Remember that special meeting Seattle City Council president Richard Conlin scheduled to stop—or delay—a citizen vote on the deep-bore tunnel? The one only announced yesterday, included no comment period for the general public, tried to sidestep a judge, and was supposed to begin at 9:00 a.m.?

Four minutes before the meeting was to begin, as reporters swarmed about City Hall, Conlin walked through the council hallway announcing that the meeting was canceled. (The city's website also shows the meeting's off.) Conlin didn't tell anyone his reasoning, sources say, just that it was a no-go.

Seattle City Council member Mike O'Brien says he got "no explanation" from Conlin. "Frankly, I think the council looked pretty bad to hold a meeting on such short notice," O'Brien continues. "To hold a meeting with no public comment flies in the face of the values we espouse. The council's actions this week undermine the work we try to do around transparency. Maybe someone on the other side said, 'This isn't the way we want to go.'"

This morning's media strategy in the council president's office? They won't pick up the phone.