WILL THE MAYOR ACT IN THE INTERESTS OF THE RESIDENTS OR PAR?

When Doug Copeland resigned from P & Z in December 2009 Mayor Barford nominated Bob Barlow to fill the vacancy. Since the November 2009 elections the Mayor has been very transparent in her support for PAR and all things PAR. Her decision to nominate Mr Barlow therefore came as no surprise as his support for all things PAR had also been quite obvious. Several good candidates were passed over in what turned out to be a controversial nomination.
The Mayor’s condemnation of Commissioner Stoltzfus and defamatory accusations have been well publicized by our local newpapers. In the 24th March Islander she was quoted as saying that ‘He totally violated Sunshine Law and Barfield has proof.’
Her stance against Commissioner Stoltzfus and support for Bob Barlow is interesting in light of something that was recently bought to my attention.
In November 2000 when Bob Barlow was serving as a Commissioner he and then time Mayor, Gary Deffenbaugh, were accused of breaking the Sunshine Laws. The matter was let go but not before, I am told, Mr Barlow apparently stood at a Commission meeting and actually admitted he had broken the Sunshine Laws.
So we have a Mayor who nominates a candidate who has admitted to breaking the Sunshine Laws and at the same time condemns a Commissioner where it has yet to be proven that he has broken the Sunshine Laws??
So now she apparently is reviewing her current list of applicants as Mr Connolly has to be replaced.
What a surprise - Eugene Aubrey and Micheal Coleman have both applied.
The former and his wife openly admit to having been employed by PAR and are now employed by the Thrashers. Mrs Aubrey admits in open emails that 'being inside the tent offers an opportunity to effect positive change rather quickly without cumbersome public meetings and additional legislation '. (Presumably now why Ms Thrasher is helping head up the recall petition and asking everyone to sign otherwise she won’t be allowed to build her ‘village’ - as an aside - relax Ms Thrasher, if your plans are to code then nobody can stop you building).
As the Aubrey’s work so closely with the developers in the City it is very hard to see how Mr Aubrey would be a suitable choice for a member of P & Z.
And what of Micheal Coleman who, along with others, was passed over last time in favor of Bob Barlow. What can one say about the man who rode into town on his red bicycle full of promises to work with the residents and instead has torn the City apart with his posse of lawyers in an attempt to get what he wants no matter the cost to the City and its residents. How could he possibly be considered the right person to serve on the P & Z Board.
I guess we are about to find out how far the Mayor is prepared to go to have a City administration that is totally run by PAR and its supporters.