Carson City Mayor infringes upon citizens’ rights to be heard (opinion)
Carson City Mayor infringes upon citizens’ rights to be heard
I, Jim Shirk spoke at the Board of Supervisors meeting held on September 2nd.
This is what I said…
Today’s consent agenda totals $891,447.90 bringing the consent agenda total to roughly 12 million dollars plus or minus. This Board has consistently approved the spending of taxpayer’s money usually without any discussion on these agenda items what so ever and will probably do so again today.
The Board of Supervisor agenda packet states on page 1 in the first paragraph and I quote: “face coverings are required to be worn when attending this meeting in person”.
My question – will this be enforced? Heck no.
Also, on page 1 in paragraph 4 it states:
Public comment will be limited to three minutes per person.... this in bold type and it is even underlined.
My question will this be enforced? Oh hell yes.
What is interesting about this bold underlining statement – I could not find it on any agenda packet through all of 2020 and 2021. So, did it just start today?
Ironically if it did, this occurs right after I contacted the mayor inquiring about the public comments.
The mayor can allow the public to make comments on each agenda item after presentation and before the Board votes.
However, in her email she basically declared: NOPE ain’t gonna happen.
The mayor personally on her own forbids the public to speak, after an agenda item.
Why?
The mayor believes there is a health and public safety issue which limits public access. Supposedly this is why citizens are not given the right to free speech.
I will remind the mayor – at the August 19th meeting every seat in this room was taken, and people were standing everywhere inside this room. There were even citizens standing and sitting in the corridor that connects to this room.
I will further remind the mayor: that you and this Board posed for pictures in this very very very overcrowd room. All the while the mayor is forbidding citizens the right to speak after an agenda item in a less crowded room.
This is definitely a defeat for citizens right to free speech, and a victory for the present-day power grab by the mayor. This is very similar to actions that Nancy Pelosi takes.
Jim Shirk
ILoveCarsonCity@gmail.com