¬? Backstory: Jannie Blackwell is the majority City Council leader, which means she is like the queen of the dunces. It’s not a lot of power, but sure, there is a kind of power. Up until recently, was also an avid John Street supporter, playing fiddle to his Nero.
¬? But not anymore: Jannie feels dissed. Quoth she: “”To put it bluntly, the mayor doesn’t seem willing to compromise in any way, shape or form,” she said. “Nobody gets it all; everybody gives a little and then you work it out.” [DailyNews]
¬? AND SO: The blockage begins. Jannie fronts on housing, neighborhoods, Water Department stuff, and now, the relocation of the Youth Study Center, a kind of juvie-but-not-juvie out on the Parkway. Inherent message: “Y’all tryin’ to disrespect ME? Oh no.”
¬? Resultant clusterfuckery of YSC blockage: Barnes Foundation relocation plans get way mucked-up, City has to spend millions in temporary relocation for YSC (including, somehow, moving 100 or more prisoners into another prison) and DN is, like all concerned, “puzzled.”
¬? Jannie’s wishes: She wants to have a “big meeting” so that the new juvie can, you know, “interact with the community.”
¬? BUT what kind of meeting can be had when the situation basically boils down to this:

Street administration officials, however, say they’ve been trying to placate Blackwell for months only to be rebuffed in ways that leave them dumbfounded.

They privately complain about her “irrational behavior” while she publicly criticizes them for keeping her out of the decision-making loop.

“Everything I find out, I found out by accident,” Blackwell said. “They keep asking me to move, but they don’t give me any information.”

Won-wahhh. JANNIE BLACKWELL, COME ON DOWN! You’re the next contestant on HYPERSPACE CLUSTERFUCK!
DN: Jannie, Jannie, Who Can I Turn To?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 31st, 2006 at 11:49 am.