Give The Man A Cigar — And A Bus

By Kleinheider Posted on May 20, 2008 at 8:14 pm

Thomas F. “Freddie” O’Connell was unanimously approved tonight by both the Rules Committee and the full Metro Council for a five year term on the Metro Transit Authority’s Board of Directors.

All hail Biodiesel.

permalink | 3 Comments

Tags: Biodiesel, Buses, Freddie O'Connell, Karl Dean, Metro Transit Authority, MTA  

Get Ready For Freddie: Biodiesel Motorist Mayor’s Pick For MTA Board Of Directors

By Kleinheider Posted on May 6, 2008 at 7:27 pm

Likely as I type, the name of Thomas F. “Freddie” O’Connell, internet strategist for NashvillePost.com’s parent company, is being submitted by the Mayor’s office at tonight’s council meeting to fill an expiring term on the Metro Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors.

O’Connell, whom you may know as the half of the dynamic duo of Liberadio(!) Monday mornings on WRVU, was chosen by Mayor Karl Dean, according to spokeswoman Janel Lacy because he is “a regular bus rider and an avid proponent of public transporation.”

Uh, yeah, I suppose you could say that. Let’s make it plain: the man likes his buses, he wants more of them, and he wants them going more places more often. That much he has made clear.

A man committed to keeping his carbon footprint to a minimum, O’Connell only recently bought a car after years of relying solely on public transportation for his mobility. His recent move to the North End combined with the lure of Daryl Hannah’s wheels proved too tempting for the principled environmentalist and former state house candidate to resist.

As for how this outside agitator advocate feels about being snuggled into the bosom of the public transportation establishment, O’Connell couldn’t be more pleased at the opportunity to serve his hometown and offer a fresh prospective, “I look forward to discovering creative solutions to transit issues with the current board.”

O’Connell continues, “With gas prices increasing demand for mass transit, but costs for all transit, I expect this to be a challenging responsibility.”

After O’Connell’s name is submitted tonight, he will be called to appear before the Metro Council’s Rules Committee at the next council meeting on May 20th for a preconfirmation Q&A before a vote of the full council makes Freddie O’Connell an official member of the MTA Board of Directors for a full five year term.

permalink | 4 Comments

Tags: Biodiesel, Buses, Freddie O'Connell, Karl Dean, Metro Transit Authority, MTA  

Post Politics: 2 April 2008

By Kleinheider Posted on April 8, 2008 at 9:38 am

Al Gore confidant Roy Neel dismissed speculation that Gore might step up as a compromise candidate at a fractured Democratic Convention during a “Kitchen Cabinet” meeting of Nashville progressives.

Our Gannett-owned daily fell prey to a bit of April Fool’s mischief by a local progressive radio duo’s farcical press release about a joint venture with conservative talk maven Steve Gill.

Tennessee Republican Party spokesman Bill Hobbs was told to cough up $200 to procure a copy of a tape capturing the construction going on at the Governor’s Executive Residence. Department of Finance and Administration spokeswoman Lola Potter subsequently relayed to Hobbs that the state has no obligation to release the tape to him under open records laws as the tape is in the possession of the contractor.

Salemtown blogger Mike Byrd reports that police tell him that they are investigating alleged prostitution by residents of the Union Rescue mission.

Former School Board member Kay Brooks discusses the departure of incumbent Marsha Warden from the District 9 race for the board. Councilman Eric Crafton has picked up papers to run for that seat. Alan Coverstone, a blogger and an economics and government teacher at Montgomery Bell Academy, has also picked up the necessary papers to make the race.

Two bloggers from the left side of the aisle note and take issue with the appointment of an attorney who resides in Belle Meade, a satellite city not subject to Metro zoning laws, to the Metro Zoning Board of Appeals.

And finally, a blast from the past. While our Governor has as of late struck a pose as an impartial, uncommitted superdelegate in search of closure in the Democratic race for President, he did not always seem as such.

In 2005, Phil Bredesen had this to say about the imminent Hillary Clinton campaign for President:

“People love her or they hate her and I don’t know in the end how all that plays out. But I sure hope there are other people who would step forward.”

permalink | Comment on this post

Tags: Bill Hobbs, Freddie O'Connell, Kay Brooks, Lola Potter, Mary Mancini, Phil Bredesen, Steve Gill