UPDATE: Judge refuses to bar Vice Mayor Councilman Deputy City Treasurer from working for the City.

Hill’s filing said serving as an elected official and a paid employee at City Hall constituted a conflict of interest.

SOURCE:  http://hamptonroads.com/2008/12/judge-refuses-bar-norfolk-councilman-job

It’s kind of hard to tell who may actually be leveraging whom/what in the scenario unfolding in Norfolk these days.

Taking a look back in history.

Thomas W. Moss Jr, won the election for City Treasurer as an independent in 2005. He knew he would not get the Democrat’s nomination for the position so he separated from the party. The three other candidates split the resultant vote three ways with Vivian Paige, a local CPA garnering the majority of those remaining votes.

Mr. Moss has now announced that he has rejoined the Democratic Party and as an incumbent, all but seals the nomination from the party for himself. Shenanigans yes, but played to his advantage and definitely not illegal by any means. The party could in fact NOT give him the nod next year though that is extremely unlikely.

Among Mr. Moss’ announced supporters are Norfolk Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot, Sheriff Robert McCabe, Commissioner of the Revenue Sharon McDonald and George Schaefer, Circuit Court clerk. (see PilotOnline article: http://hamptonroads.com/2008/12/moss-rejoins-democrats-run-again-norfolk-treasurer)

In comes Mr. Anthony Burfoot (yes, the same one who endorsed Mr. Moss in his re-election bid), the outspoken, sometimes controversial City Council member and Vice Mayor. Treasurer Moss offered Vice Mayor Burfoot an appointed position, paid, as Deputy City Treasurer. And he accepted. So now he is a sitting elected City Council member, Vice Mayor and a City Employee under an elected official he openly supports. As soon as I heard this alarm bells went off in my head. Conflict of interest was the loudest of them. However.

According the the PilotOnline,

City Attorney Bernard Pishko said a council member can work in the treasurer’s office without creating a conflict of interest. Although the treasurer’s office collects taxes for the city, it is funded by the state.

According to an editorial on PilotOnline, Mr. Burfoot has long been considered a highly qualified candidate for the City Treasurer’s position. With that process in mind, this maneuver has made him the “obvious heir apparent”. The part that the editorial brings out, that bothers me the most is pure frightening. Vice Mayor Burfoot, could sit on the same comittee that decides the compensation package of Deputy City Treasurer Burfoot’s boss. City Treasurer Mr. Thomas Moss.

The only fly in the oinment I am aware of is… Norfolk City Councilman W. Randy Wright’s son. He works for the City Treasurer’s Office. So maybe Vice Mayor Councilman Deputy City Treasurer Burfoot isn’t the “obvious heir apparent” the PilotOnline thinks he is.

For me, this smacks of the smokey back room deal making that has made, most of us, highly suspicious of politicians in general. One could look at this as simply a favor to a friend. Or one could look at it a little more cynically. Either way… it stinks.

I’m not comparing this to the Illinois Trainwreck called Blagokevich. It doesn’t come close in my opinion. But it does make you wonder doesn’t it?