City Council party turns into 'Twilight Zone'

HELEN GYM - brand-new councilwoman, fierce education advocate, longtime media favorite - is already ruffling some feathers in City Hall, and not in the refreshing, shake-up-the-system way that you might expect.

The contretemps among Gym and some of her colleagues was explained to Clout thusly:

Each of the seven at-large Council members had agreed to kick in about $1,800 in campaign cash to cover the cost of Monday's at-large inauguration celebration on the fifth floor of City Hall. For food, chairs, decorations and whatnot.

We're told that six Council members paid their share, but that when it came time for Gym to cut a check, she balked. Then, a source said, Gym apparently floated the idea of writing a check to someone else's political-action committee, then that PAC would pay the vendors.

Which, to us, sounds like it'd be a campaign-finance violation? No?

"It's all really goofy," said one City Hall source.

On top of that, quite a few Gym supporters came to the party. Her name appeared on the invitation, right above Councilman Kenyatta Johnson's and Councilwoman Cherelle Parker's.

We got wind of this on Tuesday and were told, as of late yesterday afternoon - three days after the party - that some vendors still hadn't been paid because of Gym's delay.

"It's f-ing absurd," a second insider said. "Just write the check."

But about 5 p.m. yesterday, Gym spokesman Ian Gavigan told us: "There is no dispute on our end. We just enjoyed the party and had a good time." Asked if that meant the money had been paid, Gavigan said: "My understanding is it's all settled."

The City Hall source, however, continued to dispute that. Either way, the source said, quite a few people are scratching their heads, because what should have been a simple payment has become so bizarre that it feels like "we're in the Twilight Zone."

Doo-doo-DOO-doo, doo-doo-DOO-doo. ...

All goofiness aside, we think Gym is a welcome addition to Council, and we look forward to seeing what she can do.

Richie Ross' first order of official business after being sworn in as the city's new police commissioner Tuesday was to reverse one of now-retired Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey's orders.

A message sent out to commanding officers across the city called for the "beacon lights" on top of patrol cars to go back to their factory settings.

Yeah, we just heard you mutter, "What the hell does that mean?" Watch the language, son.

If you've spotted a police cruiser at night in the city during the last few years, you've probably noticed that red and blue lights perpetually glow on the light rack that sits on the roof of the cars, even if the cop driving isn't rushing to respond to a crime. Ramsey believed the adjustment would make citizens feel safer.

But many cops argued that it was a bad idea, because criminals would see them coming. Under Boss Ross, the light bars will go dark unless a cop is pulling over a motorist or responding to an emergency.

What do you think? Is the bright way the right way? Or is stealth mode the smarter play?

After 22 years in office, outgoing Mayor Michael Nutter had a lot of crap to move out of City Hall before Jim Kenney could take over Room 215. We wondered if Nutter had kept any of the mayoral-candidate baseball cards the Daily News distributed in 2007, which, according to Clout founder/godfather/overlord emeritus Gar Joseph, are now "very, very rare." And valuable. Or so he says.

Nutter said he is neck-deep in boxes of City Hall mementos and hasn't yet sorted through them, but was sure a baseball card or two was among the stuff. He joked that he'd had the card appraised and "the guy said it was 'priceless!' "

So long, Mix Master Mike. Maybe we will miss you after all. Not your spokesman, but maybe you. Just a tad.

You know who we definitely can use a break from? Bruce Castor.

The former Montgomery County commissioner and district attorney has returned to private law practice after failing to recapture the D.A.'s seat last fall.

But Castor went down swinging last week with a full-on social-media meltdown when a reporter had the gall to go to his house for a comment on the decision to charge Bill Cosby. In 2005 Castor, while district attorney, declined to prosecute Cosby.

Castor hopped onto Twitter and Facebook and let loose, saying the reporter took "his life into his hands" and "will never know the danger he was in" because Castor's wife is home with "Mr. Ruger."

He went on and on. Caps lock. Exclamation points. The whole shebang. Then Castor apparently shut down his Twitter and Facebook accounts. Good idea.

Bruce, you're burned out, man. Take a vacation. We hear the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon is beautiful this time of year. Plus, a bunch of guys are walking around with guns and talking gibberish, so you'll fit right in.

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"A drug conviction should not banish one for life from fully participating in our democracy. But in this country, nonviolent offenders are denied opportunities for the rest of their lives - whether it's being shut out of jobs or deprived of their fundamental rights. We can't be surprised that so many end up back on drugs and back in prison." - John Fetterman, mayor of Braddock, Pa., and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

That Fetterman guy makes a lot of sense sometimes, doesn't he? Which makes us think he'll never get to Washington. Plus, Fetterman's wife, Gisele, tells us he leaves the toilet seat up. That'll make a good attack ad.

- Staff writers William Bender and David Gambacorta and

columnist Ronnie Polaneczky

contributed to this report.

On Twitter: @wbender99

Email: benderw@phillynews.com

Phone: 215-854-5255