Comment Up
The blue light is on--perhaps they
"forgot" to turn on the green light!
The audio/video was inoperable last night. It was said that it broke down the day before. Did they just "forget" to turn the damn thing on? Why did they not get it repaired? After last night's mayoral and city attorney performance, I can see why the city did not have the video or audio on. The less people witnessing this outrageous display of abuse, the better. They got away with "murder" in their actions and deeds feeling comfortable with the belittlement of citizens because of the legal opinions (note I said OPINION) from their city attorney. They all smugly sat up there and quietly rejoiced.
This is sort of like the Tri-Board meeting in January 2012 where the Comp Plan, LDRS and zoning was discussed--there was total consensus at that meeting to keep the downtown at 45 feet. No audio was on and Minutes were inadequate and a lot of politicos there got dementia later on once a new development oriented commission came into power. Now they can't remember a damn thing that they discussed and agreed.
The most important thing that was on the agenda last night was the Second Public Hearing on the revision of the Land Development Regulations. This commission could have done the right thing by the voters and kept those areas that were described in the Referendum to 45 and 35 feet. That never entered one brain cell and why would it? They all wanted 6 story buildings in our downtown other than Commissioner McVoy who does believe in the will of the people and the election results. This was all corrupt politics. As John Szerdi said to me during the break, the amount of win was not that big. I then reminded him that he won by ZERO votes.
What was evident and appalling was the total lack of respect that the mayor has for all those who differ from her 65 feet hotel district for which she has always campaigned. Reprimanding us like 5 year olds, she picked apart every citizen's comments directly after they spoke having the city attorney interject an "opinion," an opinion we feel is in total error, on each public speakers commentary tearing it apart with this, that or the next reason even mentioning guns at one point. No one knows what that was about. They were trying a case where citizens had no rebuttal, treating them like dumb schmucks. We were even told that State law trumps "will of the voters." The behavior by the mayor and the legal tactic taken by the city against the citizens during their right of free speech was just flat wrong, obnoxious and purposely done to prove their case on how wrong we are and how intellectually superior they are. In spite of the worst behavior ever witnessed at a public meeting by elected officials, the citizens all had resolve. And we all sat there in utter amazement.
I met a man in the hallway and asked him why he was here. He said, "the entertainment." That's what it was last night...rude, contemptuous and right in your face slap down of free speech and an attitude of "voters be damned" --and just like bad "reality" television, this was "reality city hall" at its worst. Even the Kardashian reality show has some redeeming value. The commission that should be representing the people and treating them respectfully, followed a legal opinion of the city attorney, an opinion that we believe to be far reaching and flat wrong. That is why there are courts of law.
Decisions made by elected officials should be reflected by the wants of the people who reside here, not the wants of developers, business and special interest groups.
