Passions Flare.......

Things just got interesting

If you didn’t know this about me, I tend to be passionate about things. Not everyone appreciates my passion at all times. Sometimes I can be a bit much. Take last month at the city meeting for example. In May, I was pretty hot after the meeting. Alderman Matthews was complaining about his road not being paved first, and I was irritated. He voted against the tax increase for the road projects. He voted against funding the Pleasant Grove stop light and the widening of Calista Road. Well, after that meeting I lost my cool.

Another citizen was walking out with me and started to complain that the “good ole boys were back.” First, they are NOT. Every one of those board members ran for office because they were sick and tired of the status quo and wanted to do something to keep this city from adding another 5000 units on top of the 5000 that were already approved. This complaint is the same as the the one Matthews voiced from the board. “It’s not fair.” Well, I lost my cool. I used foul language and called the citizen a name. One I won’t type out here because, well, it’s foul. Not Eddie Murphy Raw foul, but one or two F bombs foul. There were witnesses. The mayor was standing near me. Alderman Matthews was down the sidewalk from me, and I think the Chief of police was in the parking lot, but I can’t be sure on that one. It was loud. It was short lived, and I got the bird from the citizen. (I deserved it) I am publicly admonishing myself. I behaved like a boob. I stewed for a night and realized I needed to apologize to the citizen.

This was my apology. I sent it the next morning. He never responded. I don’t blame him. I’m not sure I would talk to me again either.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Alderman Matthews wanted me admonished in a city meeting for arguing with another citizen in a parking lot. The argument did NOT take place during a city meeting. Do I have email evidence for this proposed admonishment? Nope, it was done in a phone call. How do I know? Journalist sources. Let me repeat that for those of you that didn’t hear that. He wanted me publicly admonished in a meeting for an argument with one of his constituents. Not only do I not live in his ward, I don’t live in the city limits. Let’s start there. Let’s end with he isn’t my husband, my father, or my preacher, therefore he has NO business scolding me for an argument.

But wait, there’s more. He’s been emailing the city about the loud music from the car driving by his house every afternoon at 4:30.

He has asked for patrol on his road to deal with the loud car.

Again, I don’t have email evidence because he makes phone calls. I do have sources that tell me extra patrol was put on his road in order to catch the offender.

A few years ago he called the cops and made complaints against his new neighbor for playing music during the DAY while they were updating the house. He confronted the man’s 14 year old son. You can read about that here. He had just been elected when this happened.

Fast forward to the June BOMA meeting. Matthews had city administrator, Gerald Herman’s evaluation added to the agenda. Did you know he wanted the firing of Mr. Herman added to the agenda?

(all emails are public record and were obtained through a records request)

Again, his request was made by phone so there is no record. We get to the meeting, and he does NOT mention that he wants Herman fired, however he did not vote to renew Herman’s contract. He and Alderman Spicer went back and forth during the discussion about Herman’s evaluation. Not once did Matthews ask her to stop interrupting him. After the meeting, another citizen approached the board and asked if the board was allowed to debate each other during meetings and if citizens were allowed the same. The answer was that board members open an item for discussion and are allowed to discuss. Citizens can speak for 3 minutes before any meeting about any topic they want to. His complaint was that Matthews was the only one that was interrupted. He said he’d been to the last two meetings. Well, I’ve seen Alderman Wall interrupted, and remember when Alderman Silver interrupted other board members. Personally, I much prefer when they debate items. It means they are thinking about them and not blanket voting.

Matthews and this citizen went to leave and I spoke to the citizen. I didn’t completely catch what Matthews said, but it sounded like a warning to that citizen not to talk to me. I flat out asked Matthews if he had something to say to me. He said no, and then said this…..”Your turn is coming.” WHAT??? I asked him if he had planned on suing me. He said, “I didn’t say that.” and he left. You read that right, “Your turn is coming.”

Let me be 100% clear.

This includes F bombs and name calling. This includes speech you disagree with. This includes my opinion on politicians. This protects journalists from government overreach. Not once have I lied or made anything up about Mr. Matthews. Not once have I posted anything untrue. Votes can be accessed and my sources can remain anonymous.

The alderman had the opportunity to admonish me himself in the June meeting. I was there, he was there. He had the opportunity to bring up firing Mr. Herman. Herman was there, he was there. He had the opportunity to tell Spicer to pipe down. She was there, he was there. Maybe he prefers sending letters from his lawyer, like he did to my friend Daniel. I guess I’ll wait for mine, since my turn is coming.