The “Bloviators” have arrived…!
It’s an uncertain time here in the wonderful town of Berlin MD – for the next 5 weeks, until the Town elections are past, bloviators will roam our streets and occupy our shops, run our meetings, clog our telephone lines and jam our emails.
What is a bloviator? They look just like you and me but they sound like something else. According to the online encyclopedia – Wikipedia – “To bloviate means “to speak pompously and excessively,” or “to expound ridiculously.” A colloquial verb coined in the United States, it is commonly used with contempt to describe the behavior of politicians, academics, pundits or media “experts,” sometimes called bloviators, who hold forth on subjects in an arrogant, tiresome way.”
Last night’s meeting of the Berlin Mayor & Council was a perfect example…during a standing room only gathering, Interim Mayor Gee Williams by his lengthy speech and actions, became that very definition. With many in attendance for the singular purpose of finding relief from their current shockingly high electric bills, Mr. Williams took the opportunity, after stating current Council actions, to bloviate. 
Citing past history of the Berlin Electric Company, the remaining time was used (over an hour) to expound on his opinions. When queried by Second District Candidate, Lisa Hall on the meaning of an especially inflammatory (and in my opinion totally unnecessary) sentence* in his recent, lengthy letter to the town, Williams claimed innocent intent. That’s OK, yet continued with even more pointed statements proving his displeasure and frustration. Too, there were several inaccurate statements, misrepresentations made, pertaining to the amount of input from the Berlin Utility Commission addressing electric company and other important current utility issues faced by town citizens… To all who regularly attend these meetings it is widely known that despite best efforts most all recommendations have fallen upon deaf ears – and that NO August work session on the Town’s Sewer Capacity Ordinance – Public Works was held between the BUC, the Berlin Planning Commission and the Mayor and Council as reported yesterday in a local newspaper.
Where am I going with this…I suppose it’s nearly time to get off the fence? In a few short weeks the folks of Berlin will have to decide which man wins the sometimes questionable, but seemingly coveted title of Mayor of Berlin Maryland. I don’t know about you but I’m not certain that I want to listen to one of those scary bloviators for the next 4 years! I’ll keep listening though, trying to discern reason and intent right up until election day.
*”We are not waiting for a chorus of homegrown advice from individual citizens, as well intentioned as it may be.”
