Comment

Comment by Daurena Dyer on August 3, 2011 at 2:47pm

Please send us a list of email addresses of our dear council members so that we may all email this message or any other to them enmass.  Remember folks to put their addressess in your address book under a group name, then copy and past the message with anything you would like to add to it, and send it to the "group"

Daurena

Comment by Michael Jackson on August 3, 2011 at 2:45pm

John, I asked Carla Miller, the head of the ethics department if there was something that could be done regarding a similar incident.  She thinks this is not an ethics issue.

Comment by John Sauer on August 3, 2011 at 2:41pm

I believe the City Council President decides when the rules are to be followed, I may be wrong. I see that the At-Large Group 3 seat had no challengers in March even though Mr. Joost acted with disrespect of the council and the taxpayers during the stadium naming rights deliberations in the council chambers (as I recall, he voted for the giveaway and then left the chambers to go to dinner with the recipients of the giveaway). Will the citizens of Jacksonville remember this for the next election and not just hope for the best? We worked hard to send the last council president to the city dump, we can do it again as long as we have a choice of candidates. Does the new Ethics Committee have any say in the matter of when the rules are drpped?

Comment by Daniel R. Carr on August 3, 2011 at 2:23pm

Try poking around the www.coj.net website - there's PLENTY there to get your adrenaline flowing. Hover on "Government", click on "City Council', and explore the Committees, Bills, etc. Here're some of the Rules: So.........it looks like we're at the total whim of the capricious and whimsical Council President as to when, what, and how we may address that august body.
Dan
 
RULE 3.602 PUBLIC HEARINGS: COMMITTEES

(a) Committee Public Hearing Defined. A Committee public hearing is a meeting of a
committee, or a specified portion thereof, at which the privilege of the floor is granted to the general public and members thereof may address the committee on the subject for which the public hearing is called. A public hearing is specifically designed to elicit comments and observations from the general public and to afford the members of the general public an opportunity to speak directly to the committee concerning a particular matter of great public interest or importance. All meetings of a committee are public meetings, at which the public may, at the pleasure of the committee, address the committee; but a public hearing is an extraordinary procedure used only to gain information not otherwise obtainable or to hear both sides of a controversy or to argue the merits of a matter. (Note: The 02 Aug. Mtg. was NOT a Public hearing of 2011- 400 as-defined.)

PART 7. AGENDAS

RULE 3.701 MATTERS PENDING AGENDA

All bills shall be placed on the Matters Pending Agenda after introduction (first reading) in the order of their bill numbers and shall remain on the Matters Pending Agenda until adopted, enacted, withdrawn or denied (not adopted or not enacted) by the Council. The Matters Pending Agenda shall note the legislative progress of each bill, including public hearing and committee recommendations. All Committee and Council Agendas are prepared using bill titles and information and action from this master agenda in accordance with Council Rules. (Note; 2011- 400 was NOT on the Published Agenda).

 

Comment by Michael Jackson on August 3, 2011 at 2:19pm

As I was interested in the initial meetings regarding the pension plan 2011-400, and why the council was "rushing" it through the Jack Webb era council, I also asked City Council and Carla Miller (ethics) what allowed them to consider their action (that night) as an emergency.  The City Council's own rules have a specific definition for Emergency and the Council was not following the rule.

Carla indicated this was not an ethics issue.  City Councilman Bill Bishop (my district) said that "an emergency was anything the Council decided it was."

I was also told that the only chance at challenging the behavior is through the General Counsel.  The Council looks to them for legal guidance.

In meetings of the Community Groups, it has been suggested that each community group watch their specific councilman and report these things to the Tea Party as a whole. 

Great Job Russell.  Let your councilman/woman know we don't like being misled.

There is one fix for sure.  If we can't make them follow their own rules since they make them up to suit, we an RECALL.

Holding a recall election requires 10 percent of the registered voters in that district and you only have 30 days to do it in.  There are more rules, but it can be done.

Comment by Audrey Stricker on August 3, 2011 at 2:14pm

Why  does this city even pretend to have an "ethics"person on staff. What can we do about this ? Who are the council members that might listen if we contact them?

Comment by david weed on August 3, 2011 at 1:49pm

I don't believe there is any way to recall council members. What is needed is an amendment to the Florida Constitution concerning citizens power of recall of any elected or appointed official. It would not be hard to get it on the ballot as a voter initiative as everyone would vote for it. The arrogance we see on the council is what we are seeing in Washington DC now. With the 13 member Super Congress that is blatantly unconstitutional, to the Obama administration composed of CFR members, our country is being hijacked by the elite. Guns and ammo, non-perishable food,potable water supply, generators and food, and gold and silver for currency. The revolution is coming sooner than anyone thinks. Hyper-inflation is here with milk approaching $4. a gallon and gas inching up to the same and 20% of America un-employed with no income, companies with 30 to 40 years of existence that were successful now closing or bankrupt and the gross violation of our Constitution by government violence is only a short time away. Why haven't articles of impeachment been drawn up for Obama's Libyan incursion without Congressional approval? The illegal and unconstitutional TSA. The government has been preparing for civil uprising for several years now because the know the truth about our Ponzi scheme banking system. Knowledge is Power, be prepared. Dave

Comment by Patricia M. McBride on August 3, 2011 at 1:35pm

Russell, I know you don't know this, but the council has a rule that allows them to waive any and all rules that apply to what ever situation they need it to apply to.  In other words, we have laws and rules, but the city council is not bound by anything...........totally lawless so to speak.  I guess all the laws and rules are there to bamboozle the rest of  us into thinking we can trust them since there are rules and laws they must follow (not so).  They have been no better than the folks in Washington and suspect in some cases worse!

Comment by Marcie on August 3, 2011 at 1:34pm

I am not aware of this bill or its consequences. Can you write up a short and concise explanation and post it so that I can email it to others? Many people are too busy to keep such a close eye on the slick politicians and that is how this country has ended up in such a mess. IMHO the best use of Tea Party volunteers time would be to keep the people informed of the incremental theft of our rights (and money!) such as this.

Even many people who wouldn't consider themselves part of the Tea Party could be made to see how these local government actions can hurt themselves and their families if there was someone conversant with local politics who would send out factual nonpartisan bulletins that Tea Party members could then forward to their
non Tea Party friends and family. My moderate friends do not want to hear any rhetoric but if I can lay out the facts to them I can sometimes bring them to our side on certain issues and they are then willing to act on those issues. But I need the facts.

Comment by Christy on August 3, 2011 at 1:23pm

Check the Brown Rules of Order or anything rules that u could apply and advise them u will strongly contemplate suing for their lack of adherance to the rules of order.  Go to all meetings and during the public comments keep bring this up!!!!

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• Next ›
• Page