The Naperville city council came close to breaking its own record for their shortest meeting last Tuesday night, when it adjourned just 31 minutes after starting. If it wasn’t for some proclamations at the beginning of the meeting, and the swearing-in of councilwoman Judy Brodhead to another term on the council, the meeting could have concluded in 15 minutes; not even enough time for the small crowd to get seated.
The other three recently elected council members (Coyne, Krummen, and White) were sworn-in on Sunday April 30. Brodhead waited until the council meeting. Some folks thought she didn’t want to share the spotlight, by being one of four. I don’t think that was the case. Tuesday night council meetings garner more viewers, than inauguration meetings.
Watch and listen as Brodhead takes her oath of office:
It was the fourth time she has been sworn into office. When voters approved a referendum a few years ago for city council member term limits, Judy Brodhead was a ‘poster child’ for why term limits are necessary. She was not about to leave on her own accord. Apparently the only way to remove her from council chambers is either forcefully or via term limits. Applying term limits on her is much more tasteful. The City of Naperville doesn’t need a United Airlines form of removal.
Brodhead said, “I try not to create a little speech that makes people cry because that usually happens when I create a speech”. I think she was looking for a little chuckle, but it didn’t happen, sort of like when Jeb Bush was looking for hand and it didn’t come.
As I listened to Brodhead she did accomplish bringing a tear to my eye when I realized that I’d have to sit through another four years of listening to someone pontificate while having only one original thought verbalized over 16 years, “Chickens don’t bark”. No doubt that she nailed that one as an original thought.
Brodhead went on to say, “I plan to enjoy every moment of it (her final term)” How refreshing it would have been if she would have said, “I plan on working hard and smart representing the residents of Naperville”. That requires work and listening, while “enjoying every moment” sounds more like fun.
She concluded by saying, “How lucky I am”. Brodhead and Watchdog can finally agree on something; how ‘lucky’ she was being listed first on the ballot.
The next time she talks longer than 30 seconds and doesn’t mention her time on planning commission, and chairing it, will be the first.
She sounds like another council person who will repeatedly mention chairing a committee as well as mentioning all the degrees he has gotten . Nothing is mentioned about his contribution to the council or citizens ,
Can’t mention something that didn’t happen.