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Jerry Moore from Berwyn Life (Ill.) has been named Editorial Writer of the Year for Division C in the 2009 Best of GateHouse contest.
About the entry
Jerry Moore targets local issues in editorials about ethics violations, city debt and mayoral abuse of power. Moore called to task officials and residents as he detailed how city officials looked the other way instead of investigating ethics complaints, and wondered why these officials remain in office. “What makes Berwyn so dynamic is that public officials pretend they’re carrying out their duties, and residents pretend this is perfectly fine. Folks must obviously love the way things are done in Pretend Land. If they didn’t, why would they elect people like this in the first place?” After the Berwyn City Council issued $5.2 million in bonds to retire old debt, Moore questioned why the city would double its debt to put money in the current budget. “What happens if officials face another budget shortfall next year?” he said. Moore also questioned whether the mayor had the authority to give orders to the city police force after Berwyn Mayor Michael O’Connor ordered a raid at the campaign headquarters of a local alderman. Moore wrote: “O’Connor’s action was an egregious abuse of power that has no place in any government.”
Judges’ comments
On Moore’s editorial about local officials looking the other way while an ethics ordinance was violated, judges said Moore effectively used humor to explain bad public policy. “Likening Berwyn to a mythical place called Pretend Land, the editorial had judges laughing out loud. It was the best-written of all the pieces submitted in the editorial categories.”
Jerry Moore from Berwyn Life (Ill.) has been named Editorial Writer of the Year for Division C in the 2009 Best of GateHouse contest.
About the entry
Jerry Moore targets local issues in editorials about ethics violations, city debt and mayoral abuse of power. Moore called to task officials and residents as he detailed how city officials looked the other way instead of investigating ethics complaints, and wondered why these officials remain in office. “What makes Berwyn so dynamic is that public officials pretend they’re carrying out their duties, and residents pretend this is perfectly fine. Folks must obviously love the way things are done in Pretend Land. If they didn’t, why would they elect people like this in the first place?” After the Berwyn City Council issued $5.2 million in bonds to retire old debt, Moore questioned why the city would double its debt to put money in the current budget. “What happens if officials face another budget shortfall next year?” he said. Moore also questioned whether the mayor had the authority to give orders to the city police force after Berwyn Mayor Michael O’Connor ordered a raid at the campaign headquarters of a local alderman. Moore wrote: “O’Connor’s action was an egregious abuse of power that has no place in any government.”
Judges’ comments
On Moore’s editorial about local officials looking the other way while an ethics ordinance was violated, judges said Moore effectively used humor to explain bad public policy. “Likening Berwyn to a mythical place called Pretend Land, the editorial had judges laughing out loud. It was the best-written of all the pieces submitted in the editorial categories.”
