109 replies to this topic

[CorgiMatt]

waccamatt, on Nov 9 2005, 12:23 PM, said:

No term limits. Most people in Columbia like the job that Bob does. If he decides not to run again I'd like to see Tameka Devine run. On city council I don't care for Daniel Rickenmann and I can't stand Hamilton Osborne.

Hamilton Osborne gave up his seat years ago and Kirkman Finlay III won it.  The mayor is progressive and sees the big picture; he just doesn't have enough power.

[krazeeboi]

Corgi, you do realize that you're responding to a post that's almost four years old right?

[CorgiMatt]

Now I do.  Sometimes my computer starts out at the earliest instead of the latest posting in a forum and I didn't notice the dates.  The Coble part of my post stands.

[I Miss Columbia]

HAMMETTM, on Nov 9 2005, 12:29 PM, said:

Does anyone know if the City of Columbia has a limit on the amount of terms that the mayor can serve? If so, how many terms is it? If not, does anyone besides myself think that it's time for Columbia to elect a new mayor?

Yeah...15 years ago!

[waccamatt]

krazeeboi, on Aug 14 2009, 03:10 PM, said:

Steve Benjamin has officially thrown his name in the hat to run for mayor.

Kevin Fisher of the Free Times, and former mayoral candidate himself, speculates that if Kirkman Finaly also enters the race, he's almost guaranteed to win as Benjamin and Coble will split the Black vote.

I think Finlay might force a runoff, but he would be trounced in a runoff vote, whether against Coble or Benjamin. It would take a very strange alignment of celestial forces for a Republican to be elected as mayor of Columbia today. I know the races are "non-partisan", but the affiliations are no secret. Nevertheless, people always underestimate Bob Coble. Most of the people that don't like him aren't even living in the city. Most people I know think he is a very sincere, good-hearted person. My only complaint is that he tends to be too much of a consensus builder and won't take on contentious issues.

[krazeeboi]

Looks like Tameika Devine is considering running for mayor as well.

[waccamatt]

This is looking to be a very interesting race, which will surely result in a run-off because no one will get over 50% of the vote.

[vicupstate]

Issac is probably running to help Coble.   He will need all the help he can get.  After the fraud and mismanagement of the last few years, a shake up is long overdue. Let's hope Columbia finally gets it.

[waccamatt]

vicupstate, on Aug 23 2009, 12:41 PM, said:

Issac is probably running to help Coble.   He will need all the help he can get.  After the fraud and mismanagement of the last few years, a shake up is long overdue. Let's hope Columbia finally gets it.

None of that stuff really has to do with the Mayor, it has more to do with the City Manager, who is hired by City Council. Columbia needs a strong mayor form of government to eliminate the City Manager altogether. There is no term limit in city government and I don't agree with term limits anyway. People voting is the term limit.

[krazeeboi]

Columbia just needs a strong, decisive mayor; I think the form of government is irrelevant. You can find cities that are run efficiently under either system.

[krazeeboi]

Everyone needs to stay on topic in this thread. That's all I'm going to say.

[CorgiMatt]

vicupstate, when a city ends the year with a deficit it can indeed be difficult for the current mayor to overcome, even in a mayor-council form of government.

Edited by CorgiMatt, 25 August 2009 - 10:03 AM.

[vicupstate]

Ending the year with a deficit is not that uncommon, particularly in a really bad economy.  

Not being able to close the year out in the Accounting department  for MONTHS is quite UNCOMMON, and is a huge sign of incompetence and mismanagement. Double and even triple payment of millions of dollars in bills is FURTHER evidence of mismanagement and incompetence.  

But, it's YOUR money that's being wasted, it is no longer mine (Thankfully).  Go ahead and reward that performance if you like, but don't complain when you see more of it.

[CorgiMatt]

The bleeding has already stopped with the interim city manager.  We'll be fine.

[krazeeboi]

Well, Mayor Bob has announced that he will not seek re-election. Coble's exit leaves challenger Steve Benjamin and perennial candidate Joe Azar as the only declared candidates.  Councilwoman Tameika Issac Devine had considered a run but said last week she would not file.

[CorgiMatt]

The mayor used pretty strong language on the news tonight that showed his clear frustration with the weak mayor form of government.

[vicupstate]

Coble was a good mayor for about 12 years, after that, his skills seemed to atrophy, IMO.  On the whole, he did a decent job, but he really could have been great if he had been more decisive, and not so afraid to upset the apple cart.  I wish he had had a better understanding of urban design too.  Ditto for City Council.

In his second term, I thought he had the potential to be another Joe Riley, but he never reached that level.  Then again, no one else has either.  

I bet Issac reconsiders now.  

Hopefully, a rigorous, issues-based campaign will happen.

[CorgiMatt]

I figured Devine told Coble she was going to throw her support behind Benjamin and he know he wouldn't have a chance.  Finlay will probably announce now.

[krazeeboi]

Anne Sinclair should run. I always thought she'd make a good mayor.

[scguy88]

Who thinks Kevin Fisher will throw his hat in the ring now? (If you haven't noticed he's been working for the Free Times writing about improving Columbia/problems with Columbia (i.e. Innovista management))