Reference Photo of Chris Pike.

We’ve had a wait-and-see (or, more bluntly, we’ll-believe-it-when-we-see-it) attitude about Ward 3 Albany City Commissioner-elect Christopher-elect. Pardon us if we don’t trust anything a politician says – even if he or she means every word of it during campaign time. I mean, we’ve been burned, what, 90 percent of the time – in this country and in this community.

He doesn’t get sworn into office until Jan. 11, but if Pike’s actions and decorum since being elected Nov. 3 are any indication, we’ll be on his bandwagon in no-time.

First, he handled City Commissioner Tommie Postell’s nasty attempt to avert the law and keep Pike from being mayor pro tempore sternly, but with dignity. Admirably, he called Postell’s actions what they were – ludicrous – without counter-attacking. Regrettably, Mayor Willie Adams depends on Postell’s thuggery too much to give our money to the mayor’s friends to call him out when he misbehaves.

Then, Pike responded to a story about highway officials declaring in a report that the interstate highway system is not going to be extended through Albany by asking tough questions.

“The report had errors,” Pike said. “I asked several questions about the report that they could not answer. Such as how would minorities and the poor be adversely affected? The report also stated that people would travel further to get to the new interstate. How is that possible?”

When the notion of pursuing the continuation of I-185 through Albany was broached several years ago, Adams declared that the fight wasn’t worth the effort because it would never happen. So Adams didn’t fight and indeed it didn’t happen.

We can only wonder what our community could be accomplishing with Pike’s vision versus Adams’ sightlessness and selfishness. Perhaps a brighter future begins Jan. 11.

Related posts:

1. Pike as pro tempore
2. Editorial: Why county and city consolidation make good sense.
3. Mayor pro tempore Issue ‘false barrier’
4. Liquor License Denied
5. Postell Wants Full Control