A leader prepares to die
by Miki SaxonI normally keep silly stuff for the weekends, but as an example of leadership futility this was too good to pass up.
Cemetery full, mayor tells locals not to die
BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) – The mayor of a village in southwest France has threatened residents with severe punishment if they die, because there is no room left in the overcrowded cemetery to bury them.
In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Gerard Lalanne told the 260 residents of the village of Sarpourenx that “all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish.”
It added: “Offenders will be severely punished.”
The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend the cemetery would not be justified.
Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election to a seventh term in this month’s local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a positive outcome to the dilemma.
“It may be a laughing matter for some, but not for me,” he said.
Got that? Leaders should be buried before the rank and file.
Actually, that’s not a bad idea.
What leadership statement have you said/heard recently that forbids/requests the impossible?
Your comments—priceless
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March 11th, 2008 at 11:41 am
You have GOT to be kidding, right? Don’t die or else? Or else WHAT?
That’s one of the wierdest ones I’ve heard. I’ll keep my listening ears on for more.
March 11th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Nope, Bridget, not kidding. And I suppose that he’ll quit talking to them if they don’t comply with the request.
Want a weirder one? Check this out
March 18th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I have to come to the help of my compatriot here.
He was told by a court that he could not appropriate land to expand the cemetery. Regardless of the merit of the court’s decision he felt it was so ridiculous he made the only ordinance that enabled him to comply with that decision.
I find it rather typical of the french spirit actually ;)
March 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Denis, Amazing how things change when viewpoint and interpretation shift a few degrees. I didn’t think about it in terms of an intelligent approach to a idiotic ruling, but it was.
Leadership with a sense of humor when dealing with the impossible. I probably didn’t recognize it, especially in a public official, since it’s almost never seen here.