Something stinks at city hall

Hamilton is a far cry from Scotland but city hall is sure beginning to resemble the dark underhanded world Shakespeare depicted in his classic Macbeth. To paraphrase "Something Wicked This Way Comes".

I called Mayor Fred Eisenberger "Fast Freddy" back when he was elected because I knew he won strictly on the voters apathy for the former mayor. He ran an election based on convenience. What ever the voter wanted to hear, Eisenberger was quick with the soothing talk that cured the burn left by a previous council that took and took until the coffers where bare.

Promises bound forth with the new mayor and newly elected and refreshed Hamilton council. So much for elevated transparency, morals and principles. Three city managers were fired after an independent investigation into a harassment complaint in the city licensing department. Yet, Council voted in a secret session last week to ignore a report's recommendation that Councillor Bernie Morelli receive sensitivity training as a result of his harassment of a city inspector two years ago.

Discipline, it seems is acceptable for city staff, it seems, but not for council colleagues. Councillors, hide behind a cloak of confidentiality. What happened? Where's the transparency? Where's the openness? Instead, voters are stuck with the dank smell of dare I say it oh so softly "corruption".

Eisenberger isn't cocky enough to pull off such a ruse. Eventually he will reveal the truth, like that of a modern day Rosencrantz & Guildenstern. And Counselor Morelli could be left with bloody hands.

Eisenberger, designated by council to speak on this issue, has already got his signals crossed with Morelli. The mayor gamely said the councillor "has indicated regret that the incident happened," but the councillor was unrepentant. "I regret this discomfort for me personally," he says.

Ominous warnings came after an operational review, "Heads will role" came the echoes. But it wasn't the dirty players it was the three scapegoat managers who where fired after an investigation. Morelli slipped off into the darkness, escaping the wrath of the "ghosts".

Morelli berated a city employee, which he does admit. If Morelli had a problem with how a city employee was doing his job, he should have taken it up with the appropriate supervisor in a professional manner. For a councillor to throw his weight and position around like that is an abuse of authority.

Morelli has convinced colleagues his actions weren't harassment, but he won't convince the public who have backbones and won't stand for this kind of nonsense.

Later,
Kenaz