the copy of the email below has been copied verbatim.
commissioners conned into pay raise behind closed doors !
this action of the commission meeting of April 28th was observed by the writer of this email.
The below information, however, is correct, as witnessed. At the time the writer of the below email was addressing the Commission, the City Attorney was not paying attention to what was being said from the podium.
Because of his lack of attention, the City Attorney issued an opinion not even pertaining to the subject addressed from the podium. Was the City Commission, and City Manager so engrossed with the possibility that they had violated the "Sunshine Law", that the improper opinion was issued by the City Attorney ?
The answer is ---- YES !
By the time the City Attorney became aware of the issue, he gave an answer that had not been addressed from the podium. The dais elite, once again, had presented a false impression of the TRUE FACTS as spoken!
the email
----- Original Message -----
From: george seely
To: John W Bush
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 1997 1:53 PM
Subject: Last Nights Meeting
I wish to make know my extreme
displeasure and disappointment at the conduct of the meeting last night.
It would seem we have retrogressed to the old way of doing business in this
city. Where deals have been made and end runs around items
which may or may not be controversial.
Specifically my comments concerning the managers raise...as I said, I knew is was a done deal before the meeting ever started. The Commission seems to like to skirt the Sunshine Law or skirt its limits. First, the manager has a perfect right to meet with any of the commissioners at any time. The one thing he cannot do is pass any of the comments or prospective action from commissioner to another. This whole thing might be legal, but is surely looks shady.
The thing that angers me mostly is the behavior of the city attorney when you asked the attorney for an opinion. From his answer, it became obvious he had not heard what was said. His short arrogant answer was not only not responsive, but also incorrect. The way it was also delivered was rude as hell. I spent most of my adult life in service to this country in the Armed Forces, and later in a police homicide unit. As a result I feel I have the right to be treated with more respect than I was from some second rate lawyer who is feeding at the public trough. My disappointment was mostly directed at you for letting this behavior pass without comment.
Another item was allowing the manager to take the action he did when Cory Greene was attempting to speak. Now Greene may well have been out of order. but is was your job to declare Greene out of order.
NOT THE MANAGER .
He took over at that point and did and said anything he wanted, and not a word from you, or any of the commissioners. This is another example of his lack of concern about what elected officials think or do. He is going to do what he wants and to hell with the rules.
And the last item was the failure to control the meeting and behavior of Miller. His attacks on citizens specifically and by name should not be allowed under any conditions. If he insists on doing it...then those citizens should be allowed to rebut his comments.
This is not the first time Miller has mounted attacks on citizens with whom he disagrees. If the commissioners are going to be allowed to act like this from the dais, then they should have to face the person they attack --- RIGHT THEN AND THERE ---- rather than hide behind their position .
Lastly, it was your job to control this meeting, and from where I was sitting, you failed miserably. I expected more and thought we might be getting somewhere.
It seems it's
business as usual.
George