Monday, April 14, 2008

Duncanville Mayor David Green guarantees victory on May 10

By Brian Allen of Best Southwest Citizen

At Saturday night’s Duncanville ISD Education Foundation Gala, we learned what happens when city council members and staff stop being polite and start being real. There’s a very vocal and visible power struggle going on among members of the council, hinging on the May 10 election. This council often finds itself breaking down 4-3 on controversial issues. The unit of three consists of District 3 Councilman Paul Ford, District 5 Councilwoman Johnette Jameson and District 4 Councilwoman Deborah Hodge.

Up for the grabs in the upcoming city election are the seats of Mayor David Green, District 2 Councilman Scott Cannon and Hodge. Further complicating the matter is Hodge’s opponent, former councilman Grady Smithey, Jr. He brings years of experience and by his own admission has a lot of friends and a lot of enemies. Many people in town have been a member of both camps over Smithey’s long career. Because of both the personalities involved and the potential impact on the council, that contest has a lot of eyes watching it.

The political stakes in this contest are as high as any have ever been in Duncanville. Depending on the May 10 election results, the balance of power on this council could undergo a huge shift.

If anyone has become a leader of the group of three, at least by the sheer amounts of headlines he’s garnered, it’s Ford. It is no secret that he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with Green or City Manager Kent Cagle. The three were seated together at the April 12 gala and a heated exchange broke out at the table.

Ford was accusing Cagle of running or having other people run background checks on him. Cagle said he had done no such thing but wanted Ford to answer some questions about his record as a Dallas police officer.

“I just want to know why you’re misleading people about your record as a police officer,” Cagle said. “You’re always telling people about being a Dallas officer, I just wonder why you haven’t told them the whole story. What happened, Paul?”

Ford said that since Cagle seemed to know everything, the city manager should tell Ford what happened. The discussion wasn’t just political as there were also questions about whether Ford had ever been married. Ford wanted to know why the topic was of such interest to Cagle, who said he was only making small talk.

“I’m not your type, Kent, if that’s what you’re asking,” Ford said.

Green interjected and Ford suggested some of these issues would be resolved in May. He said they would see what happens at the polls.

Green made no bones about what he thinks is going to happen.

“I’m going to win the election and I’m going to win big,” Green said. Green also told Ford that the opposing side should have gotten someone “better than Rose Renfroe” to run against him. By now Jameson had reentered the room and asked the group to quit bickering.

Green said he knew Jameson was involved in getting Renfroe to run as well.

Ford expressed his opinion that Bill Crumpton, Jameson’s 2007 opponent, had been groomed by Green to replace her. He countered Green should find someone better and even asked if they might “move Crumpton to District 3″ to run against Ford. Ford said whatever happened, he would be around for at least another year. He prefaced a couple of his comments to Cagle, a finalist for the assistant city manager’s position in Ft. Worth, by saying “if you’re here next year.”

“If the election doesn’t work out, I don’t want to be here,” a visibly frustrated Cagle said.

Green said Cagle would be in Duncanville next year and Ford shouldn’t worry about it. But as the spirited debate continued, Green told the District 3 councilman he shouldn’t be sure he would be on the council next year.

“You can be recalled,” Green said.

Ford questioned whether there was support for such a bold move but Green said he and Cagle are far from the only people displeased with Ford.

“You have no idea how many people call me up and think you’re a fool,” Green said.

“They just call you up and tell you that?” Ford asked.

“Yes they do,” Green said.

After the exchange between he and Ford, Cagle simply said there was no need to pretend.

“Everything’s a conspiracy with him,” Cagle said hours after the argument, saying Ford had objected to discussion of the slogan “Go Green.” Cagle said it was a reference to protecting the environment, while Ford took it as support for the incumbent mayor.

“If it’s a conspiracy then Belo’s part of it, the city of Dallas is part of it,” Cagle said. “They’re all going green and using that slogan.”

The next month in Duncanville - well, the possibilities defy any attempt to describe them adequately.

Pegasus News content partner - Best Southwest Citizen

Related stories

• Duncanville candidates’ forum doesn’t disappoint (April 26, 2008)
• Pegasus News Week in View: No VIPs at SOBs edition (April 17, 2008)

See more stories in:

• Politics and Government > City Government > Duncanville

Comments

TexasPatriot Anonymous

Hmmmm, interesting event it seems. I was not there either and it is probably just as well.

From what I can read above, Green and Cagle ganged up on Ford in a rather unseemly display of poor character. I have always liked David and have considered him my friend. I have voted for him in every election but this year, I am not so sure. The headline above “David Green Guarantees Victory in May” gives me the feeling that the voters are being taken for granted. Folks, don’t take my vote for granted and don’t be too sure of yourselves because you simply do not know what the outcome will be. Anyone who has known Ms. Renfroe and has been aware of her history would realize that she should not be taken for granted either.

Now, all of the nonsense above is pretty much politicas as ususal, but this part is really disturbing:

“Ford was accusing Cagle of running or having other people run background checks on him. Cagle said he had done no such thing but wanted Ford to answer some questions about his record as a Dallas police officer.

“I just want to know why you’re misleading people about your record as a police officer,” Cagle said. “You’re always telling people about being a Dallas officer, I just wonder why you haven’t told them the whole story. What happened, Paul?” ”

Ford should have told him to mind his own business and let the subject go. Also, all should understand that Cagle is an EMPLOYEE and his behavior should have gotten him fired on the spot.

Several years ago, I was a councilman in another city and the chief of police at the time spoke at a council meeting and insisted that the council censure me for a varity of reasons. I typed his termination letter myself and to the best of my knowledge, he was never a cop again. An employee should always show respect for his boss regardless of personal feelings involved. In this case, Ford is an ELECTED OFFICIAL and Cagle is an EMPLOYEE. If Mayor Green is wrong and the balance of power on our council changes, Mr. Cagle will probably wish that he had kept his place!

This bring to mind another subject that I have been noticing….. I have only been participating on this blog for a few days and - forgive me if I’m wrong - is Brian practicing some awesome media bias here - or is it my imagination? I think that it may be appropriate to add these links to my next newsletter and then discover what my readers across the nation thinks.

Respectfully submitted, Tony W. Smith

5 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

TexasPatriot Anonymous

How many of you received a very nice professional campaign letter from David Green a few days ago?

Did you notice the endorsements on the left panel under the label "steering committee"?

What you don't know is that some of those names were used without the individuals permission.

I have encouraged one of the elected officials whose name was used inappropriately to file a complaint to the state elections commission and to send out a press release to all of the media to ensure that her name is dissassociated from this campaign. She is running for office in another race and this unauthorized use of her name can and will hurt her own campaign.

I also encourage all other's who have had their names used without permission to do the same, regardless of the candidate on either side.

How low can we go my friends?

Respectfully submitted, Tony W. Smith, The Texas Patriot

5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )