I have been watching this issue over the past week, and to say it has peeked my interest would be an understatement;
More than 300 residents agreed with Randall, believing that Mayor Campbell is not a good fit for the city of almost 2,700 people. But Randall says this hasn’t been the first time Mayor Campbell has behaved like he did last Tues.
“Numerous times folks have gotten up to approach the podium to ask for permission to speak and before they got to the podium the Mayor’s motioned them and say you’ll need to sit down, we’re not going to hear from you right now.â€
Not sure if many of you remember, but I was involved with the successful recall of a mayor in Yankton a few years ago (doing editorial cartoons about the issue).
What is shocking is that the small town of Hartford is flexing it’s 1st Amendment rights and recalling a mayor based on free speech. I revel in their activism. We have a mayor in Sioux Falls who not only has tried to limit public input, he has jailed people before they could even show up to testify. He also keeps as many contracts and settlements as secret as possible, even hiding the documents from the city’s legislative body, the city council. If Hartford is successful recalling a mayor based solely on his acknowledgement of the 1st Amendment and Constitutional rights of citizens, it seems Sioux Falls has a strong case to send our current mayor packing. Who is with me?
I’m wondering if this isn’t really just a matter people wanting to be able to speak out of order (not during public input on non-agenda items, or on an issue that is NOT a public hearing). In those extra-order cases it is entirely up to the mayor to decide whether or not to allow public input. Too many people (ESPECIALLY the “conservative” small-town folks) believe that they have the right to say anything, anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Simply not the case.
I see your side of the coin Ruf, but sometimes it seems public officials believe that they have the right to say anything, anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Simply not the case. The 1st amendment guarantees us grievances.
The reason for having a mayor is there’s a focal point for the community. He must listen then set priorities and policy. I’ve watched Hartford lately. They’re progressive and absorb businesses Sioux Falls has run off because of the protection money Huether commands. They’re growing. This is the time to cement democratic principles and practice before they become a dictator disaster like here.
Constitution guarantees redress of grievances via the PETITIONING process (or the courts) – not via vocal disruption of governmental business processes. There’s a time and a place – guaranteed.
A quoite from one of the Hartford council members in today’s paper about the rejection of this petition exemplifies wat the problem really is here. The councilman (Scott Nelson) stated that he believes it is the council’s duty to follow the will of the voters. This is the attitude that is the issue. The actual duty of the council is to FOLLOW THE LAW – regardless of whether or not that matches the “will of the people”. Imagine if you will (doesn’t really take much imagination) 300 or so “people” who want the council to ignore, or violate the law – in their (the peoples’) favor. To do so, of course, ignores the other 2500 or so people who aren’t in the council’s face at the moment. IMO – Councilman Nelson and his ilk (and they are indeed an ilk) are either ignorant. or political cowards, or both.
Actually it is the duty of the council to do both. Follow the will of the people within law.
Sometimes (especially a small community) the law might be circumvented. This one term mayor should be removed if he’s not political enough to hear from the people. In this case, I suggest an unofficial public mayor’s roast where he’s not invited. Hopefully, he’ll be shamed out of town and cited for trespassing every time he enters a business. Public shame and leper-like treatment is far worse than having to comply with the will of the people.
How about a Huether roast after we shovel our shit into Pierre? It’s important that he can’t come back.