There was a testy aside on Monday when the Covington City Council was set to take action on the city budget as Councilman Chris Smith vented his frustration over the unused Norfolk Southern railroad property.

Smith asked the council not to talk about, let alone pursue, purchase of the corridor for the rest of the year, a motion that carried 4-1. Smith said he brought it up during the budget because he wanted to make sure no city money was spent on the corridor.

Mayor Kim Carter balked at Smith's motion, contending it needed a full vetting as a regular agenda item, and Councilwoman Janet Goodman expressed her concern over the motion as a possible violation of her civil rights.

Mayor Carter vetoed the move and was promptly out-maneuvered as the council overrode the veto 3-2, with Councilman Mike Whatley and Goodman opposed.

It was not exactly one of the council's shining moments.
The railroad wasn't on the agenda and there was no need for council members to take it up this week. What a waste.
A waste of time, a waste of energy.

And while we can understand frustrations build when issues won't go away and continue to pop up on the agenda, it seems an odd way to deal with it.

Council time would be better spent on tending to the business at hand.