“Politically Aged” Yenni Shows He’s Still Immature, Classless and Petty

Last year, after Judge Mentz dismissed our lawsuit against the City regarding Mayor Yenni’s 2030 Plan, Nola.com posted a piece about Yenn still stressing about a group of citizen activists despite winning that battle.

Rather than relishing his victory and moving on, Yenni showed his true petty nature and immaturity by continuing to blast the citizens that he was elected to represent.

“These people are crazy, and they will stop at nothing,” the mayor said.

It was reminiscent of Yenni’s op-ed piece in the Kenner Star criticizing citizens who speak at City Council meetings.

Imagine how much better Kenner and Yenni’s life would be if only the citizens of Kenner would not offer a dissenting opinion.

C’mon everybody! Let’s all rally around the one true omnipotent being in Kenner – Mike Yenni.

In the last election, Yenni’s allies swept all of the City Council seats except for the independent voters in District 1 who re-elected Councilman Greg Carroll.

Despite Yenni’s inauguration speech claiming that “no neighborhood will be left behind”, I’m sure that there will be hell to pay in District 1 as Yenni seeks retribution against those foolish citizens who voted against him and re-elected Carroll.

After the 2030 Plan was released, I joked with Councilman Carroll that, since District 1 was pretty much shut out of the $27 Million (now $37 Million) spending spree, that I would help him organize a bake sale to buy a sign to put on Airline Highway saying “Rivertown – This Way”.

My hope for Councilman Carroll and the residents of District 1 is that my premonition is incorrect and that Yenni has actually grown up.

Sadly, his actions the past few weeks don’t show me the personal growth that one would hope for in an (allegedly) Adult.

Before the last City Council meeting, Yenni issued proclamations to the outgoing elected officials. He honored term-limited Police Chief Steve Caraway, and term-limited councilmembers Jeannie Black and Michelle Branigan. When it came time to honor two other term-limited councilmembers, District 2 Councilman Joe Stagni and District 5 Councilman Kent Denapolis, Yenni introduced Black and Branigan to introduce Denapolis and Stagni.

After 8 years for Stagni and 10 years for Denapolis of service on the City Council representing their Districts and the City, Mike Yenni couldn’t bring himself to say a few nice words about either councilman.

At a Monday night pre-inauguration dinner attended by the incoming and outgoing Councilmembers, City Contractors and Yenni’s political contributors, Denapolis and Stagni were MIA. It seems that there were left off the invitation list.

At Tuesday’s inauguration, Yenni introduced videos highlighting Black, Branigan and Caraway’s work. Again, Denapolis and Stagni were not invited, not on stage, and not thanked for their service. In fact, Denapolis and Stagni weren’t even mentioned.

One slight, ok, it happens.

Three slights – well, that’s no accident.

Councilmen Denapolis and Stagni deserved better and far more respect from Yenni.They've earned it.

It should be noted that Denapolis and Stagni didn’t always see eye-to-eye with Yenni and vigorously opposed Yenni’s attempt to double property taxes. They also sided against the Mayor on other issues but does disagreeing with someone warrant the repeated slaps in the face?

Isn’t this America where dissent is welcomed?

In his speech, Yenni claimed that being Mayor for the past 4 years had “politically aged” him.

"I am politically aged, which is to say I am calm but driven, focused but open minded."

But still immature, petty and classless.

Chosen to introduce Yenni again at this inauguration, former Assessor-turned-Blogger, Lawrence Chehardy showed how clueless and out of touch he is.

While repeating the same tired, inaccurate rhetoric of how Yenni had cut $8.5 Million from the City budget (while managing to increase the budget during his term – must be Common Core math) and eliminated 135 positions (of course, many of which were unfilled positions from the Muniz Administration and part-time positions in Rivertown – but never mind the facts, if you say something loud enough and often enough it becomes the truch), Chehardy took us on a walk down memory lane as he discussed his advice to Yenni before the Mayor took office in 2010.

Chehardy had advised Yenni before the mayor's first term to be "decisive but not divisive," stay true to himself, be resourceful and to listen to critics. Yenni has done all these things, Chehardy said.

Former Assessor-turned-Blogger Chehardy, this Citizen-turned-Blogger respectfully disagrees.

Well, maybe not so “respectfully”.