February 09, 2011 06:36 AM UTC

At Least He's Not Your Unfortunately Named Former Mayor

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• by: RedGreen

( – promoted by redstateblues)

Fort Wayne probably won’t be dedicating a new government building named after Harry Baals, the Indiana city’s deputy mayor told The Journal Gazette today. And that’s despite the former mayor — who ran Fort Wayne longer than anyone else — leading an online poll run by the city, with more than three times the votes of his nearest competitor at press time.

“We love Fort Wayne, too,” (Deputy Mayor Beth Malloy) said. “We’re not going to make any decisions that look bad.”

… While Baals was a popular mayor, Malloy noted he had an unfortunate name and some elected officials have said such a name would be an embarrassment to the city.

Regardless, Malloy said the online feedback effort has been a success because it has generated interest in local government and created buzz.

“I’m glad people want to get involved,” she said. “We are having fun with government.”

Not as much fun as Fort Waynsters, who have given an even more commanding lead to Baals (pronounced “balls” by the mayor, who was first elected in the 1930s, though his descendants have apparently changed the pronunciation to “bales,” the reporter notes).

As of this posting, Harry Baals Government Center led runner-up Eugene Johnson Memorial Center by more than 7-to-1 in the online balloting. (The blandly named Johnson was the blandly titled property manager for a library when it occupied the building.) Other suggestions getting votes include Thunder Dome, Citizens Plaza and the plain vanilla City Hall.

Commenters on the feedbackfortwayne site aren’t happy city leaders first asked citizens to name the building and then said they plan to ignore the vote. Some commenters are even urging a recall of the current mayor if Baals doesn’t get his name in lights.

Wrote one:

Its sad that Harry Baals can never receive the recognition he deserves because of his name. Don’t you think he suffered enough name calling when he was alive. Heck, why don’t we just wipe his name from the history books so no one can every bring up the shame of having a mayor with a funny name.

And another:

Fort Wayne desperately needs something to make it memorable; this just could be it. If nothing else, we’d be the city with a sense of humor.

Voting continues through Friday.