Remember the recent admonitions made by some of the very same participants in Wednesday’s Council meeting to honor our citizen volunteers for their service to the community. Little did we know that that respect only applied to those volunteers that they deemed worthy of respect.
The last rites of civility were ably performed with a sermon on the ongoing dangers that I and others pose to the community. The lead officiant at the meeting and author of that day’s BBQ post unveiled a treasure trove of private emails between myself and Council members and public emails with the City going back to 2018 to prove her point. The choir chimed in on cue offering their testimonials with the fervor of a charismatic tent revival meeting.
The BBQ author would have you believe that my sharing informed opinions of how City government operates with our elected officials is a greater community concern than City staff who chose to not answer citizen questions and a City Manager who recommends ignoring and isolating citizens who she determines are making personal attacks on her by even asking questions.
My transgression was pointing out that the latest examples given by the City Manager of City Hall staff efforts to justify Water Fund transfers to the General Fund had failed a simple fact check. This was not worthy of a rebuttal or correction at Wednesday’s meeting because it must be too embarrassing to admit. Equal silence on ignoring and isolating citizens who ask questions must be interpreted that this is now acceptable City policy.
Please do read as much of the 478 pages of documents painstakingly reviewed to produce half a dozen snippets of out of context quotes to make the case that my “clandestine and destructive interference in our city’s affairs” must be stopped.
The warning signs that a cult like mindset is becoming a dominant feature of our local political culture should not be dismissed. The telltale characteristics include: Opposition to critical thinking. Isolating nonconforming community members and punishing them. Loyalty to those in position of authority.
May 3rd should be a wake up call for those that value civil liberties and the right to fully participate as a citizen in our local community decisions. I suspect that the sermons will continue and the choir will continue to rehearse until enough of the silent majority say enough.
Randy Kugler