COLUMBIA, Mo 11/21/14 (Beat Byte) -- First Ward Councilwoman
Ginny Chadwick spends little time on First Ward issues and the concerns of First Ward constituents.
That's the most newsworthy finding in
207 emails marijuana legalization advocate Aaron Malin obtained from Ms. Chadwick's official City Hall email account through a Sunshine Law request.
Less newsworthy is the Councilwoman's idiosyncratic style. She is unusually familiar with Columbia Mayor
Robert McDavid, always referring to him as "Bob," while addressing city manager
Mike Matthes by his last name, in a show that comes across as almost disrespectful.
"Matthes takes forever with emails," she tells a constituent Oct. 29, about the city manager's lack of response to emailed questions. "Matthes: I do expect this issue will be resolved promptly," she emails the city manager Nov. 1, about a drainage problem at the home of True/False founder
Paul Sturtz's mother-in-law.
The emails cover roughly one month --
mid October to mid November -- in the life of the beleaguered Ward One representative, now facing a recall petition over her support for the Opus downtown student apartment; her opposition to a marijuana-related city ordinance; and her public advocacy for policies that strike many residents as both odd and inappropriate, including a ban on alcohol in historically black Douglass Park.
"Smoking" best describes Chadwick's attentions during the month, as she advocates for a city ordinance that would ban the sale of cigarettes and related products to anyone under 21; and pushes back on so-called "Pro Grow" advocates disappointed with her vote against an ordinance that would have reduced penalties for pot growers.
She spends the rest of her time
curtly turning away Mizzou students seeking interviews for class projects; chatting up
McDavid (who never seems to respond); and forwarding news stories, academic articles, and information trivia to fellow Council members, senior city administrators, and Columbia Daily Tribune reporter
Andrew Denney, who comes across as a kind of personal confidant.
"I try to make sure
not a day goes by without me on the cover," Ms. Chadwick emails Mayor McDavid Nov. 3, about a recent Columbia Heart Beat e-newsletter. "If I go 'postal' today, it's because of 'canna'," she emails McDavid Oct. 15, with a constituent email urging her to "end the senseless prohibition of cannabis," i.e. marijuana.