One indication of how the Good Ole Boy Network works is the election of the council president in Shawnee.
Now, why is that position important? Because, if something happens to the mayor, the council president becomes mayor. Also, with the change from two split function council committees to one full member council committee the president of the council is chairman of that committee.
So, let's see who has been council president, and how long they have been on the council:
Sawyer (on council since 1/2002) president, 2005, 2006 and 2011
Sandifer (on council since 4/2004) president 2007 and 2010
Kuhn (on council since 4/2004) president 2008 and 2009
Vaught (on council since 4/2010) president, current, 2012
So, four folks have held that position in the past 8 years. We haven't even mentioned those who served during those 8 years who no longer are on the council.
Interesting that Pflumm (4/2002) and Distler (4/2006) have never been president. Wonder why? Is it because they don't "toe the line?"
Willoughby, just appointed 7/2012 hasn't been here for a council president election, and Neighbor (appointed 5/2010 and elected 4/2012) also has not been president, but only eligible 2011 (Sawyer) and 2012 (Vaught).
Curious isn't it, that Vaught, in the second year of his first term became president. Was this a payback for his electioneering from the council dais for the incumbents running for office?
How many of these folks have abrogated their responsibilites and have become subservient to the city manager, forgetting that the city manager works for them, not the other way around? Think about former council member Morris' resignation and the reasons for it.
