The Arrogance of Perceived Power

If you have not yet seen the replay of the special meeting of the Common Council held on August 7, set your VCR, program your TiVO or cancel your plans to be available for the next viewing. It's quite a show, full of drama and emotion -- particularly drama -- discussing the Mayor's letter informing the City Council that their vote on the budget was illegal because of a number of alleged technicalities cooked up by the Mayor and his "advisors" after the Council had made their final vote.

The most shocking scenes in this melodrama were performed by City Solicitor John Kryzovic and Assistant City Solicitor Victor Dragone. The arrogance with which these men -- these public appointees -- addressed the Common Council and the disrespect they showed, through this performance, to the citizens of Everett who pay their salaries defied imagination and explanation. Mr. Kryzovic indicated that he would refuse to provide the Common Council with a detailed opinion explaining why it was his conclusion that the Mayor could essentially override the City Council's budget vote. If requested to provide a written opinion, he said, it would be one sentence -- "I agree with the Mayor." Arrogance and hubris. A deadly combination in a public appointee. The City Solicitor, who claimed that his 40 years' experience as a solicitor qualified him to interpret the snippets of law that were cited in the Mayor's letter, should read city ordinance Division 2, Section 2-48, Powers & Duties, which states "The city solicitor shall act as advisor to the city government and representative of the city in all matters of law." Advisor to the city government. Not special counsel to the mayor. It is his duty, per city ordinance, to provide advice and opinion when called upon to do so. His refusal to do this would, in most any business, be grounds for dismissal.

And along came Victor Dragone, not because he was asked to appear, but because he apparently felt an overwhelming need to hear the sound of his own voice, to express his own opinion, indignantly insisting that the Mayor and his advisors were in the right because the City Council had allegedly failed to follow proper procedure when debating the budget. More arrogance and hubris. Again, Mr. Dragone should check the city ordinances and review parliamentary procedure, because it was not proper procedure for him to suddenly appear at the podium without being requested to do so.

Credit must be given to members of the Common Council who allowed cooler heads to prevail, particularly Ward 3 Councilman Sal DiDomenico. Councilman DiDomenico came prepared and patiently presented the case for the Council, acknowledging that mistakes were made on their part, respectfully disagreeing with the Mayor and his advisors and showing a degree of professionalism sorely lacking in this administration. The Mayor should have been embarrassed by the performance put on by the City Solicitor and the Assistant City Solicitor. Certainly everyone watching was.