Mumpower drops out of city committees

Asheville City Council member Carl Mumpower resigned from the city’s Public Safety Committee Tuesday night during a discussion of a gun buy-back program intended to stave off gang violence. The announcement came quickly after Mayor Terry Bellamy criticized the committee and said she would like to see it disbanded.

Mumpower said he thought the issue should have come before the committee for a recommendation before it came up for deliberation by council. If, he said, such procedure isn’t followed, such committees may as well not exist.

“I am definitely going to recommend it be disbanded,” Bellamy responded, citing issues with how the committee’s agenda is created and its early-morning meeting time. “Then, effective tonight,” Mumpower said, “I will resign from that committee and resolve your concern.”

Mumpower followed up with an e-mail later that evening that announced he is leaving not only that post, but also his seat on the Revenue and Finance Committee.

“In view of the selective application of our policies and procedures by the Council majority, I no longer see constructive purpose in participating in the Council Committee structure,” Mumpower says in the e-mail.

The text of Mumpower’s e-mail is reprinted below.

Brian Postelle, staff writer.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

11/13/2007 9:28:00 PM

~from the desk of~
Carl Mumpower, Ph.D.
Councilman ~ City of Asheville
 
Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Subject ~ City Council Public Safety and Finance Committees

Mayor Bellamy:

Per discussion this evening where you and two other Council members endorsed sidestepping established procedure requiring preliminary review by respective Council Committees on all policy decisions and initiatives, it is apparent that the well intended Council Committee structure you created is no longer supported.  The specific willingness by a 6-1 majority to sidestep preliminary review of a $50,000 gun buyback program with no attached urgency was an affirmation of that reality.

In view of the selective application of our policies and procedures by the Council majority, I no longer see constructive purpose in participating in the Council Committee structure.  Effective immediately, I respectfully tender my resignation as Chair of the Public Safety Committee and membership on the Finance Committee.  I wish you every success with these good efforts going forward.

Sincerely,

Carl Mumpower
Asheville City Council  

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10 thoughts on “Mumpower drops out of city committees

  1. ashvillian

    So, Dr. M, QUITS instead of fighting the good fight?

    Do we want representation like this in Washington, DC?

    Clearly the good doctor has some lessons to learn about politics, locally and nationally.

    I guess its back to the couch for Dr. M.

  2. Dionysis

    Oh, boo hoo. Poor little Carl. Things don’t go the way they should so he throws in the towel.
    Well, perhaps he’ll have more time to spend spying on aging pot smokers and looking for all those ‘socialists’ he’s always ranting about.

  3. Carrie

    Without knowing more than is written here about why he quit, it seems to me that politicitians only quit/resign when they are in or about to be in some sort of scandal. Perhaps there is more to this story….

  4. Rob Close

    I say we give the police the money for guy buy-back programs, and ask them if they think it’s worth the cash. Do these programs actually take dangerous guns off the streets – or just expensive, broken junk for some politicians PR?

  5. Gordon Smith

    From ScruHoo:

    “The deafening sounds of the WAHHHmbulance filled City Council chamber, and Asheville residents were left wondering how this man would have a chance in hell of accomplishing anything in the halls of Congress.

    This primary race between Mumpower, John Armor, and Spence Campbell for the Republican nomination is rapidly turning into a two-man race between the adults. Every time eCarl makes a statement or decision, he alienates a few more people and reveals a singular inflexibility that isn’t at all suited to the rigors of campaigning or serving the 11th Congressional District.”

    http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=4419

  6. travelah

    If the process is not supported by the council, then the doc’s removal of himself from the process is justified. I commend him for turning the polics right back over to the council.

  7. Jimbo

    Yes, another shining example of the high caliber politics at play in Asheville. “If you don’t let me be the car, I’m not going to play anymore!”
    Now that the Super Friends on council have completed another Tuesday night mission, I guess they can go back to eating paste.

    Don’t miss next week on a very special episode of Super Friends when the council decides which unqualified, delusional, self important poser to put in a position of authority over your tax dollars.

    Will it be Gene Hampton as the new Supreme Chancellor over the Police Department?

    Will it be the self anoited Development Czar Joe Minicozzi and his band of rowdy neighborhood ne’er-do-wells as our new Masters of Everything Everywhere?

    Or will it be the new Chief Executive Officer, Director, Founder, General Manager and sole member of yet another self serving stroke-our-egos organization from parts unknown to take the mantle of All City Self Righteous Egotist of the Year Award? Tune in next week! Only in Asheville!

  8. Gordon Smith

    Hey y’all,

    What are your policies for comments? I left one here yesterday that evidently didn’t make the grade.

    At ScruHoo we post all comments unless they’re abusive or left by bots.

  9. Rebecca Bowe

    Gordon,

    You’re talking about the one above, that starts with “From ScruHoo,” right?

    It’s not that it didn’t make the grade, it’s just that we fell a little behind in approving comments. I was out sick for most of the day, and we’re all scrambling to deal with an earlier deadline this week due to Thanksgiving scheduling.

    But to answer your question, we have the same policy: no abusive personal attacks, no spam.

  10. Gordon Smith

    Thanks, Rebecca,

    I thought I’d run up against a comment policy problem.

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