Just when you thought Birmingham's so-called leaders couldn't do anything to make themselves look more like petulant children...

They do something else to make children look mature.

Monday evening, less than a week after City Council President Johnathan Austin urged the council to "move forward" and focus on the city's many needs rather than to stay mired in a spat over city council office space, the council remained mired in a spat over office space.

No kidding.

Two private movers showed up at council offices unannounced Monday evening to move former council president pro tem Jay Roberson out of his office and into the office previously occupied by councilman Marcus Lundy. Lundy was moved into the office of Steven Hoyt, and Hoyt, as the new pro tem, was moved into Roberson's space.

It was unclear this morning whether Austin hired or recruited the movers to implement the plan -- which was carried out by council administrator Cheryl Kidd. There was no city purchase order, so it appeared the movers were paid from personal money.

It has been two full weeks of office absurdity, full of threats and protests and -- now this.

Roberson was in Washington D.C. on city business Monday, and was apparently surprised and angered by the move. Police were called but did not halt the move. Mayor William Bell was out recovering from knee surgery, and the rest of the city, state and world is left simply to roll its eyes.

Yeah Birmingham. You've come a long way baby.

The Birmingham City Hall. (Mark Almond/malmond@al.com)

Austin two weeks ago won re-election to the council presidency, and immediately decided to punish the four members who voted against him. He shifted committees and parking spaces, and ordered all those who voted against him to move out of their offices -- even though office space has traditionally been decided by seniority.

Austin was angry because legislation backed by the mayor required him to run for re-election in the first place. He thought it an assault on his own power, and the war was on.

But when council members Kim Rafferty and Valerie Abbott "respectfully declined" to move, Austin last week seemed to relent. And for a minute it looked like maturity.

"One of the signs of great leaders is the ability to assess the larger picture and move in the direction of progress," he wrote last week.

But he didn't show those signs.

So the movers came Monday evening.

The thing is, Roberson had already agreed to move, for the pro tem's office should go to the pro tem. And Hoyt, the new pro tem, said he couldn't care less what office he was in.

It could have gone quietly, with a little time. It could have been easy.

But not in Birmingham. Instead it had to come outside of the normal protocol, while Roberson was out of state, with a very clear slap to his face.

What is this? Grammar school?

No, it's worse. It's Birmingham City Hall.