Maybe they're already experts

So you - or more accurately, I - have to wonder about (non-sitting) candidates for City Council who don't show up to the meetings.

Maybe they are watching it on cable.

I remember in 2007, people who were running for office suddenly started showing up to municipal meetings, including School Committee. None of those people, as far as I can tell, kept it up after they lost the election.

People may not realize it, but Brian Derrivan was at every City Council meeting I covered in 2007 (I didn't cover the City Council the whole year).

I'm not endorsing Derrivan (or anyone else, for that matter) but at least he was pretty familiar with what goes on inside City Council Chambers before he took office.

Here I should note that Bob Cronin, who is running in Ward 3, has been at the last 2 meetings - but as a member of the Harbor Commission to comment on the regulations concerning the harborwalk.

That amendment to the ordinance was passed tonight, by the way.

But as the meeting came to a close, only Cronin (certified candidate) and Ari Herzog (potential candidate) were left in the audience. That is, except for me, Katie Farrell from the Daily News, assorted city officials and Stewart Lytle, the new reporter in town.

I'm not endorsing Cronin or Herzog, either (like I said). I'm just sayin' ...