OK, so I was wrong. Not the first time.
I had fully expected (and predicted in this space) that Deb Feinen would be picked by the Champaign City Council to fill the District 4 vacancy.
However, last night, after who-knows-how-much behind the scenes arm-twisting and political dealing, the Council, on its second ballot of the night, picked Marci Dodds. Suspiciously easy. 6-1 vote.
Surprised? Yes. Pleased? I'm not sure yet. We'll have to wait and see what those last two council votes cost. You know they're not free. Somebody promised something to someone in order that someone else could change their vote. Goes on all the time. That's the way Illinois politics works. Check back after the first few council votes. If anything looks suspicious ... it probably is.
Although the Champaign Council's supposed to be nonpartisan, it's no secret who falls in the Red and Blue camps. Except right now I'm unsure of Dodds. Her work with the Champaign Library Foundation, where she was chair, would indicate a favorable shade of blue. However. her connection to the business community (her husband Cody is one of the developers of the Volition building and owns Boltini) would indicate a hint of magenta. Champaign American Blog (Matt Varble) says she's a Democrat. Probably right, but probably not an Urbana-style Dem.
There was no question of Feinen, however. Solid red to the core.
So how did Dodds pull it off? Who does Marci owe? WHAT does Marci owe? What went on in the background? Lets hope the untold story comes out.
Will Marci be a good council member? Who knows. I'm betting yes. I'm also betting, just from preliminary indications, that she's far from the puppet for her husband and downtown developers that some fear. I hope I'm closer to right aboiut that than about who I thought would win.
It'll probably take a few weeks to find out. Watch those first few council votes.
And so it goes.
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