Newsflash: Mayor Lou is in over his head

ROSAMIlIA

Before I get going on this one let me remind everyone that I was on more than one occasion accused of writing to get a job with Mayor Mark Pattison, a Democrat.

Now that that’s out of the way, I’ve said from the get-go, before he even took office, Mayor Lou Rosamilia was in over his head and about everything that happened over the past two-plus years has done nothing but reinforce that observation.

The latest example was revealed by outgoing City Engineer Russ Reeves at a public hearing on Tuesday. Reeves, under oath, said an engineer, Jack Healey, was lined up to take a look at the wall between the buildings that were knocked down in August, 2013 and the adjacent Bomber’s restaurant but Rosamilia pulled the engineer off because the building’s owner, Don Boyajian, asked him to.

Michael Morris, the new mayor’s spokesman, said the mayor likely didn’t understand the protocol. I have no doubt of that. I don’t think the mayor suddenly had an engineering epiphany telling him a report on the wall wasn’t necessary. I don’t think Boyajian directly contacted the mayor either. I think the attorney used an intermediary like he did on Talk 1300 Wednesday morning to declare his innocence, or ignorance.

DUNNE

That means someone in his administration likely told the mayor to call off the study just before Fire Chief Tom Garrett ordered the buildings demolished while Reeves, who twice denied an emergency demolition permit, was on vacation.

I won’t belabor the King Street demolition or the King Fuels demolition or Scolite bid debacle or the sidewalks in North Central because it’s all been written and federal authorities are looking into it. Reeves told the Council the FBI told him he wasn’t a target which means there are targets out there. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out who is on the list. I can’t add anything new, really, outside of observing Troy government and its politics for nearly two decades.

That said, I don’t think Rosamilia is malicious. I don’t think he intentionally jeopardized public safety by the King Street or King Fuels demolitions. I think he expects everyone to act with as much integrity as he has. The might be admirable in the cocoon of academia or on the football field but it doesn’t make an effective mayor, especially in a place like Troy where hidden agendas abound and grudges are held for years or even lifetimes.

TUTUNJIAN

The mayor can still be a “nice guy,” but to do the job he needs people, or even one person, he trusts that might not be so nice. Or in the least someone who isn’t afraid to take a stand, put people – employees and otherwise – in their respective place even if it means kicking some butt once in a while.   

For example, Mayor Harry Tutunjian had Deputy Mayor Dan Crawley. Mayor Mark Pattison had a couple people including Owen Goldfarb, Pat Morphy and Mark Streb. Rosamilia really doesn’t have anyone. Bill Dunne, the planning commissioner, is a central figure in all of the above problems, Pete Ryan, the deputy mayor, is in further over his head than Rosamilia, and Ian Silverman, the corporation council who is running for judge, is more focused on getting robes fitted.

PATTISON

Anyone of those people under Tutunjian or Pattison would never have allowed the friction between Dunne and Reeves to fester to the point of boiling over and impacting city business. It simply would not have been allowed and shouldn't have been allowed.

And, it's the mayor's job to be the public face of anything that happens in the city - good or bad. I know Tutunjian and Pattison would have said something to the public if five people got shot under their watch. Last week, we heard nothing from Rosamilia and still haven't.

Councilman Jim Gordon, R-District 1, is calling for Rosamilia’s resignation. A good political move but I don’t see it happening. I’d be willing to bet, though, that Rosamilia can’t wait until his time in office is over in 20 or so months. And actually, a bunch of Trojans probably can’t either.