“I’ve heard that I have the votes of all the council members,” she said.
The day following Knodell’s Town Meeting Day victory against independent Genese Grill in the Central District, Knodell sent out an email announcing that she would seek the council presidency, said Councilor Tom Ayres (D-Ward 7).
Councilor Karen Paul (D-Ward 6) had expressed interest and was “definitely considering a run,” Ayres said. In the end, Ayres said, Paul never formally announced a challenge to Knodell. Paul did not respond to request for comment.
This Monday marks the council’s “Organization Day,” the meeting during which councilors will cast their votes for the influential Board of Finance seats and when Mayor Miro Weinberger will give his State of the City address.
New council member Richard Deane (D-East District) will be sworn in, and councilors will formally vote to elect the council president, who is responsible for making committee appointments, facilitating discussion during meetings and setting council priorities.
Internally, these decisions have caused “a lot of wrangling,” said Councilor Kurt Wright (R-Ward 4). The Democrats won back a council seat in the March elections and now hold half of the council’s 12 seats. (There are also three Progressives, two independents and a Republican.)
According to some councilors, that meant that the party should get another seat on the Board of Finance or retake the presidency, said Dave Hartnett (I-North District).
Hartnett, for one, was behind Knodell the whole time.
“When you talk about the council president, it’s gotta be someone who has strong leadership skills and can work across party lines,” he said. “She has an independent streak, and that’s well respected by the councilors.”
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Glad she beat Genese Grill and we now have Counselors who actually want to serve and don’t consider it a “sacrifice.”
Pardon me, but could you stop putting Genese down? You truly don’t know her. Thank you.
Pardon me, but I did not realize I needed to personally know a candidate for public office to critique their motives for running, comments made to the media, or comments made on a public message board.
I take it from your comment (it’s form and substance) that you think politeness is most important: you are very polite in your request for my political views to be silenced. Here too we disagree. Thank you.
@AngryProg: Could not agree MORE! Thank for saying what we’re all thinking…..
This is not a real discussion. And’why couldn’t you agree more?
My Dear Friend Stickinthemud,
Your response would be funny if it were not the perfect example of the issue I was addressing. Please do let me explain.
I cannot speak for Bluemaribou, but your response troubles me: first you where called on limiting the political speech of others through tone policing (as I do not know you, I do not mean to imply your intentions are as sinister as the intentions of those often held by those who employ tone policing as a political tactic to dispel dissection, particularly from minority voices).
In response, you could have written something along the lines of, “I’m sorry it came across that I was trying to silence your political opinion, that was not my intention in the least, despite disagreeing with you vehemently on the character of the candidate in question.” Instead, you chose to write: “This is not a real discussion.”
Once again, you are policing the conversation: who gave you the right to determine what a “real discussion”? If this isn’t a real discussion, what is it? I am fairly certain it isn’t this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msvOUUgv6m8
Whatever you deem it, with all due respect, it doesn’t really matter because it was not yours in the first place. This is a public forum, a place for people to comment on news and politics and what have you (see http://sevendaysvt-test.newspackstaging.com/vermont/why-does-seven-days-allow-anonymous-commenting/Content?oid=4826197). When you try to belittle the opinions of others by claiming the conversation itself doesn’t exist, it starts to look like political gas lighting… but when done in such a public (and searchable) manner, its also downright silly.
If I can be so bold, I suggest you begin to look beyond your manners and consider what the message you are conveying says to the person you are conveying it to.
Sincerely yours
Pardon me, “AngryProg,” but who’s policing the discussion? You’re really putting some time into this. That says something. I know a bit about the process here. I’m surprised to have “gotten your goat”. Most folks I know have stopped commenting here because these discussions spiral into anger and annoyance. I saw the Disney clip on that link. Can we get back to the City Council? I have opinions, but I don’t want to argue. Sincerely, Stick..
At lease @stickinthemud’s name is accurate. No one is going to challenge them on that! Thanks for raising the other issues @angryprog!
@stickinthemud: “I have opinions, but I don’t want to argue.”
Translation: “I want to tell you my opinion but I don’t want to have to listen to yours.”
Dear “AngryProg” – let it go. I am listening to your opinions already. Have you read the guidelines for Comments?
Gotta love Knodell posing with that shirt like she just smashed the patriarchy when actually she just beat another woman. Also does everyone now have to “take ownership” of criticisms against them and use it in a positive way? Trump supporters calling themselves deplorable, Hillary supporters calling themselves Nasty Women and Bad Hombres, and now we’ll be hearing “she persisted” for at least the next 4 years.