The Shawnee dispatch has posted an article concerning the council committee meeting from this past Tuesday. It can be read by clicking here. You can also scroll down in the blog and read my comments in my first post.
When reading the Dispatch article you might want to pay particular attention to this item concerning a statement of Jeff Vaiught's:
“I think we’re encouraging it to turn it into a conversation, which isn’t good because then we turn it into a conversation about something that’s not on the agenda,” Vaught said. “I just don't want to make a comment and have somebody get up and turn it into a debate against me at the end of a meeting."
As I have previously stated, it would appear over time Vaught has given lip service to open government but is not really a proponent. He feels that as a councilmember he is above the people of the city. His arrogant attitude towards using the miscellaneous items section of the meeting to be a bully pulpit becomes more evident every day. This arrogance has to be one of the reasons why the citizens of Shawnee voted against him in the recent mayoral primary so he did not advance to the general election.
Methinks that councilmembers Sandifer and Neighbor need to rethink their position on this issue if they want to be looked at as truly supporting open government.
In the Dispatch article Council President Meyer, who voted in favor of the proposed change is quoted:
Meyer said she could see the value of allowing the change as well.
“I have seen instances where members of the council have sort of said something directed at someone who spoke earlier and then they don’t get an opportunity to respond to that,” Meyer said.
She and the other four who voted to advance this item are to be commended for their open government stance. That would be Meyer, Dan Pflumm, Eric Jenkins Mike Kemmling and Brandon Kenig.
DTJVSD
