After controversy, tribute on harmonica a lovely tune
Outgoing Clearwater council member J.B. Johnson is honored with Wabash Cannonball and a key to the city.
By JENNIFER FARRELL
Published April 1, 2004
CLEARWATER - It wasn't Kum Ba Ya they were singing, but it might as well have been.
Tuesday night, a harmonica tribute to outgoing City Council member J.B. Johnson squelched two weeks ago by Mayor Brian Aungst went on after all.
And this time, Aungst led the applause.
The musical tribute, a wobbly rendition of Wabash Cannonball, came at the Harborview Center during a dinner for members of the city's advisory boards where Johnson was given a key to the city.
The surprise key presentation was planned long before an awkward disagreement came to light last week involving Aungst and Bill Justice. Justice, 82, a former council member and longtime friend of Johnson, originally had planned the tune for Johnson's final council meeting. But Justice stayed away from City Hall after learning Aungst didn't want him there.
When the matter surfaced publicly last weekend, Aungst changed his tune and invited Justice to be his guest at Tuesday's dinner.
During the meal, the mayor gamely endured ribbing from Tim Johnson, a Clearwater lawyer and a member of the city's Charter Review Committee, who brought his own harmonica and blew it as Aungst began his opening remarks.
"How did you guys know I liked harmonicas?" Aungst said, smiling and scanning the crowd.
Later, while Justice played, Aungst stood near Johnson, clapping, mostly in unison.
After Aungst gave him the key, Johnson said he would cherish it for the rest of his life. He also recognized his wife, Sarah, for whom the crowd sang Happy Birthday when he mentioned her birthday was the next day.
Then Johnson said it was time to move on from the unpleasantness.
"We can disagree, but for goodness sake, don't be disagreeable," he said. "That's why I admire the mayor."
