Classless Quirk

When Mayor Dave Druker read aloud the City Council’s proclamation to Dwight Worden upon his retirement for health reasons, he interspersed the long list with contemporaneous remarks about times that he and Dwight worked together to solve issues. It was a heartfelt, collegial moment of two City Council members, who often strongly opposed each other, recalling their successes. It was a perfect moment except one member, Dan Quirk, had not signed the proclamation. Nor was Dan present at this celebratory event following the City Council meeting where he was present.

My first thought about Dan’s behavior was a remark from a hearing witness to U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy: “have you no shame, sir.” Dan’s supporters label him a “fighter.” Is this a fight they sanction? Or maybe Dan recognized that Dwight’s ever-present kindness to anyone who opposed him was too great a contrast to Dan’s brand of hostility to everything and everyone related to government.

Many of us have served on boards and we know that Dan’s abuse of staff and his position as a City Council member could only be resolved legally with a censure. Other City Council members did not take on this censure willingly.  It was only to protect our city.  The boards that many of us have served on would have removed Dan for hostility to fellow board members and professional staff. His hostility toward City Council members makes it impossible to recruit other qualified candidates. Our unopposed election is proof of that. Dan, the fighter, has succeeded in making our City Council a battleground where it is hard for reasonable solutions to be forged. If they are, it is because the City Council has ignored his remarks.

There is almost always a kernel of truth in Dan’s questions. The problem is Dan’s hostility to his fellow City Council members reduces their ability to hear the kernel of truth.  Can Dan re-direct his concerns in a constructive manner so that he can be heard and respected as he was when he proposed prop Q? If not, he should resign.