New council rules were adopted tonight that include the following (this is not a complete list):
- Public comment will no longer be allowed on agenda items. Members of the public will be allowed 2 minutes at the end of each meeting. If anyone acts 'uncivil' - as defined by Council Member Huson, all public comment will be suspended permanently. That's 4 minutes per month.
- If anyone makes noise from the audience or speaks in a manner that the council does not approve of, the meeting will be adjourned even if bills and payroll have not been approved.
- Council meetings will not last longer than 2 hours.
- At 8:45 pm, all discussion on agenda items will stop and claims and payroll will be addressed.
- Any paid consultant who is needed at the meeting will be scheduled to appear first and will be dismissed after their issue is discussed.
- Council Member Stebner added a requirement that a police officer be stationed at each council meeting, at the mayor's discretion as to their availability.
- Council Member Albertson added a rule that prohibits the mayor from offering any comment unless authorized by the council to speak. Mayor Transue agreed to this rule rather than have it added to the motion that enforced these new rules.
The motion passed 3 to 1 with Council Member Hedrick voting no.
The council agreed to take applications for the council vacancy. I'll confirm the due dates and post them tomorrow. There will be no public interview of the candidates and no public comment will be allowed on the issue.
In my opinion, this is an over-reaction that viciously rubs salt on a very wounded community. It feels a bit more like old-style communist Russia than America in Ruston right now.
Karen
4 comments:
I'm still reeling....when did dictatorship rule and mentality enter our lives? Did I hear right that Councilman Stebner wants a police officer at all council meetings? Did I miss a budget amendment for machine guns? Where did these people come from? Councilman Albertson did educate us that these assemblies are "council" meetings, not "mayors" meetings or "community" meetings and we (the community)are there to observe them. Councilman Bradly Huson & fellow councilmembers (except councilman Hedrick) will allow no community input on matters of importance before they are passed. Is this a government body that represents us? Oh, I suppose I should not be so upset...Councilman Huson is allowing 4 min. a month for input from his constituants. Yes, by the time our comment period came up I was speechless. Beth
Tonight, Ruston council members Bradley "Mussolini" Huston, Dan "Adolph" Albertson, and Wayne "Mao" Stebner revealed their vision for the future of Ruston in a new land they want to call Amerika.
They want those who are mere residents and voters of Ruston to "shut up and take it."
Mussolini, Adolph, and Mao changed the rules to effectively shut out all public input on council business. To top it off, they also shut out the mayor and ordered him to shut up. The mayor, being a weasel of a different variety, politely saluted the flagpole and said "yes sir."
This group has already shut down the development of the private property owned by Point Ruston. I expect that by the next council meeting they'll have a motion to eliminate the pledge of allegiance because, after all, it makes mention of the fiction of God. And by the end of February, we'll probably have SS guards who will have orders to take anyone who dares to speak, out back to be shot.
Well, Ruston, you voted for these characters. How's that workin' for ya?
Ya know, Huson, Albertson and Stebner announced tonight that they will no longer listen to us at council meetings.
I understand Huson went so far as to say he won't even respond to e-mails any longer.
I guess that severely restricts our ability to communicate with our elected or appointed officials. We can hope to catch them on the street somewhere for a little face time; we could write them letters; or we can give them a phone call.
I checked their web site, Ruston Connection, and found these phone numbers listed for them:
Dan Albertson, 253-549-3612
Wayne Stebner, 253-752-2041
Bradley Huson, 253-761-7709
I suggest that everyone who has something to say to them should call them for now.
Meanwhile, I'll be working on some other phone numbers to reach them such as office or cell phone numbers.
We certainly wouldn't want to impede those nice, civil council meetings with our opinions. But as elected or appointed leaders of the community they have a right to know our opinions so that they can act appropriately. I'm sure that if they were better informed, they could make better decisions.
So I'll swing by each home and jot down their addresses. I'll post them here when I have the info so that you can swing by for a little personal time with your representatives.
Stay tuned ...
SPEACHLESS IN RUSTON or SPEACHLESS NEAR SEATTLE which do you think will sell better on the T-Shirts???
as most of you know, i am rarely at a loss for words, but last nite takes the cake...or is it humbleing pie. by the time we peasants were going to be allowed our two moments in history, i could not think of any words longer than four letters to string together so i passed on taking a turn to address the 'cancel'.
THE IRONIC, HYPROCRACY OF dan and bradley THE LONGEST, LOUDEST AND MOST CONSISTENT ADDRESSERS OF PREVIOUS COUNCILS NOW ARE GAGGING THE PUBLIC.
way back when i was a councilmember, i thought taking the comments and even barbs from the public was part of the job. after all i was under the impression that i worked for the residents and got the big bucks for having the willingness to take what came and hopefully in the end do what was best for the town in my judgement. (even took an oath to that effect)
after not sleeping to well near seattle, the thought occured to me at a little after 6AM that i should call all the 'cancel' members and ask to come over and chat with them or at least have some quality phone time. well, i didn't and will continue to TRY and take the higher road until forced off of it.
SIT BACK AND TAKE IT FOLKS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW A SPECTATOR SPORT!
porkchop
Post a Comment