A New (and Former) Council Member's Priority

At Monday's Informal Common Council meeting, new 4th ward Common Council member Rich Volvo had a "very important" issue to discuss with DPW Superintendent Robert Perry following his monthly report.  This was the first time Volo brought an issue to Perry's attention since Volo was recently welcomed back to the council after a two- or four-year hiatus. 

Rich Volo didn't ask Robert Perry about the condition of streets or sidewalks in his ward or when they might be repaved.  Rich didn't ask about a missing stop sign or street sign.  Rich didn't even ask about a water or sewer problem, missing curb ramp or crosswalk, nor a snowplowing or garbage issue, either.  In fact, Rich didn't ask about anything that could be considered a typical DPW issue (not that there's anything wrong with that, I suppose).   But the issue he did bring to our DPW Superintendent's attention had obviously been on his mind, and possibly on the minds of his 4th ward constituents as well.  And it was the only issue he felt that he needed to bring to Mr. Perry's attention on Monday.

Robert Perry, as usual, was not physically present at the meeting.  He could be heard but not seen (as usual), and he interrupted Rich 3 times during the 20 seconds it took Rich to work around the interruptions to present his important issue and questions in front of the entire Common Council and anyone else in attendance.  I will omit the interruptions and stick to the gist of Volo's "very important" issue as if he spoke without being interrupted.

Council member Volo (without a hint of irony):  Rob, very important.  The Santa's Village huts, where are they stored?  Are they outside now or is there a place for them so that they don't get exposed to the elements and things like that?

Perry responded with my favorite lead-in put down of his that he so often utilizes on council members and the public.  It really set the tone for a respectful and meaningful discussion to come: "Well, here's the thing," he started with.  Nothing says "Okay, you ignoramus, if you really must know..." more than "Well, here's the thing," does it?  Perry went on to explain, over the course of his three interruptions, that there was no structure available in which to store the huts and that tarps were ineffective and even more damaging due to mildew.  Therefore, the only option is that they sit behind the DPW garage in the elements.  Then Perry ended with a typical dismissive coup de grace he so often slyly utilizes:  "If you have a place for us that is covered where air can get around them, then hell yes, we'll move them right now."  End of discussion.  Stop bothering me and go away.

The roofed Santa's Village huts that Rich Volo is so 
concerned about and whose whereabouts he was unaware of!

You would think that if Rich felt his issue was so important (to him and his constituents) that he would have pressed the matter and asked Perry if the DPW could maybe build something to keep the roofed huts out of the elements for ten months of the year.  (Perry had just shown the council a roofed structure DPW had recently built to better cover the department's road salt).  But Perry, through a tiny speaker in the middle of the room, had already signaled he wanted none of what was on the council member's mind.  Volo was already defeated, shut down and out, dismissed like so many others in the past.  He knew who the boss was and, apparently, he had needed reminding.  Welcome back to the Common Council, Rich Volo!

From what I recall, Volo and his 4th ward sidekick Jennifer Belton held a town hall type meeting late last year to hear concerns and questions from their constituents.  If anyone showed up, I'm sure that the issue of the exposed Santa huts was a hot topic of discussion.  I can't imagine that it wasn't.