New Castle County Democrats on the Lamb Wisconsin Style

I received an email last night from a good friend in the Delaware conservative movement who was warning about an impending power play by the New Castle County Council.  This is the message:

Tue March 1st at the New Castle County Bldg at 800 N. French Street at 4:30pm New Castle Council meets.  The New Castle Council will meet to try to strip Tom Kovach of some of his powers and undo rules of order that address the corruption in bidding and development.

We need you there. 

I immediately thought that I should go to this.  It was last minute, and with 4 kids, last minute sometimes just doesn't work out.  My wife and I scrambled to make sure we had kid coverage and I was able to leave (albeit a little late) for Wilmington.  I walked in about 25 mins late and was greeted by an almost empty room.  Well, almost empty of legislators.  By the time I arrived only Council President Kovach and Councilman Weiner were still in the room.  I later found out that of the 13 members of council, the following showed up:

1. Councilwoman Diller (D)
2. Councilman Powers (D)
3. Councilman Tackett (D)
4. Councilman Weiner (R)
5. Council President Kovach (R)

Councilwoman Kilpatrick called in sick and Councilman Cartier was out of town, both announced their intent not to show.  The rest of County Council were no shows.  They'd pulled a Wisconsin.  Why?  Well they'd gotten word that THE PEOPLE had been notified that there was to be a vote to strip the Council President of some of his powers.  Word got out that we would show.  And so the Democrats (minus the few good government supporters above) decided since we WERE going to show, that they would not. 

But their motion is not going away.  Instead they are going to wait until the next Finance Committee meeting to bring it up.  That meeting takes place next Tuesday at 1:30PM.  They're doing it then because they figure that many of us who came, wanted to come or tried to come tonight will not be able to come then.  They don't want the public to know what is going on in County Council.  People like Tim Sheldon and George Smiley are neck deep in some serious corruption when it comes to land use and they've been using suspect methods to pass their bills.  Kovach has called them out on their misdeeds and now Council is reacting viciously.  Adam Taylor over at the News Journal (one of the few good guys) has an EXCELLENT piece on the moves Council has made to restrict Kovach's ability to check the Democrats.

I say we show up enmasse on Tuesday at 1:30PM at the City County Building on the 8th Floor.  It's time we stood up for the people attempting to stand up for us.  In addition, if any of the following are your councilmembers, please send them an email about being absent from their duties today:

1st District - Joe Reda

4th District - Penrose Hollins

7th District - George Smiley

8th District - John Cartier - he was excused from the meeting but is in favor of changing the rules because Kovach is calling the Dems bluff

9th District - Tim Sheldon

10th District - Jea P. Street

12th District - Bill Bell