Council chamber clog

Raleigh City Council member Rodger Koopman is a rookie in that job who appears to be having some trouble with the learning curve. For example, he seemed to try to blame the city staff for the controversy that erupted after he and other council members supported a ban on new garbage disposals and a prohibition against fixing broken ones. It was a rash move, and the council undid it April 15, when it repealed the ordinance it had passed.

(When the predictable backlash developed, Koopman invoked the war in Iraq: "Where is the shared sense of sacrifice? If you do support the troops be willing to suck it up just a little bit." Huh?)

Now The N&O reports that the north Raleigh councillor, in response to a question about city staff members posed at a homeowners' group meeting, said that every organization has a small percentage of people considered "dead wood." He added last week, "My sense is we have some people on staff in leadership positions, or department head positions, that may be in over their heads." He's entitled to his views, but airing them in public couldn't have helped morale at City Hall.

Koopman and council member Russ Stephenson have complained that staff members didn't offer enough information about the disposal ban. But in blaming the staff, they're passing the buck in the wrong direction. Koopman says staff members should reach out to him to build support for their recommendations. "Please tell me," he says, "where in my week I have time to read through 500 pages of details."

This is preposterous. Koopman and other council members have the responsibility to be fully informed, and to seek the information they need. Credit council member Mary-Ann Baldwin with the stand-up position. She says the council was responsible for the short-lived disposal ban, period. (Philip Isley was the lone member of the council to vote against the ban.)

If Koopman lacks the time to do the background work he is obligated to do so he can vote in an informed manner, then he can exit the council. There will be plenty of people willing to replace him and do the job. To publicly lay the blame for a poor decision on the city staff is unprofessional, and just plain rude.