Why is it so easy to point out other peoples' shortcomings and mistakes while glossing over our own poor judgment?

In both situations Councilmember Blaxberg, accused his fellow council members of less than altruistic motivations. Councilmember Blaxberg suggested that Councilmember Blanck had a conflict of interest because her family-owned uniform store. Never mind that when she first proposed the idea none of our local schools had passed the uniform rule. Again, more recently in Councilmember Blaxberg's November article, he accused the mayor of backroom dealings in the search for a city hall building. What she did was investigate the two obvious locations that became available within the Village Ñ the former sites of Luria's and Blackwelders.

During this month's council meeting, Council member Blaxberg abstained from voting on a dumpster ordinance which would affect his client, the proprietor of Captain's Tavern. The client was present at the meeting and was quite verbal about his opposition to the ordinance.

However, Councilmember Blaxberg only abstained from the vote after being questioned about his relationship with the business owner. At the same meeting Councilmember Blaxberg reported on the conversations he had with the owners of the Dadeland Professional Building (located in the same shopping center as Captain's Tavern), some of whom are acquaintances. That building is now being studied as a possible site for city hall.

My intent is not to defend or to browbeat anyone. My goal is to make a point. Both of these situations could easily be perceived as improper. Councilmember Blaxberg had discussions with the buildings owners just as Mayor Greer had on the other sites. While, I do not think that his intentions where improper I shutter to think what Councilmember Blaxberg would say if these circumstance involved one of his fellow councilmembers.

The point is, we would be better served as a community if we judged other as we do ourselves.