And They're Not Going To Take It Anymore?

[Gomer Pyle voice]

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

[/Gomer Pyle voice]

The political leaders of Minneapolis suddenly develop a little backbone when it comes to their lesbian fire chief:

Efforts to remove embattled Fire Chief Bonnie Bleskachek will proceed, after Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council members rejected a proposed settlement Tuesday that would have allowed her to remain a supervisor in the department.

The unanimous vote of the city's executive committee, led by Rybak, to reject the deal came as a surprise to Bleskachek's lawyer, Jerry Burg, who had revealed terms of the agreement Monday: a cash settlement of less than $50,000 and a voluntary demotion for Bleskachek, the nation's first openly lesbian fire chief.

Why the unexpected stiffening of spine?

But the mayor's office and council members were flooded with calls Tuesday, criticizing the proposed deal.

Are the long-beaten down taxpayers of Minneapolis finally rising up and saying enough's enough?

Dozens of calls and e-mails poured into the mayor's office in the past day, Hanson said. By far, callers didn't want Bleskachek to return as chief, he said.

Many City Council members also heard such comments Tuesday.

Well, it's a start anyway. But don't expect the guardian of the city's purse to change their stripes overnight.

But while there was some sentiment at Tuesday's meeting for firing her, there was no straw poll, and no consensus that she should be forced out of the department.

No, of course not. Wouldn't want to do anything drastic and actually follow through and can an employee who has no business running a lemonade stand to say nothing of a fire department.

Bravo to the taxpayer of Minneapolis for saying "no mas" at last. It's a good beginning, but you've got a long way to go baby.