It was late in the afternoon and I had to get back. You may find this hard to believe, but there really is some prep work involved before anchoring a six o’clock newscast.
But this was one of those rare occasions where I just couldn’t leave, one of those moments that come along every so often in a career that simply demand attention.
Current Mayor Joe Sinnott was getting on a witness stand to be cross-examined by former Erie Mayor and former political opponent Rick Filippi.
I just had to see it.
The arena for this confrontation was formed when the Sinnott administration went to court to remove the deed restriction that keeps the Erie Golf Course a golf course or at least a public park.
The Mayor had decided that the municipal golf course was costing the city too much money in tight budget times to warrant continued funding.
The lifting of the deed restriction would allow the city to get rid of the property, either as a course or for home development.
A group of golfers and environmentalists oppose cutting up the green space for development, and enlisted the former mayor as counsel after he returned to private practice.
Despite some career similarities, the two men couldn’t be further apart. Both served a term on council before running for Mayor. Both entered the job as up-and-comers bringing hope of changing the status quo.
But where Sinnott is laid back by nature, Filippi is more fiery, prone to remember old wrongs and hold those responsible accountable.
Adding to the fun is the fact that nearly two million dollars worth of improvements were made to the course under the Filippi administration, and it is the debt from those improvements is what rankles the current administration most.
To make a long story short, it was all adding up for a courtroom showdown the likes of which haven’t been seen this side of Perry Mason.
Of course it didn’t happen.
The two men were civil as they went through the reasons for the decision.
The former mayor asked the current mayor to read the actual deed restriction, which includes phrases like “shall remain forever” and the like.
“Doesn’t that sound mandatory?” Filippi asked Sinnott.
“Unless overturned by this proceeding,” Sinnott answered back.
Okay sometimes the anticipation and expectation exceeds the payout.
Mostly, the session went over old ground with little fanfare.
“This issue is professional, not personal,” Sinnott told the Erie Times-News.
We haven’t given up hope completely, though. The court session ended with Sinnott still on the stand. Cross-examination resumes May 11th.
HEY! It makes me cross to think that our Comments section is still down, but it is. If you would like to direct thoughts to this site,
write to scott.bremner@wsee.tv. Write "Comments" in the subject line so I don't miss it, and I'll take an oath to put your testimony after mine.