If you are looking for something positive in today’s column, please stop reading now. The poison of politics seeps into my writing this week as I feel compelled to point out the hypocrisy of the latest injustice foisted upon one of our city’s greatest volunteers.
In the coming days, Ron Carter will fall victim to the bully mentality nurtured by City Council President Rick Sharp as he pushes new legislation designed to muzzle an outspoken supporter of Carmel. Because he can, Mr. Sharp has decided to lead the City Council down a path already proven by the business community to be ill-conceived and foolish. But the man with the gavel has the power, and Rick Sharp guarantees, Ron Carter will be removed as President of the CRC just because he is also a City Councilor.
Please keep in mind that three of the sponsors of the law seeking to remove Carter are themselves “guilty” of the exact same offense.
Luci Snyder served in the dual role of both City Councilor and CRC Commissioner from September 2000 until May of 2003. As far as I know, she served with distinction and without any aspersions to her character. Rick Sharp, the longest serving dual function member and most outspoken proponent of the new law himself, found no problem as Councilor and Commissioner from May 2003 through March of 2009. Even John Accetturo, who only served both roles for a short period of time, appeared to have no problem accepting the position and taking the Oath of Office to serve. Yet now, and only now, the threesome claims the practice should be outlawed.
In my opinion, not a single City Councilor can look any of you in the eye and say Ron Carter has not given more to this community than any of them. The Chamber of Commerce voted him Most Valuable Volunteer, citing his dedication to the Monon Trail, creating Carmel Farmer’s Market, his extensive work on behalf of growing greenspace in Carmel and the thousands of hours he freely gives to running the Carmel Redevelopment Commission.
Ron Carter treats his position on the CRC like a full time job. He receives not one penny of compensation for CRC work, there is no personal gain and it is simply a matter of a very dedicated man fulfilling a labor of love.
If Mr. Sharp is so anxious to pass a law, how about making it illegal to, “do as I say and not as I do.”