The part-time mayor has left the city to vacation in Aruba at a moment when the coronavirus may likely be impacting the city.
In what has been described as the most potentially destructive and deadly pandemic outbreak in 100 years, the mayor, your mayor, our mayor, has chosen to fly away from the city for a vacation.
As on old and wise friend used to say to me when I would tell him I am going on a vacation, he’d say: ”Son, how are you going on vacation when you’re on vacation?”
The same applies to the part-time mayor.
Maybe he will tell us that it really isn’t a vacation at all, but that he needed to be at the Aruba mayoral office he keeps there and that he is working hard every hour of everyday – on his cell phone.
Or maybe he went to Arizona to hang out and then maybe tale a flight to Vegas for a stop in at Wynn Resorts or the Encore there.
He has told us that he needs only his cellphone in his hand to be considered in charge of the city and its well-being.
Or maybe he is telling all of us he doesn’t care a hoot about the coronavirus and the notion that he should be providing leadership here at a time when the city could use it.
In his mind, he believes he gives back of himself much more to the city than the city gives him in salary and benefits.
We can only imagine what he is doing every day in Aruba.
Is it yoga, daily walks, a healthy vegan diet, new world music and lots of exercise?
Those of us who know the mayor understand it is none of those.
It is impossible to know exactly what he is thinking as he wiles away his time with friends on he beach or in the desert.
It is impossible to know what he does on his own while he’s there. Is he thinking about Everett?
Not very much.
Is he racked with guilt about going on vacation when the city faces the likelihood of being visited by the coronavirus.
Absolutely not.
He is doing what he does best no matter the circumstances.
What is that?
He is doing as he pleases. Perhaps he won’t return.
If not, we can learn to live without him which, frankly, is a much more pleasant situation than having to deal with him.
As of Tuesday there were no reported cases of coronavirus in Aruba. Aruba has no known cases of the virus as of March 10.
In Everett we are presently without evidence of the coronavirus. Let’s pray it stays this way.