Niagara Falls – Last week, former Niagara Falls Mayor Vince Anello came before the council at their regularly scheduled meeting to speak at the podium during the public comment period known as “for the good of the city.”
As he was speaking, in earnest tones, he was interrupted, oddly, by the laughter of Councilwoman Kristen Grandinetti.
Anello, obviously offended, confronted Grandinetti on the spot asking what she thought was so funny.
Grandinetti replied, “I wasn’t laughing at you, I was laughing at my friend in the audience.”
Anello responded, “Don’t you think you should be paying attention to what I am saying since I am speaking here for the good of the city?”
Grandinetti declined to respond and Anello continued speaking.
Grandinetti, who has been seen texting on her phone during council meetings, generally votes exactly as the mayor directs.
Readers may recall that she was the first council person to approve the parking meter plan of the mayor and when asked if she understood a single element of the plan she said she had not a clue.
It may not be necessary for her to pay close attention to the public comment section of the council meeting or for that matter anything else that transpires since she votes as the mayor tells her to.
She is like a smart but bored child in class who has already memorized the test answers and doesn’t need to listen to what the teacher is saying.
At the last council meeting she told Anello that she was laughing at a friend in the audience. Gee, we wish we were let in on the joke.
What was her friend doing? Making funny faces? picking her nose? wiggling her ears?
It is a fine commentary on the quality of the people’s choices for elected officials in Niagara Falls that such a fun loving gal as Grandinetti is repeatedly elected and can serve the people with such distinction that while a former mayor of this city takes the time to speak on behalf of the people, she is engaged in silly jokes with a member of the audience.
Perhaps the friend was throwing spitballs at Anello or creating a sign to stick on his back saying ‘kick me’ or making bunny ears behind his head with her fingers. Who knows?
It must be a lot of fun being a council woman in this city.