Trending
Mark Eaton slings out the "Marshalltown Cabal" often in person and on his Facebook page. His friend Dave Thompson also has mentioned it to me a couple of times, but no names.
I wondered, is there REALLY a Cabal in Marshalltown? A dark, shadowy, sinister group amongst us?
Curious, I began to pay attention to people around me. As a City Councilor, you attend many meetings with scores of residents. If anyone could solve this riddle, it would be me.
I watched for evil planners, hand signals, odd wardrobes, clandestine meetings in hidden places. Try as I might, I came up empty. Mark and Dave punked me. Probably had a good laugh to boot. So, I let it go.
After a year the topic came up in my head. So go with me here... What if this group was SO evil, that instead of doing evil, they did good to throw us off the track?
That would be next level evil! So I began watching again, but wiser.
HOLY SMOKES! OMG!
They are everywhere! They ride around in their vans and SUVs with a back seat full of kids for cover, right before our eyes! They smile nice and at times, send men out to do their dirty work, coming back all shot-up and bruised, but their latest do-good project completed.
Unsuspecting rubes (like me) fall for it every time.
Here is my list of the Cabal -- enjoy.
NO DOUBT CABAL -- Julie Hitchins, City Hall female staff, Kendra Sorensen, Amber Danielson, Deb Millizer, Heidi Dalal, Sarah Rosenblum, Karn Gregoire, Sharon Greer, Carol Hibbs, Luisa Ortega.
PROBABLY CABAL -- Michelle Roseburrough (new, but you can tell by looking), Joa LaVille, Sarah Smith, Kate Bowermaster, Cindy Parks, Aimee Deimerly-Snyder, Christine Isom, any female member of the Bobcat Booster Club, Nicole Collins (looks innocent, not even close), Carrie Barr, Jasmin Banderas, Sue Cahill, Sarah Tupper, Dorie Tammen, female police officers and firefighters.
CABAL-ISH -- female teachers, church ladies, any other female. I have missed hundreds.
But, if you have read this far, you can see how deep this goes. After some goody-goody project, they probably get together, kick back in their pink sequined shirts, black leggings and tiaras sipping on a Starbucks, munching Lillie Mae chocolates and cackling. Pulled another one over on us! What's next? An indoor sports complex or outdoor dining on Main?
But seriously... We have the most talented, hard working visionary females in our midst.
It seems to me that far too often, they quietly step back into the shadows and don't get the recognition they deserve. Large and small projects driven mainly by them have been incredible improvements to our city.
Men seem to be more front and center for the accolades. No more. Marshalltown can't be Marshalltown without them. We need some to be on the City Council representing their Cabal. No more hiding.
Mark and Dave were right, there IS a Cabal. We see you.
------
Mike Ladehoff is the Ward 1 City Councilor and the Mayor Pro Tem.