OPINION – On Tuesday, Nov. 4, I attended our Town Hall meeting and spoke at the call to the public. I expressed my concern that certain council members appear to be breaking Arizona State Open Meeting Laws by proselytizing and putting forth their personal political ideology during official government meetings. I also pointed out that items like “reports” may not be used as an open forum for their personal beliefs to be voiced.
At the end of my speech, some members of the public applauded, which the mayor reacted to by very angrily pounding his gavel and threatening to “clear the room,” and then calling a 10-minute recess when people objected. I raised my hand to try and point out to the mayor that applause is indeed allowed under the participation paragraph of the agenda packet, but was not allowed to speak.
The mayor’s bullying of the public was shocking. He was inexplicably rude to another speaker when asking where she resided. When some audience members laughed at a statement by a speaker, interestingly he did not gavel those people. The mayor’s exchange with Councilmember Brenda Kalivianakis was unprofessional and nasty.
