The Boy Who Wasn't Mayor: Part 5 (Finale)
And so, Ben comes to Pawnee and we come to the conclusion of this story. Once again, thank you so much for reading and commenting.
The Boy Who Wasn’t Mayor
Part 5
Ben Wyatt spent nearly a week poring over all the financial documents, council meeting minutes, and previously confidential files that the city of Pawnee had provided. He could honestly say he had never seen anything like it. The town spent nearly a quarter of its revenue keeping a massive conglomerate called Sweetums in town (owned by one Nick Newport, whose family members were all mentioned dozens of times in the documents) and another 15 percent on “raccoon and possum control.” Meanwhile, some councilman named Dexhart had been elected to his sixth term, despite having been involved in at least eight different sex scandals-one allegedly involving a deputy director, who had proved her innocence by pulling down her pants on a local TV show. And every time, Dexhart would be trundled off on an expensive, fully paid trip to rehab, while the city also paid his lawyers and sent hush money to the women involved. His peccadilloes had cost the city $400,000, easily.
Due to the economy, Sweetums had been forced to lay off nearly 150 workers in late 2009. Because the company so dominated Pawnee, those cuts had a trickledown effect on smaller businesses. Reduced spending at local businesses meant reduced tax revenue for the city, and due to its convoluted contract with Sweetums, the city was obligated to pay money to the Newports before they could address Pawnee’s more pressing issues.
The whole situation dismayed Ben. He and Chris had visited some poorly run cities in the past 12 years, but few compared to Pawnee. He couldn’t see any way to fix the problem other than to slash the budget to the bare bones, which also meant cutting as many as 30 percent of city jobs, perhaps even more in the less-essential departments, such as parks and recreation.
By early afternoon of the first day in Pawnee, Ben was exhausted. He and Chris could not get straight answers from the city council or the city manager as to why Pawnee had placed itself at the financial mercy of one company. All he learned was, “That’s how it’s always been done here. If you’re not from Pawnee, you wouldn’t understand our history.” Having caught a glimpse of a few of the murals that festooned City Hall, Ben wasn’t sure he wanted to understand.
After a quick lunch at Sue’s Salads (Chris’ pick, not Ben’s), the two men returned to City Hall.
“Next on our agenda is the parks department,” Chris told him as they entered the building. “We will be meeting with their director, Ron Swanson, and their deputy director, Leslie Knope. I understand Pawnee has some very lovely parks, so I literally cannot wait to meet them.”
Leslie Knope, the woman in the latest Dexhart scandal, Ben remembered. He looked forward to putting a face to the name.
Leslie, however, was not as eager to meet him. The events of the morning had thrown her for a loop, and she hadn’t had the opportunity to hear the good stories about Ben and Chris. As far as she knew, they were just two guys sent from the state capital to destroy everything she loved.
“I think you’re a jerk and you want to fire my friends and ruin this city,” she nearly spat at him, while her boss sat by bemused.
“Ms. Knope, I did not cause these problems. Your government did.” Ben paused. He could tell things had started off badly, and he had to nip that as soon as possible. “Look, this room is really stuffy. Do you mind if we went out to the courtyard and discussed things? Mr. Swanson, would you like to join us?”
“I’m happy as long as we slash the budget, so I wouldn’t want to impede you in any way, Mr. Wyatt. So if you don’t mind, I’m late for my second lunch.” Ron got up and made his way out of the conference room.
Leslie followed Ben outside. “A change of venue won’t make me feel different, Mr. Wyatt.”
“I hope to convince you otherwise,” he replied, gesturing toward a table. After they sat down, Ben pushed his padfolio aside.
“Listen, Leslie-is it OK if I call you that?“ At her nod he continued. “I have been to more than 40 cities since starting this job. In nearly all of them, the city is in bad financial shape because the decision makers fail to take into account the long-term consequences of their choices. And the people who bear the brunt are the citizens and the everyday employees of the towns. I hate many of the decisions I’ve had to make, but Chris and I have helped most of the towns we’ve been to emerge from massive deficits and even bankruptcy. What we do is painful, but it works. And I will do everything I can to minimize the damage.”
“But what you want to do will destroy the parks and recreation department,” Leslie protested. “People need to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Why don’t you shut down the libraries instead? Those places are horrible.”
“I’ll take that under advisement,” Ben replied. Leslie smiled for the first time. “But let’s go back to your department. I really do not want to cut any of the jobs in the office, but furloughs or reduced hours are almost certain. But let’s look at something else, the community pools. Pawnee has six pools, and from Memorial Day through September 30 they are open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.” He reached over for his padfolio and flipped through the pages. “Clearly that can’t continue under these circumstances. So here is what I’m proposing. We close the two pools that have been used the least over the past three years. The four remaining pools keep their regular weekend hours, but on weekdays are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Plus, during the week only three pools are open per day. By reducing the hours the pools are open, the city also spends less money on janitorial services, security guards, lifeguards, and front desk attendants. I have all the projections here. And either Pawnee hires fewer pool employees or reduces the hours for the existing staff. I know that this is not a perfect solution, but it’s a start. And it would mean a lot to me if you would help me work to find the best possible approach. Your name came up a number of times in the files I read, Leslie. And it’s pretty obvious that you’re not someone who shies away when things get difficult. So can I have your help?”
