February 5, 2007 County Mayor Uses "V" Word

Politicians hate accountability. That's why if you ask a question or make a public comment that they don't like, they just start throwing around the "V" word. VENDETTA.

Locally, that word has been directed at me and at anybody else who asks questions, who likes open government, and who suggests financial changes to save money and to promote fiscal responsibility.

The Mayor of Blount County recently used the "V" word to attack two citizens groups for having the audacity to speak at public meetings and express concern about how Blount County has been operating.

It's all political S.O.P. When they want your vote, they'll eagerly listen to your concerns and even your criticism. When the election is over, suddenly there is zero tolerance for public discussion and the open expression of differing opinions.

Locally, County Commission Chair Stancil Ford interrupted an individual who had gotten up to speak during the public comments portion of the January 18 commission meeting.

Mr. Ford evidently feared that the mere mention of a commissioner's name meant that criticism of a commissioner, or of the County Mayor, or of the Mayor's staff was coming, so he let it be known that that kind of speech wouldn't be allowed.

Mr. Ford might want to think again about telling citizens that they cannot speak about public business or about public officials. Just what is he going to do if a citizen goes ahead and speaks about public business?

Tell the sheriff to arrest him or her? And when you go to this link about First Amendment rights in public meetings, don't think that the decision by the Judges on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals means that they approve of cursing. There is a difference in approving of what someone says versus acknowledging that they have a First Amendment right to say it.

Well, if the Hamblen County Commission finds that it really can't control public comments and only allow praise of the government, then it will probably just eliminate the public comments portion of the actual commission meetings.

As soon as the August election was over, I had heard that there were already behind-the-scenes discussions among commissioners about eliminating the public comment portion of commission meetings. There were even discussions about stopping the taping and televising of commission meetings.

This commission---even more so than the previous commission on which I served--has members who can't stand openness, televising meetings, and public input. They are just itching to stop pesky taxpayers from talking and meddling in public business.

Of course, it might be a teeny bit uncomfortable for them to flat-out ban citizens and taxpayers from speaking about public business at public meetings, so watch for a political end-run.

The new commission will likely decide soon to allow citizen comments BUT the comments will only be permitted before or after the actual meeting or only at committee meetings. No comments will be allowed after the regular monthly commission meeting has started when a quorum of commissioners would actually be present to listen.

I truly hope that this doesn't happen, but I'm afraid it's coming. The process of shutting the public out began just as soon as the new commission took office and moved "public" committee meetings to 11:30 am.

Having committee meetings at a time when most working people can't be there sends a clear message that the presence of the public and public comments are not wanted.

That same message---no public comments wanted---will be even louder and clearer if the new commission eliminates or relegates the public comments portion of regular commission meetings to a time outside (before or after) the actual meeting.