George Rebane

What a bunch of unmitigated crap!  According to Nevada City mayor Barbara Coffman (reported in the 9mar09 Union), “It is council’s fiduciary responsibility to make the policy decisions concerning finance and to monitor the budget.  We can’t give this responsibility to anyone else.”  This patronizing pabulum is clearly intended to bamboozle the uncritical and/or under-educated segment of city voters.

There is no issue with the soon-to-be-removed citizens’ oversight committee usurping the city’s “fiduciary responsibility”.  Witness the sorry history of city financial management, the city council has never been a responsible (or accountable) agency in looking after the city’s monies.  And now it appears intent on making sure it will avoid that burden in the future.

Paying off Cathy Wilcox-Barnes for her recent dismissal as city clerk left a lot of rocks unturned around city hall.  I kinda wish Cathy would have had her day in court to sue the city.  That show would have been better than cable.

The council now wants to rid itself of the meddlesome oversight committee so things can get back to normal, no matter the past character of that norm.  Ignoring the message of George Foster’s resignation as its elected City Treasurer only highlights the hubris still firmly entrenched in city hall.