Village Of Valleyview

RESIDENTS NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT COUNCIL MEETING

May 12, 2002

A record turn out of concerned residents attended the May 6, 2002 regular Council Meeting to hear what Council had planned for the Chief and the Village. Many of the residents who attended wore ?“KEEP THE CHIEF?” t-shirts. A stack of filled out speaker cards were handed to Mayor Graves before the meeting from residents who had concerns or issues that they wished to bring before council. Those issues or concerns were never brought before the council. The council voted not to open the floor for the public speaking portion of the meeting and voted to adjourn the meeting on the urging of Mayor Graves. In the past, at the end of each regular council meeting, residents and those having business before the council were allowed to speak to the council. After enduring three hours of a standing room only meeting, the residents had patiently waited to be heard. But, at the end of the meeting Mayor Graves stated, ?“due to our police?’s inability to control this crowd, we have decided not to hear speakers and call for an adjournment?”. [Note: The Mayor never ordered the police to control the crowd, which must happen before the police can remove or physically control a resident, unless in a dangerous situation. It is the Mayor?’s or President pro-tem?’s responsibly to call for order.] The residents ?“loudly?” objected to the council?’s decision, but the resident?’s wishes fell on deaf ears. The meeting was adjourned with only Ms. Irene White voting to allow the residents to speak.

Mayor Graves and Councilman Dennis Eaddy both stated, ?“It is a privilege, not a right to speak at the meetings.?” It is also a privilege for them to serve the needs of the residents.

Throughout the meeting several residents asked for the floor to be opened to the residents to discuss topics before council voted on an issue, each time council refused to hear the residents.