OPINION: Circus? Combative? Political theater? A better word describes Monday’s City Council meeting (but please read the whole column)

When Bill Veeck owned baseball teams and sat in the bleachers or Harry Caray broadcast baseball games from the cheap seats, it was funny.

But when Alderman Mike Farha (R-4th Ward) sat in the audience during Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting, it was not funny. When roll was called, he said he was just going to sit back there instead of at his customary seat.

No one batted an eye.

Really?

Not one grownup on the dais had the balls to say, “Mike, get your ass up here with the rest of us.”

Farha commented frequently during the meeting, as he is wont to do. However, the audience watching at home via the city’s livestream feed couldn’t hear him very well because he didn’t have the microphone he had available WHEN HE IS SITTING IN HIS APPROPRIATE SEAT.

C’mon, Mike. I understand your spotty attendance because of health issues, but you’ve already bailed from all committee assignments. Not properly joining your colleagues is poor form.

Alderman Greg Fletcher (R-1st Ward) then requested to sit in on city department head meetings and was denied by Mayor Mike Troup.

The Open Meetings Act does not apply to department head meetings. Unless the administration gives an invitation, you don’t have a right to attend the meeting. Not even an alderman.

Fletcher, who retired earlier this month from Central Stone, said he wanted to be more involved in his role as an alderman. He believed that attending department head meetings was a way to do that. Troup countered by saying he would put him on more committees.

“(City) counsel has told me that’s a different world and we need to leave that alone, but why wouldn’t you (Troup) encourage that? I’m retired now. I want to spend more time …” Fletcher said.

But the mayor interrupted the alderman, and the alderman interrupted the mayor.

“We’re not here, Alderman Fletcher, to take up your free time,” Troup said. “We’ve got a city to run … an organization to run and plan …”

“Let me tell you something …” Fletcher said.

“I was answering your question,” Troup said. “If you don’t have respect for me to answer your question, don’t ask it.”

“I don’t think there’s any reason in the world why I can’t sit on a department head meeting,” Fletcher said.

Troup then said he could put Fletcher on more committees because “that’s where aldermen are permitted to go.”

Not the best choice of words.

Fletcher then pointed to the city government flow chart which has the aldermen listed above the administration.

“I just want to educate myself … I don’t think this looks very good for you … especially (when you’re) trying to get re-elected,” he said. “There’s no transparency.”

“Thanks for your advice,” Troup shot back.

Bergman then voiced his support of Fletcher’s comments. He and Fletcher were part of the majority of aldermen who issued a vote of no confidence against Troup in July 2023 (See the mayor’s response to their vote here), primarily because of their perception of his demeanor and lack of communication.

Bergman implied there was something to hide.

“Perception is reality,” he said. “I do not think that was a good look for the city as far as trust and transparency.”

The City Council could create a resolution to allow aldermen to attend those meetings. And although the legislative and executive branches should be separated, an occasional visit isn’t out of line — if there is nothing to hide.

Then there was Farha’s suggestion to spin the library off as its own taxing body. It isn’t a terrible idea, but it needs to be more thought-out and not shoehorned into this budget cycle. The library’s spending request (which needs to be reduced and in line with what is soon going to be an overall reduction in city services or massive tax hikes) was met with the usual chorus of Luddites singing, “Just close the library!”

Two types of people want to close libraries — those who don’t read books and those who burn books. Fiscal prudence doesn’t mean you have to close the damn place.

The Park Board (another soap opera for another day) used to serve popcorn at its meetings. If they still have their popcorn maker, maybe the commissioners can sell it to the city.

Sorry if you don’t appreciate my flippant or tongue-in-cheek description of these events, but I’m giving last night’s shitshow the treatment it deserves.

See? That’s the correct description of last night’s meeting.