Mike’s new theme song?
Oh, and he wasn’t called it just once, but twice. The person also didn’t abbreviate like I did in the headline.
While it was good theatre while it lasted, I would agree it probably wasn’t good decorum from a long time public inputer. Sierra has commented several times on crime going on in town, especially sex trafficking. She has had a volatile relationship with the mayor for quite awhile.
So how did it happen.
Public input started and I went up to speak. I went to sit down, and the mayor pulls this trick where he says quickly, “Anybody else, okay.” then quickly signals to the clerk to read the alcohol permits.
David Zokaites who had a PP presentation ready went up to the podium to speak but the city clerk had already started reading. So David stood there until she finished. Sierra stands and yells, “Let him speak, public input isn’t done.” and Mike asked Jamie, the alcohol licensing agent with the city to continue. Sierra lost it, walked toward the podium and told the mayor he was a stupid son-of-a-b*tch, and as she walked for the exit she called him that again.
Then David, who was still standing there asked if he could speak, and the mayor skirting his duties as usual, asked council chair Kiley if David could speak, and Kiley said NO. David apologized for not getting up there in time.
I think the whole incident is unfortunate because they are going to use it to change public input once and for all instead of just banning the bad apple.
But I will say, while I don’t approve of Sierra calling the mayor names (though I did laugh) it really comes to his continual effort to stifle public input by cutting people off before they even have a chance to standup. He has said in the past he wants people to stand in line and ‘be ready’. Sorry, if the mayor gets to sit during the meeting, we should to until it is our turn to go up. Some people are also disabled so it takes them a little time to get up there.
The mayor played more games tonight, and he may finally win, but trust me, not without a fight.
UPDATE: Belfrage talked about the incident this morning on his show. Many people are confused about what public input is and how it is handled, including Mr. Belfrage.
• There is already a time limit of 5 minutes. (Minnehaha County has NO time limit on their public input and I have seen people talk for over 20 minutes, in fact the mayor himself talked for over 11 minutes one time asking for a government handout for a drainage issue on his private lake home). I would be okay with changing it to 3 minutes.
• It was suggested that maybe it should be like the SF school board where you have to sign in to talk at public input and write down your item. I don’t agree with that. Freedom of speech is exactly what it is supposed to be FREEDOM to speak about whatever.
• It is often discussed that this is an inconvenience for the council and mayor. Excuse me? If anything it is an inconvenience for the public to show up on their own time to plead their grievances, this is the only opportunity they can. The mayor and council get paid to sit up there. They chose to run for office and serve after being elected. We pay their wages, it is the citizens TIME and MONEY being expended at the meetings. There is also NOTHING in the charter that says the meetings must be limited to a certain time frame. In fact there are provisions in the charter that allow for recesses or deferring to the next day if a meeting is going to long.
• Same people different topics. Many complained on the show that it is the same people that show up. Well guess what, I try to share something different every time I speak, I am NOT redundant, unless of course it has to do with the trains 🙂 I will NOT apologize for being passionate about our city government, I am very proud of the fact that I speak out against government corruption in this community. If not me, who? I also found it ironic that several veterans showed up last night asking for a land donation from the city and I overheard one of them say they were not registered to vote after refusing to sign a municipal candidates petition. So you served our country bravely as a soldier but once you got home you didn’t participate in something truly patriotic? Hmmm.
• The 1st amendment is very clear, it is a protection for all citizens to tell their government what they think of it. Sometimes it gets a little messy, oh well, you deal with it and move on. Let’s talk about who is being a snowflake. Like I said above, it is unfortunate that Sierra said what she did (in public) but I have heard much worse name calling of the mayor from prominent businessmen, politicians and current and former city council members. His attitude that the public serves him and not the other way around is complete BS, and it finally boiled to the top last night.