Thank you for this insightful and informative article. There are some courageous individuals in this community who are and have bucked the power brokers. Those folks have super-hero courage. Good on you all. I so respect them.
I think the majority Councilors are mainly responsible for an internecine war that we have seen the last year, which was likely within their power to avoid or at least tamp down.
Since day one, majority Council has done nothing to calm the waters. Not an ounce of diplomacy or clemency. There have been no thoughtful alternatives. A series of dumb lawsuits with bad outcomes.
Just three days ago, Don Overcash wrote Council that he was glad Krenning was resigning, attaching acid Facebook comments about him, penned by Krenning. (I've seen worse examples.) Black jumped at this opportunity to deliver more digs: "That's rich coming from, someone who LOST his mayoral bid. The voters have overwhelming said they don't trust your [sic] or your judgements. You don't have credibility with the voters, Don."
With this level of animosity, people tend to not behave rationally. They assume the worst about others; they read into remarks what's not intended.
We elected the new councilors to be better than those they replaced. To be thoughtful, civil, questioning, lawful, respectful, studious, and putting citizens first. Alas, that's not what we got.
I’ve thought a lot about your comment, Linda, and I respectfully disagree. In my experience Loveland has suffered mightily due to illegal and frequently underhanded actions taken by elected officials and executive level staff who operate with a level of impunity. What is considered “crass” or “abrasive” appears to apply more to woman and I find that misogynistic and, to the point of this piece, a giant distraction from the business of the City. If Mayor Marsh or Councilor Black exhibited the kind of behavior that’s regularly on display from Councilor Foley, for example, they would have been run out of town long ago. I see nothing radical about asking hard questions, calling out intrusive and manipulative behavior and generally speaking about what is so often hidden in plain sight. Why shouldn’t anyone who has been falsely accused defend themselves? When we tell everyone to “settle down” and not “make a fuss” we’re giving credence to a culture that is toxic. There will never be a peaceful Council culture without establishing an expectation of honesty, transparency and justice. If there is, it will be fleeting and disingenuous. In my opinion, of course.
I have to wonder how long you have been watching Loveland's political scene. Men have not been immune to being maligned as trouble-makers by the corrupt Old Guard if they questioned the legality of their actions on Council. The female councilors supporting the majority Old Guard deals were not targeted.
I don't think there's a good case for making this a problem with misogyny when it's obviously about power. It may just be that there are now more women opposing the Old Guard on Council (although Light-Kovacs seems more a swing vote).
But if you make it a misogyny issue, then you also need to acknowledge the crass and demeaning remarks Krenning has made about Andrea Samson and myself.
Then, too, there are the acid remarks Black made from the dais about the seven women who voiced concerns during Public Comment about DEI and "equity" replacing "equality" as the "guiding principle to all City policies."
You are going to bat for "honesty, transparency, and justice." We agree on that, of course. I would add that some ways to go about getting those things can be counterproductive. The "new council" came into office swinging – even muzzling the minority on a key action – when diplomacy might have been a better approach. Alas, that was a missed opportunity.
Thank you for this insightful and informative article. There are some courageous individuals in this community who are and have bucked the power brokers. Those folks have super-hero courage. Good on you all. I so respect them.
I think Black is getting pilloried unfairly.
That said...
I think the majority Councilors are mainly responsible for an internecine war that we have seen the last year, which was likely within their power to avoid or at least tamp down.
Since day one, majority Council has done nothing to calm the waters. Not an ounce of diplomacy or clemency. There have been no thoughtful alternatives. A series of dumb lawsuits with bad outcomes.
Just three days ago, Don Overcash wrote Council that he was glad Krenning was resigning, attaching acid Facebook comments about him, penned by Krenning. (I've seen worse examples.) Black jumped at this opportunity to deliver more digs: "That's rich coming from, someone who LOST his mayoral bid. The voters have overwhelming said they don't trust your [sic] or your judgements. You don't have credibility with the voters, Don."
With this level of animosity, people tend to not behave rationally. They assume the worst about others; they read into remarks what's not intended.
We elected the new councilors to be better than those they replaced. To be thoughtful, civil, questioning, lawful, respectful, studious, and putting citizens first. Alas, that's not what we got.
I’ve thought a lot about your comment, Linda, and I respectfully disagree. In my experience Loveland has suffered mightily due to illegal and frequently underhanded actions taken by elected officials and executive level staff who operate with a level of impunity. What is considered “crass” or “abrasive” appears to apply more to woman and I find that misogynistic and, to the point of this piece, a giant distraction from the business of the City. If Mayor Marsh or Councilor Black exhibited the kind of behavior that’s regularly on display from Councilor Foley, for example, they would have been run out of town long ago. I see nothing radical about asking hard questions, calling out intrusive and manipulative behavior and generally speaking about what is so often hidden in plain sight. Why shouldn’t anyone who has been falsely accused defend themselves? When we tell everyone to “settle down” and not “make a fuss” we’re giving credence to a culture that is toxic. There will never be a peaceful Council culture without establishing an expectation of honesty, transparency and justice. If there is, it will be fleeting and disingenuous. In my opinion, of course.
I have to wonder how long you have been watching Loveland's political scene. Men have not been immune to being maligned as trouble-makers by the corrupt Old Guard if they questioned the legality of their actions on Council. The female councilors supporting the majority Old Guard deals were not targeted.
I don't think there's a good case for making this a problem with misogyny when it's obviously about power. It may just be that there are now more women opposing the Old Guard on Council (although Light-Kovacs seems more a swing vote).
But if you make it a misogyny issue, then you also need to acknowledge the crass and demeaning remarks Krenning has made about Andrea Samson and myself.
Then, too, there are the acid remarks Black made from the dais about the seven women who voiced concerns during Public Comment about DEI and "equity" replacing "equality" as the "guiding principle to all City policies."
You are going to bat for "honesty, transparency, and justice." We agree on that, of course. I would add that some ways to go about getting those things can be counterproductive. The "new council" came into office swinging – even muzzling the minority on a key action – when diplomacy might have been a better approach. Alas, that was a missed opportunity.