They came, they saw, they were defeated

I could tell by the line of cars going into the Union Street garage that tonight’s Norfolk council meeting was going to be packed. Entering City Hall was a line of folks, showing the overwhelmed guard their IDs. (Since 9/11, you have to show ID to get in.) Fortunately for me, the guard recognized me and waived me through. I say “fortunately” because I had left my ID in the car. (I did have my computer, though. It was because of that and the free wireless downtown that I was able to post earlier while the council meeting was going on.)

The room was overflowing, with folks already standing up against the walls. I managed to find a seat up front, with the other members of Norfolk United Facing Race. A few minutes later, the council filed in and stood behind their chairs. After a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, the meeting go underway.

First up – the consent agenda. All of the items of the consent agenda are voted on at one time. Next was the regular agenda. There were 12 items on the list, most of them related to the various special exceptions that we have enacted: restaurants have to be approved by the neighborhood, encroachments, etc. A few of these items had people there to comment on them but mostly, they passed with unanimous votes.

Then came the non-agenda items. This was what the crowd, which had sat quiety, had come for. Councilman Barclay Winn was given the opportunity to speak first. He moved that Paul Riddick be removed as vice mayor. Then giving a scripted answer, Randy Wright seconded the motion. The clerk began the roll call: “Mr. Burfoot” “aye” At this point, John Wesley Hill stood up and called them out. How could they do this with no discussion? That was the question in the minds of nearly everyone in the room. Hill wouldn’t back down, asking those who were there to support Riddick to stand. Many in the room stood up. Mayor Fraim told Hill that he was out of order and threatened to have him removed. Grumbling was heard all around.

The roll call continued. “Mrs. Hester.” Props to Daun for speaking her mind. She said that council had gotten rid of her as vice mayor because they couldn’t control her and scoffed at the idea that council could control Paul Riddick. Even more, she said that council was elected to lead, and that this behavior was not leading. She voted No.

“Mr. Riddick.” “No”
“Dr. Whibley.” “Yes”
“Mr. Williams.” “Yes”
“Mr. Winn.” “Yes”
“Mr. Wright.” “Yes”
“Mr. Fraim.” At this point, the mayor read prepared remarks on the issue. If there was any doubt in anyone’s mind that this whole thing was scripted, the speech removed it. At the end, he voted “Yes.”

Just like that, Riddick was no longer vice mayor. No input from those assembled.

To add insult to injury, they moved quickly to the issue of a replacement. Some in the crowd said “don’t accept, Anthony” but did anyone really think he wouldn’t? Heck no.

Next up, Hester asked the members of Norfolk United Facing Race to stand while she read a letter from us to council. In the letter, we proposed a series of community conversations on race. I doubt if many people heard what was said in the letter, though, because the mood in the room was somber. It was as if someone had let the air out of the balloon.

A series of speakers followed, nearly all in support of Riddick. When given the opportunity to speak about the real estate tax rate, Brian Smith, of the Norfolk Tea Party 2, passed. The meeting ended with another controversy: Alton Robinson had signed up to speak twice, once on an agenda item and once on a non-agenda item. He was not allowed to speak a second time, even though this had been procedure in the past.

Afterwards, I talked to some of those gathered. For many, this was their first council meeting. They had come to speak on behalf of Riddick and to show their support, many of them spurred on by today’s article that a vote might be held tonight. They were disappointed and angry that they had not had the opportunity to have input.

I have a saying that is one of my guiding forces: just because you can, doesn’t mean you do. I think it is appropriate here. Just because council can vote on the vice mayor without input from the citizens, doesn’t mean council should have done so. I have to wonder how much goodwill was squandered tonight, how much more distrust of the system was created tonight – simply because council didn’t give its citizens the courtesy of weighing in on this topic. What would it have hurt to have the citizens speak before they voted? We all know their minds were made up. But a little respect, a little consideration goes a long way. If beating down an already downtrodden populace was the goal, I’d say they achieved it.

Council can get by with such behavior because they know there is no price to pay. Sure, people will remember that these votes took place. But they won’t hold them accountable in 2008, when the two superwards are up for re-election or in 2010 when the five small wards and the mayor are up for re-election. Why? Because they have no faith in the system.

And nothing that happened tonight gave them any.