Politics & Government
Do Mayoral Candidates Need a Civility Pledge to Keep it Clean at the Dais?
"I guess the spotlight is on this cockroach," said Mike Ceremello. All three candidates responded.
Editor's Note: Lindsey Hickman is the daughter in law of Ted Hickman, who is running for Dixon City Council in the fall 2012 election.
The three Mayoral candidates, Incumbent Jack Batchelor, Steve Alexander and Michael Ceremello, were interviewed last week at a public forum hosted by the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Dixon Chamber of Commerce. Here's one question that was asked.
Politics in this city often result in derogatory and demeaning name calling and negativity. We have an embarrassing reputation. What would you do to bring civility back to our politics and would you be willing to sign a civility pledge?
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Batchelor: "Absolutely, yes I would sign. I don't think you have to sign a pledge to be civil, I think that's something your parents teach you. I may disagree with some of the comments made by some of my fellow elected officials, however they are who are they are, and they say what they want to say. I do not do that, I will not do that. I may disagree strongly but I do not involve myself in name calling."
Alexander: "Someone told me one time, you are the kind of manager or administrator; that you derive these skills from being a good parent. I have raised two successful kids. It's embarrassing that we have these kinds of administrators. I think you have to respect yourself before you can respect others. I couldn't imagine anyone in my professional workplace handling themselves the way some people in this town do, they would be fired on the spot. You will not hear one derogatory term from me."
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Ceremello: "I guess the spotlight is on this cockroach because the reference is directly toward me," Ceremello said. "This really doesn't have to do with city issues."
He then referenced an episode during a past councilmeeting and a violation of the Robert Rules of Order.
"I don't like going that far, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do," Ceremello continued. "You have never heard me, from this podium, criticize someone. You may have heard of it in a column, I wear two hats and will continue to wear those hats when I am your next mayor."
