Columnist James Ingram
It is an unfortunate reality that East St. Louis residents, whether they want to or not, have learned to become connoisseurs of dysfunction and tragedy.
Rampant murders and incompetent elected officials have only contributed to that mindset.
Take, for instance, the recent and horrific triple murders of Jaimaca McDaniel, 24, Raykel Gathing, 26, and Tenikia Harvey, 26, by 21-year-old Milton Lattimore, at an ESL gas station.
What made these particular murders even more sinister was the fact that Lattimore allegedly shot all three women at point-blank range and in full view of two of McDaniel’s small children (by Lattimore), as well as in front of Harvey’s 8 year-old child.
Lattimore, who had a previous criminal background, was apparently distraught over McDaniel’s termination of their longtime relationship.
To take three lives and permanently damage the psyches of the three children (who are now parent-less) is inexcusable. If convicted, Lattimore could face the death penalty.
Meanwhile, the ESL City Council – already six weeks late in submitting a balanced budget to the Financial Advisory Authority (FAA), which oversees ESL’s finances – decided to fire city manager Robert Betts by a vote of 4-0.
Aside from impeccably poor timing (and the fact that East Boogie changes city managers as often as some folks change underwear), Betts’ firing sends him through the same revolving door as four other predecessors, in less than five years.
Yet losing Betts, in and of itself, is no big deal. His arrogance, ineptitude and pedantic rambling, during City Council meetings, were legendary as well as annoying.
However, the need for some semblance of stability (at least until the city submits a balanced budget, addresses looming layoffs and addresses ESL’s financial crisis) would have been logical, at least until an extensive search for a new city manager was conducted.
ESL Budget Director Delitra Hudson will serve as interim city manager as well as perform her current duties. Hudson has always seemed to be competent, but for her to do both jobs sounds as if she’s being set up to fail.
Some how, though, I sincerely doubt that Hudson will quibble over her work load when she stands to collect the $90,000 per-year salary that Mr. Betts enjoyed for over three years. Too bad the citizens of ESL didn’t demand a return on their investment.
And until ESL voters become outraged over their astronomical murder rate or the mismanagement of their resources, City Hall will continue to be the revolving door of the inept and public safety will become a matter of wishful thinking.