Legalectric

So now there’s a movement afoot to limit public comment at City Council meetings.

Watch the meeting HERE, click on meeting media.

Better yet, come on down. Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. (4th Monday meeting is now at 6:30, not 6:00)/

Here’s the scoop:

Nope, that is a gross misstatement of what’s at issue, a gross misstatement of the issues I, this “resident,” raised. Here’s the problem, which I laid out in writing and the Council Administrator was on that email list, and which I discussed before the Council. There’s no excuse for not knowing, there’s no excuse for this “misstatement” by the Council Administrator:

And note in the Council Administrator’s Staff Report the characterization and the number of times the word “attack” is used–EIGHT TIMES!!!

A major point is the failure to understand the distinction between “attack” and “criticism.” I’ve run into this before on campaigns where an incumbent thinks that raising stupid or awful votes with big impacts on constituents is an “attack,” or “negative campaigning,” that those raising the voting record are “so MEAN.” Enough of the whining and crying.

Council members are elected officials, and council members are public figures, who by running for office and being elected to represent those of us in the City of Red Wing, have “thrust themselves into the vortex” and yes, being an elected official, it’s part of the job to absorb criticism, due and even not — it’s the job. Ideally, it’s to hear criticism, consider it, and maybe even act differently!! This is not about “comments or gestures that are threatening, profane, lewd, vulgar, obscene, harassing, or abusive.” These are comments about Council as a whole and/or Council members’ votes, policies, statements, and all ar subject to criticism, and even laudatory statements! And frankly, I think it’s about folks not wanting to hear what’s being said, and not wanting what’s being said to be public. Too bad…

For example, had I not raised Mayor Iocco’s lobbying for nuclear power on behalf of Xcel Energy in North Dakota during public comment, would the public even know?

Iocco’s nuclear lobbying for Xcel – May 15th, 2026

Would the public, or even all the Council members know he had this to say? Were these statements authorized by the Council?

Was this riff authorized by the Council? Has Iocco and the Council and the public forgotten the defrocked Mayor Dennis Egan’s ejection/resignation due to lobbying, a conflict of interest, when he was head of frac sand industry lobbying entity and when a frac sand loading facility was being considered in Red Wing and loading and mining nearby?

• Mayor Egan Resigns March 7th, 2013

• Mayor Egan to resign? Sand mining bill introduced! February 23rd, 2013

And don’t forget our right to petition about grievances:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Oh yeah, we have grievances, and we ARE going to oh-so-politely let you know!