Something fishy is going on

Published 6:09 pm Wednesday, September 18, 2013

This letter should be called “Something’s Fishy at Auburn City Hall” because I can smell it from here, and the smell isn’t good.

In the Sept. 6 Reporter, Scot Pondelick did a very strange thing by endorsing Nancy Backus for mayor. He ran his mayoral primary campaign on the slogan, “Fix Auburn.” His platform depended on claims that the present administration and council has broken Auburn and continues to make it worse. Therefore, they would need to be replaced. Apparently, that message did not resonate with voters, since he was eliminated in the primary with only 14 percent of the vote.

I personally wondered what his motivation could have been for endorsing the candidate that most represents the Auburn breakers he was campaigning against. I thought perhaps Ms. Backus might have enticed him in some way; otherwise, the endorsement made no sense.

Then, lo and behold, at Monday night’s council meeting, Scot Pondelick was appointed to the planning commission. And who is the chair of the planning commission? Why, none other than Nancy Backus herself.

Councilman Peloza even exclaimed excitedly, “Scot, we got you!” Well, it doesn’t take much to connect the dots, so I will leave that to the readers.

Suffice it to say that the fishy smell surrounding Auburn City Hall is quite overwhelming. Endorsements don’t mean much when they are the result of “enticements.” At least Scot will now be in a position where he can “fix Auburn” from his position on the planning commission.

– John Pinsker