R-E-S-P-...oh Forget it.

During the first mayoral debate last fall when all five pre-primary candidates participated, Gardiner Bacon, the high school senior who sought to be be King, kicked butt at the start.

He was articulate. His answers showed thought, humor and originality. Folks in the crowd actually began to believe. He still wasn't going to win, but he had a chance of not getting his doors blown off as he ultimately did.

Then came a question about the landfill. Bacon offered an admirable, but ill-advised approach for someone running for office. He suggested he would treat New Ventures with respect, with the idea being they, in turn, would do the same, maybe.

That was it. He lost the crowd (and me.) The air rushing out of his candidacy was audible. Bacon once again looked like a naive high school student who was better off going to college and living the the "real world." Voters prefer a little table pounding.

But what about constituents? I think we'd prefer results. It seems to me the City Council and the actual Mayor, John Moak, must find a way to work with New Ventures. It's always easier for chest-pounders and fist-pumpers on the sidelines to call for war, but it's toughter to fight one.

Face it, the city signed a bad deal a few years back. I'm not sure there is a clean way out. The secret negotiations between New Ventures and the state isn't a good sign. If there was any chance of breaking out of this deal, our city officials would be in the loop on these dicussions. They seem largely loopless.

So I've grown to appreciate the slow and steady approach we've seen from the mayor and council so far. This issue certainly warrants a separate meeting--as we'll get on Monday night. And the neighborhood group representing the victims abutting the landfill should be an integral part of that hearing as they will need to live with whatever "we"--meaning our elected officials--decide.

I still firmly believe the city shouldn't agree to anything without knowing the big picture. And I agree completely with the abutters who spoke at last night's council meeting. I actually went to the meeting to watch a good ole fashioned tongue lashing, but they really impressed me with their measured and reasonable statements. I expected more yelling and hysterics, but they stayed on message and advocated for the best possible resolution. I'm not sure I would have been as composed.

So let's hear what New Ventures wants. Let's see what the state says, and then let's make the best deal--including any bonding or side funds that will cover our behinds--to close the landfill properly. I'm not sure respect comes into play at this point, but you don't always have to respect someone to work with them.



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