Imagine this. It’s Inauguration Day and the re-elected President — matters not who — has just been sworn in. Flanked by congressional leaders, cabinet members and other major Washington players, he turns to address the American people — those assembled on the Mall and millions more watching him on television:

“I am the President the citizens elected to run the United States.”

“I was re-elected in November to keep running the United States”

“I have the job well in hand: I am running the United States now (and don’t want any help)”

The reaction would be near-universal outrage with the members of Congress looking at constitutional provisions for removing a president for unfitness. No action now (maybe there was a bit too much sherry in the luncheon trifle), but they need to be ready in case he doesn’t snap out of this episode of megalomaniacal self- importance — “In the interim let’s send him a memo on separation of powers and the role of each of the branches of government.”

Of course at the national level this little scenario is all imaginary. However in Fairhope, Mayor Tim Kant actually led off his comments at a recent council meeting with those three points: I run this city, I have been running this city and I will continue running this city (without an “administrator”). But even after he plowed through a four page harangue on how he was in charge and the council was trying to interfere with his self-described powers as mayor, there was applause — not outrage.

Must have been a bunch of old-guard Tim-supporters at the meeting, because only they would applaud. Not just because of his self-aggrandizing tone, but because of the document’s subtext: “We shouldn’t have a city administrator — but if we do, you can’t change the language of the enabling ordinance and have the position report to someone other than me.”

Problem is when the council amended the agenda to move the mayor’s comments to a point late in the session (just ahead of “Council Comments”), he was speaking after the council had already voted to make the change that he opposed. Already moot, but the mayor appeared unable to depart from his script.

And not only was he flogging a dead horse on the issue of a language change, but all this (even the applause) was happening after the TV crew had departed. Tim sure looked like he came prepared for his close-up: New blue windowpane plaid suit (I think it was new — at least the colors were crisp and the finish shiny), flashy tie and all. Must have been real disappointing.

This wasn’t the only disappointment handed Mayor Tim and his supporters that night. After they tried to influence the council to pick a long-serving Fairhope police officer as the new chief, (but he wasn’t among the finalists), with rallies at council meetings and campaign signs around town (this for a non-elected position), an outsider was picked. The selection committee recommended Bill Press from the Miami-Dade Police Department as the #1 candidate and the council voted unanimously to offer him the position.

Looks like we won’t see any reprises of “Driving Mayor Tim” — at least not with a Fairhope police officer in the role of “the driver.” And likely lots of other things will change with new leadership bringing a new perspective on how the department will operate.

Nor was it a good evening for the mayor on the contracting front. Back in March he did the old, business-as-usual thing: Since I run the city, I got authority to do what ever I think I need to do, to include contracting for engineering services without council approval — they’ll just have to give it later. But approval didn’t happen. Council wasn’t signing off, even with the mayor’s declaring that it was an emergency. Rick Kingrea scoffed at the idea, noting that a real emergency request wouldn’t take two months to get to the council.

All this was just preamble to the closing comments by the council members — made immediately after Tim’s four-page reading on the theme of “I run this city.”

Rick Kingrea lead by characterizing the mayor’s response to the mandated change to a “Weak-Mayor, Strong-Council” form of government as, “I’m the mayor and I’ll do as I damned well please.” Adding the obvious, “This is not working together.”

Council President Debbie Quinn noted she had talked to the mayor on six occasions about the city administrator position. “The outcome,” she explained, “was that he said he wouldn’t fight it. Now he’s saying just the opposite.” (The mayor does seem to a selective short-term memory problem) Dan Stankoski called the mayor out on his repeated theme of “I was elected to run this city.” Dan noted that the council was also elected and that he would do the job he was elected to do — even when he personally doesn’t like it. “I may disagree with the vote, but will support the action because we operate under the rule of law.”

Mike Ford, the longest serving council member, and a Kant ally for decades, complained, “We want to work with the mayor only if he does what we want,” but closed with a unilateral commitment for the council: “We will work with the mayor.”

In sharp contrast to the previous disaster, the council showed at this meeting new skill in conducting business regardless of the mayor’s interference. Part of this success can be attributed to their greater cohesiveness and what appears to be better preparation. Although I think that Mayor Kant can still do great mischief, the council clearly is showing greater effectiveness in meeting its responsibilities to the city.