No doubt newcomer Danny Thompson will be a force on the Greensboro City Council, but holdover Dianne Bellamy-Small will have to be watched more closely than ever. In addition to initiating the petty squabble over Thompson’s aquatic center vote, she consistently tried to cut off debate as the council pondered other complex questions during last night’s meeting.

For the most part, Bellamy-Small was unable to stifle discussion, which didn’t keep the council from pencil-whipping a couple of questionable items on the agenda. More about that later, but let me just say I’m already concerned that things haven’t changed as much as we might think.