The most significant aspect of last week's Shelby County primaries -- costing $1 million for a turnout of about 11 percent -- involved the races for the Shelby County Board of Commissioners (we like to call it the Shelby County Commission). In all, 12 of the 13 commissioners were essentially elected to their seats, by virtue of the almost non-existent party vs. party competition for the 12 seats in Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4. Only District 5 remains contested in the Aug. 5 election, with the Republicans putting forward Dr. Rolando Toyos to challenge Steve Mulroy, the Democrat who won in 2006 with a comfortable margin and reminds anyone who asks that District 5 has only grown MORE democratic.
We ran this story Sunday about how many believe the new commission projects to be more partisan, more guided by ideology and more, well, loud. There could well be some YouTube worthy confrontations with very non-timid commissioners like Walter Bailey and Henri Brooks on the left and Terry Roland and Chris Thomas on the right. This quote from Thomas in the story is telling:
Bailey, who was commissioner for 35 years before term limits forced a 4-year hiatus, sounded optimistic that the partisan rancor would cool once people figure out their job is to accomplish things for the county, not to win arguments.
We ran this story Sunday about how many believe the new commission projects to be more partisan, more guided by ideology and more, well, loud. There could well be some YouTube worthy confrontations with very non-timid commissioners like Walter Bailey and Henri Brooks on the left and Terry Roland and Chris Thomas on the right. This quote from Thomas in the story is telling:
"I'm not looking for a fight, but I'm not backing down from one. I'm not going to lay down and let people roll over us."
Bailey, who was commissioner for 35 years before term limits forced a 4-year hiatus, sounded optimistic that the partisan rancor would cool once people figure out their job is to accomplish things for the county, not to win arguments.
"Initially you are going to find more than the usual posturing especially among the new commissioners who enter the process on a mission. As we get more settled and learn and trust each other a bit more, then I think as part of the acclimation process, one learns that consensus is an essential requirement."
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