Leslie paused, letting Ben’s words sink in. If he had spent all this time thinking about the pools, then this was clearly a man who took his job seriously and wasn’t going to fire her or her friends on a whim. And as he got to know Pawnee, he would probably do whatever he could to help reinstate programs. She realized that becoming enemies with the guy wielding the budget knife was a bad idea (and besides, he was kind of cute).
“I’m happy to help, Ben. Also, I forgot to say this before, but welcome to Pawnee! By the way, if you and Chris don’t have plans for tonight, we’re having a 21st birthday party tonight at the Snakehole Lounge for Ron’s assistant April. It would be a great chance for the two of you to get to know this town a little better.”
“As far as I know, we don’t. Thanks for the offer.”
Ben and Chris did show up to the party. Ben didn’t stay long though. He chatted for a bit with Leslie and her friend Ann, but the combination of the long day at work, a few too-strong martinis, and the pulsating club music brought on a severe headache. However, Leslie kindly hoped that he felt better in the morning, which definitely soothed things. Ben had to admit he was starting to develop a slight crush on Leslie Knope, after knowing her for just a few hours.
True to her word, Leslie worked as hard as she could to trim the parks budget. However, even her and Ben’s best efforts were for naught when the city government had to shut down. The summer was filled with challenges that often pushed their fledgling friendship to the breaking point. Leslie kept trying to find ways around the shut down, and Ben kept having to remind her it wasn’t possible. But even when they argued, Leslie was still one of his strongest supporters, repeatedly reminding other city employees that Ben and Chris were working incredibly hard to solve problems that they did not cause.
Still, it was a great relief when Pawnee could at last resume full city services. Things got even better when Leslie proposed the return of the Harvest Festival. Ben and Chris had originally been set to leave Pawnee after Labor Day, but an event the scope of the festival needed professional oversight of its budget.
“Are you happy to stay in Pawnee a while longer?” Chris asked as they left the parks department. “I’m certainly glad to enjoy the company of Ann Perkins.”
“There are certainly enjoyable people in this city,” Ben replied, thinking of one in particular. “I never would have thought Partridge would lead me to Pawnee, but I’m really glad it did.”
The End
The Boy Who Wasn’t Mayor
Part 5
Ben Wyatt spent nearly a week poring over all the financial documents, council meeting minutes, and previously confidential files that the city of Pawnee had provided. He could honestly say he had never seen anything like it. The town spent nearly a quarter of its revenue keeping a massive conglomerate called Sweetums in town (owned by one Nick Newport, whose family members were all mentioned dozens of times in the documents) and another 15 percent on “raccoon and possum control.” Meanwhile, some councilman named Dexhart had been elected to his sixth term, despite having been involved in at least eight different sex scandals-one allegedly involving a deputy director, who had proved her innocence by pulling down her pants on a local TV show. And every time, Dexhart would be trundled off on an expensive, fully paid trip to rehab, while the city also paid his lawyers and sent hush money to the women involved. His peccadilloes had cost the city $400,000, easily.
Due to the economy, Sweetums had been forced to lay off nearly 150 workers in late 2009. Because the company so dominated Pawnee, those cuts had a trickledown effect on smaller businesses. Reduced spending at local businesses meant reduced tax revenue for the city, and due to its convoluted contract with Sweetums, the city was obligated to pay money to the Newports before they could address Pawnee’s more pressing issues.
The whole situation dismayed Ben. He and Chris had visited some poorly run cities in the past 12 years, but few compared to Pawnee. He couldn’t see any way to fix the problem other than to slash the budget to the bare bones, which also meant cutting as many as 30 percent of city jobs, perhaps even more in the less-essential departments, such as parks and recreation.
By early afternoon of the first day in Pawnee, Ben was exhausted. He and Chris could not get straight answers from the city council or the city manager as to why Pawnee had placed itself at the financial mercy of one company. All he learned was, “That’s how it’s always been done here. If you’re not from Pawnee, you wouldn’t understand our history.” Having caught a glimpse of a few of the murals that festooned City Hall, Ben wasn’t sure he wanted to understand.
After a quick lunch at Sue’s Salads (Chris’ pick, not Ben’s), the two men returned to City Hall.
“Next on our agenda is the parks department,” Chris told him as they entered the building. “We will be meeting with their director, Ron Swanson, and their deputy director, Leslie Knope. I understand Pawnee has some very lovely parks, so I literally cannot wait to meet them.”
Leslie Knope, the woman in the latest Dexhart scandal, Ben remembered. He looked forward to putting a face to the name.
