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So in the Monday Morning Bullpen I decided to take a shot, well more like needle, the esteemed Mayor Victor Gordo over the staff report on the contract for incoming City Manager Miguel Márquez.
In the report, which of course came out several days before the meeting, it said the council had unanimously appointed Márquez on July 11.
I said something snarky about a crystal ball in my column after I deleted the original sentence which contained the name “Gordodamus.”
The city of course amended the staff report.
Well after Márquez was introduced to the press on Monday, Gordo pointed out something to me.
“You’re not as quick a study as you think,” he said returning the favor. “You said Rick Cole has been ‘appointed’ to the Planning Commission. He’s only been nominated. So you had a crystal ball too.”
All that I could think of was “Dredamus?” “Andredamus?” I didn’t even add the accent, I was so frustrated.
I felt like Charlie Brown and that football.
ARGGGGHHHHH
I haven’t felt this bad since they did an Ellery Queen marathon on METV.
Yes, the Mayor was right, I got it wrong.
A big part of that First Amendment I always go on about is admitting when you got it wrong.
Yes, the vaunted First allows for freedom of the press. But that reporting should be accurate and a fair representation of the facts.
I do regret the error in my reporting.
But here’s what makes it sting even more.
Cole sent me this email. “Technically, I believe I’ve been nominated to the PC and won’t be ‘appointed’ until approved by a majority vote of the Council.”
Damn, that’s two right across the chops.
Even though the Mayor and I both erred. My error of course is in front of more people, considering Pasadena Now’s audience.
So that said, Mr. Mayor, I’ll take the L.
Score one for the Pasadena High Bulldog. I of course bleed that John Muir Mustang Blue and Gold. So it stings even more.
And to Rick Cole. Congrats to Pasadena’s first rotating mayor in the modern age on the appointment.
On to Márquez.
It didn’t take long for Márquez to get an “F the police” aimed at him during Monday’s City Council meeting as callers once again called on the City Council to fire the police officers that killed Anthony McClain.
Márquez hasn’t even started yet, and here we go.
By the way comments for matters not on the agenda are now being heard at the top of the meeting again.
But …
City Clerk Mark Jomsky still has the bell. That makes it worthwhile for me.
By the way, I thought I thoroughly destroyed the notion that the City Council can fire cops.
Back on Márquez. He seemed to do okay in front of the local press on Monday and even said he was looking forward to working with local reporters.
That’s good to hear, but my advice …
Write those words down and tape them to your computer. You will want to remember them when the phone starts ringing during a crisis and all of us want to know the Who, What, When, Where and Why and are asking the PIO for a quote.
Kudos to all the local press that asked Márquez those interesting questions at Monday’s event.
That’s what great reporters do right?
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