Various items

It looks like Mike Walker will be the next Mayor Pro Tem. Mike has done a good job of providing leadership to all of the new council members and they will reward him by making him the next Mayor Pro Tem of East Baton Rouge.

Bones Addison is the odd man out. Bones is spending more time in Florida and Chicago with the Obama transition team than he is in Baton Rouge. Bones told a friend of mine that with the election of Obama his business has increased ten times. Bones is in tight with the Obama team and Jessie Jackson. It appears that Bones has very little interest in the Metro Council. Last Thursday there was a retreat for the new Metro Council, Bones only showed up to take the official picture of the new council with the mayor and then he left. I have not heard anything official but makes me wonder if Bones is lining up for some appointed job with the Obama administration. My personal opinion is I would not put money on Bones completing his term of office.

This new Council has a very good working relationship and they are determined not to fight among themselves. It will be interesting to see how long this last.

Ronnie Edwards, Donna Collins-Lewis, C. Denise Marcelle, and Tara Wicker are natural allies and old Friends. I would expect that they will vote together most of the time. If you want something past in the Metro Council you better have the girls on your side.

The Parish of East Baton Rouge is getting geared up to be in the Obama Economic Stimulus line this February. I talked to someone in the Mayor's office and I was told that the mayor believes that President Elect Obama first actions as president will be to have an economic stimulus package that will include infra-structure improvement for cities. The Mayor wants to be in that line for money early and is now drafting a request. I was not told what kind of infra-structure improvements the Mayor will ask for, but I hope that he is asking for money for Baton Rouge's aging sewer plants and bridges.

The Baton Rouge Fab Five!

Edwards and Donna Collins-Lewis

First it was Hilary, then it was Sarah Palin and now it is the Baton Rouge Fab Five!

To me the BIG, BIG story of this local election is the five women who won seats on the Baton Rouge Metro Council. Never in the history of Baton Rouge have there been five women serving on the Metro Council at one time.

All of these women are forward thinking and have been involved in the city for many years. Over the years these women have worked on projects together, so that they already have a close working relationship.

Tara Wicker was the neighborhoods coordinator under Mayor Bobby Simpson. She was the bright spot of the Simpson administration. While working for the Simpson administration she work with many of these women and count some of then as personal friends.

Alison Cascio is a professional city planner who had been David Boneno assistant, she is very knowledgeable of the problems in our city and will be a great asset to the Metro Council.

Ronnie Edwards is no stranger to politics. She is a long time ally of State Senator Sharon Weston Broome and the founding executive director of Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation. She has very good political instincts. She knows how to bring people together and build coalitions.

Donna Collins-Lewis has worked with Yvonne Dorsey and she is an old friend of Ronnie Edwards. Lewis worked for the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court working with Yvonne Dorsey and even Mike Walker.

C. Denise Marcelle worked with an attorney as a legal assistant and has been involved with churches in her district. She has also worked on projects with both Ronnie Edwards and Donna Collins-Lewis.

With these sharp, intelligent women on the Metro Council I am expecting great things from the Council.

All I have to say to the men on the Council you better either lead, follow, are get the hell out of the way!