Leslie, however, was not as eager to meet him. The events of the morning had thrown her for a loop, and she hadn’t had the opportunity to hear the good stories about Ben and Chris. As far as she knew, they were just two guys sent from the state capital to destroy everything she loved.
“I think you’re a jerk and you want to fire my friends and ruin this city,” she nearly spat at him, while her boss sat by bemused.
“Ms. Knope, I did not cause these problems. Your government did.” Ben paused. He could tell things had started off badly, and he had to nip that as soon as possible. “Look, this room is really stuffy. Do you mind if we went out to the courtyard and discussed things? Mr. Swanson, would you like to join us?”
“I’m happy as long as we slash the budget, so I wouldn’t want to impede you in any way, Mr. Wyatt. So if you don’t mind, I’m late for my second lunch.” Ron got up and made his way out of the conference room.
Leslie followed Ben outside. “A change of venue won’t make me feel different, Mr. Wyatt.”
“I hope to convince you otherwise,” he replied, gesturing toward a table. After they sat down, Ben pushed his padfolio aside.
“Listen, Leslie-is it OK if I call you that?“ At her nod he continued. “I have been to more than 40 cities since starting this job. In nearly all of them, the city is in bad financial shape because the decision makers fail to take into account the long-term consequences of their choices. And the people who bear the brunt are the citizens and the everyday employees of the towns. I hate many of the decisions I’ve had to make, but Chris and I have helped most of the towns we’ve been to emerge from massive deficits and even bankruptcy. What we do is painful, but it works. And I will do everything I can to minimize the damage.”
“But what you want to do will destroy the parks and recreation department,” Leslie protested. “People need to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Why don’t you shut down the libraries instead? Those places are horrible.”
“I’ll take that under advisement,” Ben replied. Leslie smiled for the first time. “But let’s go back to your department. I really do not want to cut any of the jobs in the office, but furloughs or reduced hours are almost certain. But let’s look at something else, the community pools. Pawnee has six pools, and from Memorial Day through September 30 they are open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.” He reached over for his padfolio and flipped through the pages. “Clearly that can’t continue under these circumstances. So here is what I’m proposing. We close the two pools that have been used the least over the past three years. The four remaining pools keep their regular weekend hours, but on weekdays are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Plus, during the week only three pools are open per day. By reducing the hours the pools are open, the city also spends less money on janitorial services, security guards, lifeguards, and front desk attendants. I have all the projections here. And either Pawnee hires fewer pool employees or reduces the hours for the existing staff. I know that this is not a perfect solution, but it’s a start. And it would mean a lot to me if you would help me work to find the best possible approach. Your name came up a number of times in the files I read, Leslie. And it’s pretty obvious that you’re not someone who shies away when things get difficult. So can I have your help?”
Leslie paused, letting Ben’s words sink in. If he had spent all this time thinking about the pools, then this was clearly a man who took his job seriously and wasn’t going to fire her or her friends on a whim. And as he got to know Pawnee, he would probably do whatever he could to help reinstate programs. She realized that becoming enemies with the guy wielding the budget knife was a bad idea (and besides, he was kind of cute).
“I’m happy to help, Ben. Also, I forgot to say this before, but welcome to Pawnee! By the way, if you and Chris don’t have plans for tonight, we’re having a 21st birthday party tonight at the Snakehole Lounge for Ron’s assistant April. It would be a great chance for the two of you to get to know this town a little better.”
“As far as I know, we don’t. Thanks for the offer.”
Ben and Chris did show up to the party. Ben didn’t stay long though. He chatted for a bit with Leslie and her friend Ann, but the combination of the long day at work, a few too-strong martinis, and the pulsating club music brought on a severe headache. However, Leslie kindly hoped that he felt better in the morning, which definitely soothed things. Ben had to admit he was starting to develop a slight crush on Leslie Knope, after knowing her for just a few hours.
True to her word, Leslie worked as hard as she could to trim the parks budget. However, even her and Ben’s best efforts were for naught when the city government had to shut down. The summer was filled with challenges that often pushed their fledgling friendship to the breaking point. Leslie kept trying to find ways around the shut down, and Ben kept having to remind her it wasn’t possible. But even when they argued, Leslie was still one of his strongest supporters, repeatedly reminding other city employees that Ben and Chris were working incredibly hard to solve problems that they did not cause.
Still, it was a great relief when Pawnee could at last resume full city services. Things got even better when Leslie proposed the return of the Harvest Festival. Ben and Chris had originally been set to leave Pawnee after Labor Day, but an event the scope of the festival needed professional oversight of its budget.
“Are you happy to stay in Pawnee a while longer?” Chris asked as they left the parks department. “I’m certainly glad to enjoy the company of Ann Perkins.”
“There are certainly enjoyable people in this city,” Ben replied, thinking of one in particular. “I never would have thought Partridge would lead me to Pawnee, but I’m really glad it did.”
The End