th, 2008
Frankly, I was underwhelmed by Mayor Larry Morrissey’s lackluster re-election announcement Wednesday at Cliffbreakers.
In fact, I was so underwhelmed that I scrapped my plan to write my Thursday column about Morrissey, and wrote instead about something entirely different. I want people to read my stuff, and a column about Morrissey’s announcement would have bored people to tears.
I’d already scooped the other media with the first story on his intent to seek re-election, which was up on rrstar.com before 4 pm Tuesday.
The event was devoid of enthusiasm. The crowd was small, just the media, Morrissey’s media consultants, a few staffers, his mom, dad and brother, and the two advisers who are constantly by his side –Â Republicans Jim Thacker and Ryan Brauns. If he has Democratic advisers, I’m out of the loop and don’t know who they are.
The wonkish Morrissey, who officially is an independent, talked in a monotone about process. He said he intends to continue in a second term what he’s doing in this term. I was hoping for something bold on downtown.
The people, and the aldermen I’ve talked to, seem OK with his leadership — otherwise there would be a groundswell of potential opposition to him, and there is not. A prominent Democrat did tell me Wednesday that there will be a Democratic candidate against Morrissey, but he or she will not announce until after the Nov. 4 general election. We’ll see.
Morrissey’s war chest of $125,000 to start out with is a daunting prospect for potential challengers to confront. And aldermen are hesitant to run for mayor because Rockford lacks staggered terms for city council members — everyone runs the same time as the mayor. Most aldermen and their families are on the city’s health insurance plan. If they risk the generous benefit in an uphill battle for mayor, what happens if they lose? They’re not aldermen anymore, and they lose the family’s health coverage.
Rockford needs to reform its election practices so that half the council is up for re-election every two years. That way, some aldermen could run for mayor and still be assured of keeping their council seat should they lose.
The Democratic and Republican primaries are in February, the mayoral and aldermanic elections are in April.
