Zoppo loses her place on cemetery panel... but she's not buried yet

After 15 months of holding the line against the replacement of former city Councilor Ellen Zoppo from her volunteer post heading the city's Cemetery Commission, the council this week finally went along with Mayor Art Ward's bid to send her packing. Councilors unanimously backed the appointment of Downtown Cafe owner Paul Murdock in her place. Why'd they do it now? Because the council, made up entirely of Republicans except for Ward ally Mayra Sampson, is concerned that Zoppo is going to run in the 3rd District. None of them want to see her on the council. Additionally, Zoppo backs Democratic mayoral hopeful Chris Wilson, who is taking on senior GOP city Councilor Ken Cockayne for the city's top job. Wilson has no backing among the council either. So six years after a bitter primary sent Ward to the mayor's office and Zoppo to political purgatory, the feud continues. But with Ward retiring from his municipal position and Zoppo perhaps seeking one (she said she's interested but hasn't declared yet), one of the central features of city politics for years may, at long last, be changing. Ward can't clamp down on Zoppo much longer. But this week, he showed he hasn't finished with her yet.
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