It's not every day that you see Mayor Art Ward running for anything other than reelection.
But yesterday, he charged out of City Hall in hot pursuit of a suspected thief who apparently tried to make off with the mayor's secretary's handbag.
"I was quite impressed that I could still run. I don't know how stiff I'll be in the morning though," Ward told Press reporter Adam Benson later. "It became quite obvious when I was chasing him that something was wrong."
Shortly after I left the mayor's office yesterday morning -- great timing on my part, eh? -- an employee from the treasurer's office across the hall spotted a 16-year-old rifling through a handbag in the outer part of the mayor's office.
Ward told Benson the the employee screamed across the hallway. The mayor, who was probably settling down at his computer to catch up on the kind things people say about him on this blog, heard the yell and raced into action.
"It was a little eerie. It was a sharp yell," Ward told Benson.
The mayor confronted the teen and then chased him out of City Hall, across North Main Street and onto the seemingly endless expanse of the former mall, where Ward quit running and let the police do the rest of the work. That was wise, particularly given that one of the members of the City Council would step into his job if he couldn't do it for any reason.
According to Benson, police caught up with the young man on High Street and charged him with second-degree breach of peace and criminal attempt to commit sixth-degree larceny.
I guess it's not a crime to run away from the mayor, which is something to keep in mind during election season.
"I'm just grateful through the diligence of the employee and the professionalism and speed of the police department that he was apprehended and there were no injuries," Ward told Benson.
And, really, you have to hand it to the mayor for going above and beyond the job description. I'm sure the only thing he's required to pursue is state and federal cash.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
16 comments:
"The mayor, who was probably settling down at his computer to catch up on the kind things people say about him on this blog"
---I admit I have been critical of Mayor Art Ward on this blog, but I also have given him substantial praise on some issues. There have been some stupid commnets made, some of them have been made regarding stupid things the mayor has done in the past (one if not more instances I am sure he regrets).
My point is that you Steve, enable his critics and those who dislike him to post anonymously on your blog. So I guess if you're trying to lay a "guilt trip" on anyone, you should lay one on yourself as well.
As far as this incident goes, I for one am not particularly impressed. Eeven if the perpetrator was a formidable one, I still would not be. Now back to the job of being the mayor...
I'm well aware that my blog gives most everyone a forum. But I think everyone who's savvy enough to be here reading this knows that it's probably better to have me wiping out the worst of it rather than simply letting them rant somewhere else with even less structure.
But, really, you don't think that Ward is now the Superhero Crime-fighting Mayor?
Give the guy some credit! He saw someone doing something wrong and he took action to stop it. Good for him! I don't think he's expecting to be treated like a "superhero" for doing the right thing, but he does deserve a pat on the back.
Thanks Mayor....well done!
Super crime fighting mayor? Again, he excels at the surface items and the glad-handing but fails miserably at the policy and management issues.
I'm sure the publicity from this act never, ever entered into the mayors' mind as he was doing this. Because we know how much this mayor hates to be in the spotlight.
About the first comment, I always find it funny when people complain about anonymous posters yet remain anonymous themselves.
October 7, 2008 2:44 PM:
No stupid is obviously YOU. But you're not too stupid to realise that are you?
Ward has been a mediocre mayor at best. At this stunt was a joke...a stupid one.
October 7, 2008 2:44 PM:
No stupid is obviously YOU. But you're not too stupid to realize that are you, are you?
Ward has been a mediocre mayor at best. At this stunt was a joke...a stupid one.
God THing Ward was the Mayor - Stortz never would have been able to break away from his doughnut to chase a criminal.
It amazes me that ignorant idiots like "October 7, 2008 8:25 PM" think they make good political points with their improper grammar and improper English.
Stortz ate his donut, read the papers, BEFORE City Hall opened at 8:30 AM.
At least 8:25 knows how to spell ;-)
Amazing, Wards PR person can run as fast as him.
I can not belive you say Artie does not like to be in the spotlight. Give me a break this is right up his alley. I just want to know if they had a big celebration for him at the American Legion.
12:27 PM
I just want to know why you feel the need to take little kiddie-type potshots at the mayor. Feelings inadequacy perhaps? Maybe an attempt to compensate for your other, uh...."SHORTcomings?" :-O
12:27 - maybe you should have gone to the legion to find out but, then again, it probably would have required you to find a friend - no doubt, a fruitless effort.
9:43
I thought that Collins was his PR man.
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