Cranefish Town Business Council

The Cranefish Town Business Council was the de facto governing body of Cranefish Town following the city's establishment after the end of the Hundred Year War. With Cranefish Town having no official government, the committee was formed by a group of local business owners to help oversee the growth of the city, thus making the city function as a corporatocracy. Acting as a deliberative assembly, representatives originated from the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Water Tribe, though the functioning of the council was hampered by infighting between the bending and nonbending members.
== History ==
Following the construction of the Earthen Fire Refinery, Cranefish Town underwent significant expansion as new businesses and factories were established in the area. With the city having no official government, the Cranefish Town Business Council was formed by a group of local business owners, including Lao Beifong and Liling, to oversee the growth of the city.
Under the leadership and governance of the business council, Cranefish Town continued its rapid expansion, which the members on the council benefited greatly from. However, increasing mechanization rendered many bending workers redundant and led to an escalation of violence and crime in the city. Attempts by the business council to quell the violence were hampered by conflict between its own bending and nonbending members. This friction ultimately led to the two sides sitting separately in the council chamber.
To deal with the violence, Lao invited Team Avatar to Cranefish Town and asked Avatar Aang to visit and speak at an upcoming business council meeting, suggesting that what the city really needed was "the wisdom and guidance of the Avatar". Arriving at the meeting, Sokka noted to Aang the separation of council members between benders and nonbenders, with Aang questioning why they would do so. Addressing the council, Lao proposed that bending be banned on public streets in Cranefish Town, a suggestion that was met with anger from the bending contingent of the council. The meeting ultimately erupted into chaos as council members on either side continued to argue with one another. Lao invited Aang to address the council, and in place of a bending ban the Avatar proposed to the council the establishment of a police force in the city. One of the council members, Liling, volunteered her own security team for the task, a proposal that met with unanimous support from the remaining representatives.
At least two bending members of the business council were among the audience at the secret bending supremacist rally organized by Liling, and listened as their fellow councillor spoke of her plans for Cranefish Town to become populated by benders only. When the speech was interrupted by Team Avatar and a fight ensued, the council members managed to flee, though Liling was ultimately captured. On the next day, Liling's followers launched an attack on the council's meeting hall, while its nonbending members were still inside. The bending supremacists set fire to the building, but Lao and the others were saved by Team Avatar's intervention.
== Organization ==
The Cranefish Town Business Council was a deliberative assembly, consisting, during Aang and Sokka's visit, of nine members: five nonbenders and four benders, though friction between each contingent meant they sat on opposite sides of the council chamber. When addressing the other council members, both Lao Beifong and Aang did so from behind a podium positioned in the center. Any member can call for a vote on an issue or proposal, which can be done with a simple show of hands from those present.
== Notable members ==
* Lao Beifong
* Liling
== References ==
de:Geschäftsrat
Category:A to Z
Category:Groups
Category:Minor groups
Category:Organizations