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During the July Meeting of the Mammoth Town Council, the Mayor would not let me speak or place items on the agenda, This is nothing new; it is his way of trying to prevent me from telling you, the public, what you have the right to know.
A representative from Southwest Gas was at the meeting and made a presentation on the pending franchise agreement, at the end of his presentation he asked if there were any questions. I started to ask questions and was stopped by the Mayor (saying that it was not the procedure). The representative asked for questions and even put it in his letter. (“I will be glad to answer any questions you and Mayor and Council may have.”) Still, the Mayor refused to let me ask any questions of him.
When I tried to ask questions on the Police Department he refused to let me speak again. I believe you the people have a right to know why the Chief stepped down and took a pay cut. Who is running the Police Department and how much experience does he have? Is lack of experience going to put the Town in a position that we might be sued?
In New Business, when I tried to have two Formal Complaints against the Town Manager, put on the agenda for the next meeting, the Mayor refused again, saying that I did not know what I was doing and that I should fill out an agenda request.
New Business is the part of the meeting that people can bring up different issues for discussion to be placed on the next agenda.
We all know that any agenda request that the Mayor doesn’t like will not get put on the agenda.
They tried to make appointments of Department Heads for two years, saying that it was put on the agenda by The Mayor and Council. I know some Council members were not involved in this protection scheme.
I brought up the issue of Conflict of Interest. The Mayor said we have been doing it all this time (I guess it makes it legal). The Conflict of Interest related to the Mayor’s daughter paying her family and significant other their wages and the fact that both the Mayor and Councilman Barcelo vote on pay increases and benefits for their family. The Mayor asked the Town Attorney about the Conflict of Interest issue and the Attorney said he knew there were laws pertaining to our discussion but would not commit. Wow, is that why they hired him back as the Town Attorney?
After the meeting was adjourned, the Mayor proceeded to ask a citizen in attendance questions, knowing that all the recordings had been shut off. Why didn’t he ask the questions so all could hear and so it could be part of the minutes?
Summary: The Mayor has been on the Town Council for 24 years and still does not know how to conduct a meeting or he simply refuses to abide by the Town Ordinance that says the meetings will be conducted by Robert’s Rules of Order.
When the Mayor knowing and willingly violates the Town Ordinances and violates his oath of office, he should be removed from office!
/s/ Joseph S. Brewer
Mammoth
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