Ben Hunter Meets The Guy He's Been Looking For All Along--Himself

Do you remember the episode of Seinfeld when Jerry meets a character played by Janeane Garofalo who he falls in love with because she's just like him? That's the thought that came to mind when I read Matt Tully's latest column making a pitch to Mayor Greg Ballard to appoint Councilor Ben Hunter as his next public safety director. The Mayor's office tells Tully that they've interviewed candidates from all over the country but they can't find the right person. Tully meets with Ben Hunter and finds that he's the best candidate for the job. During a 90-minute interview of Hunter about his prospects of being appointed to a job he claims he's not seeking, Hunter manages to convince Tully that he possesses the range of skills required for the job--policing, vision, politics and community relations. Best of all, he's hated by the FOP, even if he is a former police officer. After finishing his interview with Hunter, Tully asks Ballard's Chief of Staff Ryan Vaughn why he hasn't hired Hunter for the job. Vaughn responds, "He hasn't applied." Yet Hunter made clear to Tully that he would accept the job if offered it. Psst. Hey, Matt. Did Ben tell you that he gave Ryan's wife an executive assistant's job in the Butler President's office a few months back? Don't tell anyone.