Naperville’s Councilman Paul Hinterlong, A Huge Disappointment

Expectations can oftentimes be a big disappointment. Other times, expectations deliver as expected.

Take for example Naperville council member Judy ‘chickens don’t bark’ Brodhead. Her contributions to the workings of the Naperville city council have been immanently forgetful. Basically she has been an empty chair. Hence in her case, nothing has been expected of her, and nothing has been delivered by her, other than the the philosophical piece of wisdom from her about ‘chickens don’t bark’.

I suppose you could say that if nothing was expected from Brodhead, and nothing was delivered, then in essence, she met expectations.

Councilman Paul Hinterlong, on the other hand, has been a huge disappointment. We expected so much more from him, and somewhere after the last election when he was the leading vote getter out of 11 city council candidates, he took a left-hand,  so sharp that he began going in reverse. I guess that’s what ‘success’ can do to a politician when s/he begin reading their own press clippings.

Paul has always been a likeable guy. Oftentimes he appeared that he had no idea why he was on the council, and almost apologetic at times, for making a comment, that he hadn’t made yet. He would get himself into odd, awkward situations, with his comments. I would have to listen to the comment again, to make sure, that what I thought he had said, was actually what he said. And sure enough, he really did say it. Though most of what he said was harmless, and at times innocently humorous, there began to be more and more times when his ill-advised over-confidence, gave us a huge window into what normally is hidden in the inky shadows of city hall corridors.

Councilman Hinterlong’s classic mis-speak (also known as a classic screw-up) came during a recent city council meeting when he openly tried do hatch a scheme with police manager (Bob Marshall) to take down Uber with “entrapment”.

If this is what happens under the lights and cameras for all to see, what in the world must be going on in the inky shadows of the Municipal Center.

During the most recent council meeting, Hinterlong again was eager to regulate on anything and everything including e-Cigs. Apparently he is ‘offended’ by anyone near him using the device.

If being ‘offended’ by that is grounds for ordinances and more regulation, then how about when a citizen is at Features (restaurant and bar) at a table near Hinterlong, while he is pounding down a hamburger dripping with garlic and smothered in onions, using a pickle-stained tie as his napkin; that’s offensive, so how about an ordinance against that.

There is no doubt that Hinterlong is probably a nice guy, but do we really need a council member who doesn’t think before he speaks, especially when it involves ordinances, regulation, and schemes.

With 19 candidates running for council, chances are excellent, that at least eight have the ‘thinking before speaking’ concept under control.