"This is your city council." Open Access Petition Group Heading For 3000 Signatures.
The city council meeting was packed Tuesday evening and, sadly, five people were not even allowed into the public meeting and not allowed to participate because the room reached capacity. Four members of the Open Access Petition group spoke including the group’s attorney, Paul Kidwell.
Before the fifth member of the audience was allowed to move to the podium, the Mayor called the Citizen Input to a close and then read a prepared statement which repeatedly mentioned SEMO.net. I asked to address the council and was refused. Robert Smith asked for me to be removed from the meeting. I shook the hand of Officer Hicks and respectfully informed him that I would leave on my own. I turned to those gathered and said “Poplar Bluff this is your town. This is your city council. I don’t believe it.”
What would I have said if the city council would have allowed? Check out www.OpenAccessPetition.org
The Open Access Group met today and is ready to start a new petition to gather the 3000 signatures necessary to pass an ordinance. Though two attorneys have concurred that the group only need gather 264 to place a ballot question on an upcoming election, it is clear after Wallace Duncan’s snide and condescending remarks that the city would expend taxpayers money to fight against their own citizens. Rather than being a burden on the city, the group has decided to secure 3000 signatures necessary to pass an Ordinance.
The group plans on their first petition drive to be Sunday, July 10 from 2pm to 6pm.
One more note on the City Council meeting: At the end of the City Manager’s report, Mr. Bagby indicated they should check Facebook for new cartoons.
I’m glad you are enjoying the videos Mr. Manager.
Well, ironies of irony. Did you all see in the paper yesterday where the bigwigs who refused Brian and the rest of us the right to speak at the council meeting were themselves refused the right to speak at the Certificate of Need for the new hospital meeting in Jefferson City! I absolutely laughed myself silly at the thought of the chagrin of all those “important people” who were just brushed off after driving all the way to Jeff City to state their case. Everytime I think of it, I laugh some more. Karma is a __itch isn’t she?
hope you can do some good–sounds like a big power play
why was you refused to speak? why did they ask you to be removed?? was making waves
You probably need to ask the council why. I was calmly asking to speak and the counsel said no, the group started demanding I speak, the counsel said no. I was asking why when Robert Smith asked for me to be removed.
How are you going to conduct the drive, house to house or should we come by semo.net?? My wife and I as well as my daughters and sons-in-law want to sign it.
Marty, the Open Access Petition group is still planning all of this. The group will have the game plan finalized over the weekend and keep people informed on http://www.OpenAccessPetition.org and semo.net.
Brian,
Do you have to be a resident of the city to sign the petition or can you also be a Butler County resident who receives Internet through the city? Keep up the good work…and I do enjoy your videos! There is very valuable information in the videos.