As everyone and their brother has complained about the decorum of public input I have often maintained that many of us (most of us) stick to city topics. I rarely repeat myself (except when it is about those f’ing trains). Some of it can sound like complaining, but as long as we are redressing out grievances about city issues it is well within our rights.
I don’t approve of cussing people out, and when people do that, I have suggested they are gaveled and thrown out. I have also encouraged the chair and certain councilors should stop making smart ass remarks (those two fellars are gone).
But one guy, comes week, after week, after week, to accuse the city of trying to murder him and wonders why he can’t get assistance (FF: 29:00). First off, his assistance should come from the VA. His needs and wants are their responsibility, NOT the city government. Many employees from the city and county have tried to help Steve, so have several city councilors, but once they make a suggestion Steve refuses to follow through, so we are back to square one, coming to the council meeting each week to bitch and complain.
It is time that the Mayor (chair of the meeting) and the council put an end to STEVE. They need to send him an immediate letter saying he is no longer welcome to speak at the city council meetings, and if he tries he should be escorted out by security.
I know he may suffer from mental illness (his words, not mine) but he is wrecking public input for the entire community that want to find solutions to problems in our community not whether or not the VA should assist Steve.
Please, put an end to this. TODAY!
Agree 100%. It’s regrettable the guy has cognitive/emotional issues, but society can’t allow a mentally ill person to disrupt the same government meeting week after week. This is a clear case of the tail wagging the dog. His right of free speech does not exceed the Council and the Peoples’ rights to meetings run in an efficient manner… and dealing with topics which are within the sphere of the Council’s power/influence/control.
I have watched this person give input many times and would be the first to admit that what he says is repetitive. But I would never assert for one minute that his free speech rights are any less important then mine or yours. And frankly I’m really surprised to hear that on this forum.
You want to end Steves? Then we must end the continual war….
Agree with Stable genius..
Says the guy who wants no changes to public input!
Seriously though, I have no idea what Steve really wants from city council.
I will defend anyone to have their right to public input, but if you are threatening or cussing, I can’t defend you.
Besides the fact that STEVE says the same thing every single week that is not germane to city business – just how the city should assist him in some way even though he already gets assistance. He is actually threatening towards the council, accusing them EVERY week of trying to murder him.
I can handle all the goofy power points, complaints from the homeless while they stand at the podium with a $600 smart phone, complaints about pot holes, on and on, for the most part it is entertaining if not anything else, but STEVE has laid down his situation enough times already – we heard it enough times. He should become a Catholic Priest, he would be great at holding mass.
This is exactly why they need to have a process to allow people to speak in front of the council. You should check in 30 minutes (at least) before the meeting starts and must reveal what you plan to speak about.
If it’s found to be repetitive or just plain non-sense then you are denied permission. If you have an issue with it then you can try to schedule a meeting with your area councilperson to discuss the matter.
Steve is a waste of time, money and energy for our city.
We don’t need a bunch of blanket rules because a couple of dinks don’t know how to address the council. It’s simple, when someone is being a dink, you ask them to leave.
Who gets to decide who’s a dink and who isn’t?
Because to me, there’s more than just Steve who says the same thing every week and isn’t offering anything relevant.
Mike H., you must never attend or try to speak at the city council because your rules lack a complete understanding of the process or how the room works.
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