Rumors are flying that Leni Sitnick, former Ashvegas mayor, is thinking about running again this year. It wasn’t that long ago that Sitnick, big hair and all, put her own stamp on the city. It won’t soon be forgotten.
(Another likely council candidate: Dwight Butner, owner of Vicenzo’s, the downtown bistro, and an active member of a downtown restaurant owners group that’s been active on issues such as homelessness.)
But back to Sitnick.
I don’t remember many details from the campaign itself, but I recall the energy and excitement from the Sitnick camp when she won. I think her election night party was held at Beanstreets, the room packed with hippified admirers. There she was, Asheville’s first female, four-year, full-time mayor, aglow with more charisma, charm and goodwill than you’ll ever see in a local candidate. Bubba was still in office in Washington and the city felt it had finally arrived.
Sitnick’s legacy was one of open government. It was a dual-edged sword. On the one hand, it meant an unprecendented number of people, especially those disenfranchised with the political system, felt they had a say, and an ally, in local government. On the other, it meant ass-numbingly long meetings that often ended in no action. And they were punctuated with Sitnick’s infamous and endless “lists” of discussion points and action items.
Big media loved Sitnick, once just another council member who didn’t really come into her own until she became mayor. Word of Asheville’s hippy friendly counter-culture scene had been leaking out in the early ’90s, but when Sitnick took the city’s helm in ’97, writers and TV producers got the character big media needed to make the picture complete. Sitnick welcomed all comers, feeding them chocolate in her City Hall office hung with every certificate of appreciation, plaque and picture (Clinton, Cosby, Andie MacDowell) one could imagine.
Of course, all that goodwill didn’t last forever. A pro-marijuana group of young trust-a-farians stormed City Hall one night, demanding that their precious weed be legalized. Sitnick gave them a full hearing. Two members of that group, calling themselves the “Cannibis Clowns” often showed up to meetings in orange wigs and oversized shoes and hounded the council meeting after meeting, making a mockery of all.
There was the infamous proclamation Sitnick pronounced, which officially recognized “earth religions.” There was such a hew and cry from the bible thumpers that she recinded it and vowed to never issue another proclamation, normally a meaningless piece of drivel at the local governmeant level.
There was a giant Wal-Mart debate. She voted against it. There was Ukiah, the “naked guy” who paraded around town in a thong (he left and is now back in town, by the way).
And there was the speedway blow up, probably the most damaging move (politically speaking) that local city council members of the time took. The Asheville Motor Speedway owner sold the property, which was then donated to the city with the stipulation that no racing ever be held there again. It was done secretly, to the outrage of many.
You never heard such howling. The country boy contingent railed and picketed and protested. People wondered if it was the Biltmore Estate that bought the property and gave it to the city (the track was across the river from the estate and the cars’ roaring engines could be heard for miles around on a weekend night).
Leni went out with a “celebration,” not a goodbye. There was music and happiness. She went on to work with members of the local filmmaking industry, but I’m not sure exactly what she’s doing now.
But maybe that’s all ancient history now. The city’s progressive Dems are on an upswing again. Maybe residents are looking for a Leni to restore their hope in local government.
Filing begins in August.