The State of the City
Published 11:35 pm Wednesday, February 3, 2010
On Monday Mayor George Evans will deliver the State of the City address at the Selma Convention Center. He will deliver it twice, once at noon and again at 6 p.m.
Evans gives the impression of a busy man. He is everywhere — service clubs, ribbon cuttings, meetings with business, meetings about community development and meetings with city staff and Selma City Council members.
He has weathered the first-year storm of walking in after a mayor who did not share much with the public; who is a natural-born political animal.
It is likely Evans will not talk much about the politics of the city. He’ll likely point to successes and touch on a few challenges.
Evans will celebrate the passage of a bond issue — something his predecessor for all his political power and influence could not manage.
The mayor will talk about how violent crime has diminished and how the shaky city financial ship has steadied somewhat.
It’s unlikely Evans will address his tight wire walk with a sometimes hostile city council whose members put him on the spot in public with questions the mayor said he could have answered if only prepared.
It’s unlikely Evans will talk about the holdovers in City Hall from the previous administration and why they remain ensconced in their jobs.
No, the State of the City is likely so much cotton candy — sweet and appealing, but with very little substance.
Perhaps we’ll be surprised.