For the week of November 20 - 26, 2002

Hailey should refuse to be whipsawed

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To be, or not to be? That is the question former Hailey Mayor Al Lindley laid before the City Council Monday night.
Lindley decided “not to be” when he resigned his post a week ago. Now he says he wants it back.

Hailey should just say, “No.”

Lindley ran unopposed for the seat last year. He said he decided to submit a letter of resignation to the city when he was asked by the City Council to meet and to discuss the council’s unanimous opinion that it had lost confidence in the mayor’s ability to run the city.

Imagine that: a city council that doesn’t get along with a mayor—it was nothing new under the sun. In many quarters, it’s politics as usual. Legislators often don’t like working with governors. Members of Congress and the U.S. Senate are famous for very public differences with the president.

In his letter of resignation, Lindley said he had informed the council that if anyone had a problem working with him, he would resign. So, he did.

He couldn’t take the heat and got out of the kitchen. 

He should stay out.

In a press release, Lindley claimed he resigned because of grievances filed against him by two city employees.
At Monday’s meeting, it became clear more was involved.
On Monday, the Council dealt with two contracts it said Lindley, as mayor, had signed without council approval. The first was an addendum to a contract involving federal grant payments to the city. The second was the contract for services with the city attorney.

State law requires council approval of any city contracts. Otherwise, they are automatically void.

If one contract had been involved, it might be argued it was an oversight. But two? An obvious question raised by the fact that one of the contracts personally involved the city attorney is something the council should consider when it decides who will get the city’s new contract for legal services—and advice.
Even if the City Council could reappoint Lindley, it should not. Hailey needs more considerate and thoughtful leadership than Lindley demonstrated.

The council should refuse to be whipsawed, fill the position, and get on with city business.

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