Sometimes the wheels of bureaucracy grind along at an agonizingly unhurried pace, leaving much needed change far behind in its timeliness and degree of import. In one such case, the matter of renaming one of our city’s primary governing bodies in a manner more fitting and acceptable to contemporary sensibilities, the update appears to have been put off far too long – by a measure of 100 years or more.

The change from Board of Aldermen to City Council is long overdue and a welcome sign of progress in our perception of the relevance of both gender and age equity in our future civic discourse.

It is hardly necessary to point out how antiquated and inappropriate the current appellation has been, considering the fact that women have been members of the Board for decades. And let us not overlook the fact that “alder” (i.e., “elder”) individuals are also no longer exclusively entitled to membership in that august body, with a wide range of ages having been represented for many years, right up to the present time.

Special thanks should be extended to Alderman (soon to be Councilor) At-Large William A. White Jr., who initiated the home rule petition that made this change possible. He deserves the credit.

It’s a new day and age, in comparison to when that … other name … was adopted. So let’s ring in the new in the spirit of renewal and progress. Just in time for 2019!