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Pleasing a Demanding Electorate

Incoming Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott and the five new city council members who will take office with him Friday may be asking themselves what, exactly, voters who put them in office want out of them. The answer — and whether the new city officials can deliver — will have much to do with how successfully Elliott and company can govern, not to mention whether they can get re-elected in four years.

It’s clear something of a revolution is occurring in politics on the national stage. Donald Trump’s victory in the Republican race for the presidential nomination and Bernie Sanders’ success in the Democrat contest made that clear. Many voters have just had it with the political “establishment.” Both Trump and Sanders made people believe they are not part of it.

But on May 10, as I noted several weeks ago, the depth of the revolution became apparent during Wheeling’s municipal election. Elliott won the mayor’s post by defeating Vice Mayor Gene Fahey soundly. Five brand new council members were elected. The only incumbent to keep his seat was Second Ward Councilman Ken Imer.

And it was a very close call for Imer. He won re-election with 236 votes — just four more than challenger Loma Nevels. Close behind them was Charles Ballouz, at 199. Morgan Wood won 131 votes, while Karen Corona-Merritt received 79.

No one can say with certainty what would have happened in a two- or three-person race — but it’s entirely possible Imer would have joined other incumbents in retirement.

Joining Imer on council will be newcomers Dave Palmer, Wendy Scatterday, Chad Thalman, Ty Thorngate and Brian Wilson.

What apparently appealed to many voters were the promises of inclusiveness and openness coming from the challengers.

But what, exactly, does that mean in terms of concrete achievements? Obviously, it means the new city officials want Wheeling residents to feel like they know what’s going on in city government and can be effective in influencing it.

But nothing says “influence” like results — and that’s the puzzle. Precisely what results do voters want from the new mayor and council? More progress downtown? Growth elsewhere in the city? Safer streets on, say, Wheeling Island? Fewer potholes? Less flooding in some neighborhoods after heavy rains?

No doubt Elliott and his new council already have gotten many earfuls from some constituents. And very soon, they are going to have to give some of them the bad news that there’s little or nothing they can do about some problems.

They will learn, if they haven’t already, that the key to success in local politics is much the same as it is for a member of Congress: Constituent service. A council member who has to tell an 11 p.m. caller that no, he can’t do anything about that barking dog may have just lost a vote. A mayor who has to point out the police chief only has so many officers to go around and can’t spare one for foot patrol in the caller’s neighborhood may have to worry, too.

Finding out what priorities are important to the electorate in general will be critical, not just for re-election but also for governing. It’s more difficult to convince people to trust you on a given project if they don’t like your policies in general.

Perhaps the most important question is how long the anti-establishment revolution will last. Will voters at all levels remain as impatient as they are now? Or, four years from now, will they decide incumbents have done a good enough job, all things considered?

That’s something no one in office — or about to be — should count on. City officials ousted by Wheeling voters on May 10 had not done a bad job — not bad at all, in fact. Yet the desire for change sent them packing.

What if that very same thought motivates voters four years from now?

Myer can be reached at: mmyer@theintelligencer.net.

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