Loch-ness Monster Resigns

Gone, but (unfortunately) not forgotten...

Although the "Loch-ness Monster" has resigned from the Onamia City Council and is moving out of the city he was elected to represent (but failed), the damage caused by this yes-man is everlasting, un-do-able, un-fix-able, AND citizens will be paying for Mark Loch's bad judgment and absence of testicular fortitude for many years to come.

Milton's Marionette

Mark Loch is the quintessence of what is wrong with local governments throughout small town America today. However he got on the city council, he did not belong there. After observing him at city council meetings over the past year, it became clear that Mark Loch's only function on the council was to second motions proposed by other councilmen and to help make Mayor Larry Milton's schemes come true. He also fulfilled the requirements for the quorum - i.e. his butt occupied a chair at the council table so that the council could still have a quorum, even with councilman Mickus' frequent absences and councilman Kryzer's wintering in Arizona. But what exactly did Mark Loch contribute? Ideas? No. Checks and balances? No. Was he fair and open to citizens' concerns? NO! Did he serve the community? NO!!! Did he make the town a better place? NO!!!!!!!

In essence, Mark Loch was not a leader. Mark was a follower. And he would follow his fellow lemmings on whatever course Milton set, even if it meant the abolishment of our human rights, our civil rights, ignored our Constitution and was a detriment to the community. You can blame your higher taxes on Mark Loch. You can blame most of Onamia's current problems on Mark Loch because he merely went along. He squandered his vote. Why is Hannabelle so mean to Mark? Because when it came to governing, Mark was a dishrag. He seemed caught up in the junior high school mentality of Milton's town council, succumbing to peer pressure, and like the pawn that he was, doing whatever Bully Milton wanted. Mark Loch may not have served Onamia well, but he definitely served a purpose. Milton's purpose. Nexus' purpose. From that perspective, they were lucky to have him as long as they did. The rest of us - not so lucky.

One of the lessons we should (but probably won't) learn from former councilman Mark Loch's time in office is that POWER is fleeting. But decisions made while in power can be everlasting and devastating. Choose your friends wisely. Yes. But choose your local leaders with extreme caution. They can screw up your life as easily and thoughtlessly as a seventh grade boy throwing spitballs at a classmate. You think your local councilman cares about the people he was elected to represent? You'd better make sure BEFORE you elect him. Will he vote his conscience? Hey, you'd better find out if he has one BEFORE he sits down at the table to determine YOUR life.

Mark is leaving the community but he's also leaving a mess in his wake, a mess of which he has given up all responsibility. What does he care about Nexus and their sex offenders? He doesn't have to deal with them anymore. What does he care about the neighborhood which by his bad decisions was destroyed? He no longer has to face those people. What does he care about the BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP of machines he doesn't have to listen to from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.? He is free to move away, move on and forget about what happened here. Forget what HE DID here. He is free to have a nice life after ruining ours.