Tag Archives: Indianapolis

Sinking into Mediocrity

Apparently, those of us who live in Indianapolis only focus on the city–and what we’d like to see it become–every four years, during mayoral elections. If then.

Whatever one might think about the “visions” displayed by the current candidates, it occurs to me that those of us who call Indianapolis home need to develop some vision of our own.

What brought this to mind was a recent magazine article in “Travel and Leisure.” It was one of those “our readers vote” features–which five cities did readers choose in several categories, including best food, friendliest, cleanest, etc.

We didn’t make any of the lists.

This wasn’t scientific. I get that. But what exercises of this sort do reveal is which cities the respondents find memorable–which cities come to mind when asked such questions. Indianapolis obviously didn’t come to mind for most people. (We used to be widely cited for our friendliness and cleanliness, at least, if not for our food or architecture or arts scene. Now we don’t even make the list of clean cities.)

I realize that the ideal city for one person is very different from the ideal of another. But over the past decade or so, we seem to have settled for mediocre. Or worse. We “can’t afford” decent public transportation. We “can’t afford” to sweep streets in the mile square daily, as we used to do. We “can’t afford” first-rate schools. We “can’t afford” to maintain our parks. We can’t even afford to hire enough police officers. The only things we seem able to afford are sports venues.

Sorry, sports fans, but a couple of arenas simply cannot and will not create a great city. Or even a memorable one.

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A Wise Choice

On Thursday, the Indianapolis-Marion County Library board chose Jackie Nytes to be CEO of the library system. I was hoping for that result, but I’ve seen enough searches  to know that just because she was the ideal candidate and obvious best choice didn’t guarantee anything. (National searches, particularly, always remind me of the old definition of an expert as someone who lives at least 50 miles away.)

I’ll admit that I am anything but unbiased: Jackie is a friend, and she was my husband’s co-worker when he worked for the library system. That said, she brings a collection of knowledge and skills to this new job that seem uniquely tailored to the position. She not only has the appropriate educational credentials, she not only has experience working in libraries, she has experience with this library system. Furthermore, her expertise is financial management; she was IMCPL’s Chief Financial Officer. In an era of shrinking fiscal resources, that ain’t chopped liver, as the saying goes.

Even more fortuitous, in the years since she left the library, Jackie’s political activities have given her a whole new skill set that will serve her well in her new post. As a highly respected City-County Councilor, she made important connections and learned how the city really works (or doesn’t). In a political environment that requires the library to fight for every nickel of public support, political skills and access are incredibly important.

Knowledge and skills are important. Political savvy is important. But most important of all is something that everyone who knows Jackie remarks on at one time or another: she genuinely, passionately loves the library.

It’s nice to see a love affair consummated.

Let me be the first to wish this particular couple a long and successful relationship.

The Tortoise and the Hare

Okay–this isn’t a very good analogy, but it’s the best I can come up with on a rainy Monday morning.

Today’s Star editorial–with which I strongly agree–reminded me of Eric Hoffer’s observation that the true measure of a civilization isn’t what it builds, but how well it maintains what it builds. Maintenance requires the skills of the tortoise–a steady, persistent attention to what needs to be done. Not flashy, like the hare, but reliable.

The editorial contrasted the money and energy being expended on Georgia Street upgrades for the Super Bowl with past projects like Pan Am Plaza that are now suffering from neglect.  Not too long ago, I commented here about the deplorable condition of the canal–another expensive and important amenity that is suffering from deferred maintenance, despite the fact that it is heavily used.

We are heading into political season, and we’ll hear a lot from candidates about their new ideas and bold plans. We need to hear from them about their intentions to polish existing jewels, and how they will propose to maintain what taxpayers have already built. To put it bluntly, I’m much less interested in building a faux Chinatown than I am in repairing the deteriorating bridges along the canal.

It’s not glamorous, but I’m with Hoffer–it’s the real test of leadership.

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Global Indy

If there was ever a visual reminder that the world is changing–that even landlocked Indianapolis is part of a new, global economic order–this website is it.

We aren’t going to solve tomorrow’s problems if we spend all of our time and energy retreating into yesterday’s prejudices and fighting to maintain the status quo.

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Primary Day

Today is Primary Election day, and the party faithful (and very few others) will select candidates for the November municipal elections. The outcomes of the mayoral races are predetermined: Greg Ballard (aka the “accidental mayor”) will be the Republican nominee, and Melina Kennedy (no relation) will represent the Democrats.

Anyone who was sentient four years ago understands how Greg Ballard got elected. (Well, with the possible exception of Ballard himself; I understand from those who know him that he really believes he defeated Bart Peterson, i.e., that people knowingly voted FOR him, as opposed to venting their spleen on the incumbent.) As our daughter said the day after the election, twenty-five percent of eligible voters went to the polls. Twelve percent voted for Peterson, thirteen percent voted against Peterson, and we got whatsisname.

From all accounts, Greg Ballard is a nice man who has been hopelessly over his head. His unfamiliarity with both the actual city of Indianapolis (he was a Marine who served elsewhere for most of his adult life) and the idea of a city–how it works, what elements/policies make a city successful, how it is financed, how it relates to state government, etc.–explains the last three and a half years, during which “advisors” have run the show (and done rather well for themselves in the process).

The Indianapolis electorate tends to support incumbents when they do a reasonable job. In a city that even then had majority Democratic registrations, Bill Hudnut won re-election four times, usually with well over 60% of the vote (and if memory serves, with 80% at least once). On the other hand, they react negatively to arrogance. Goldsmith saw the writing on the wall–and Sue Ann Gilroy, who ran a campaign promising to be  “another Steve” lost badly.

What we don’t yet know is how Indianapolis voters react to well-meaning incompetence. But we’re about to find out.